1. POL 101: U.S. Government
Dr. Kevin Lasher

2. Definitions
Democracy – system of govt. in which the people rule, either directly or indirectly
Republic – system of govt. where elected officials rule as agents of the people
Republican(Representative) Democracy – system of govt. in which the people rule through elected representatives

3. Winston Churchill : “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

4. Types of Government Monarchy/Autocracy – rule of the one
Oligarchy/Aristocracy – rule of the few; rule of a small elite
Democracy – rule of the people
Alternatives like theocracy (rule of God) and anarchy (lack of any government) are very rare in human history

5. Types of Government
Monarchy/Autocracy – where one individual has most of the political power

6. Types of Government
Oligarchy/aristocracy – where a small group of individuals have most of the political power

7. Types of Government
Democracy – where the citizens have most of the political power

8. Types of Government
For much of human history, rule of the one or rule of the few were the only two forms
Democracy is the “new kid on the block”
Democracy (?) in Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Native American tribes, others (was this really democracy?)
Democracy as an “idea” in the 1700s

9. 2015 Democracy has become the “dominant” form of government
115/194 countries are electoral democracies (Freedom House, 2012)
Many countries in Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe have adopted democracy in the last 30 years or so

10. Success and Failure
Russia was moving toward democracy in the 1990s, but has moved away from democracy since 2001

11. Models of Democracy
Procedural democracy
Substantive democracy

12. How Procedural Democracy
Procedures or set of steps in making decisions
How

13. Procedural Democracy Universal participation – everyone has a vote
Political Equality – everyone has ONE vote
Majority rule – 51% decision-making

14. Procedural Democracy Universal participation Political Equality
Majority rule
Combine for direct procedural democracy (very rare, if not impossible)
Very difficult for even small groups to make joint decisions

15. Procedural Democracy Universal participation Political Equality
Majority rule
Real representation (elect people to make decisions for society and they reflect the people’s will)
Combine for indirect procedural democracy (representative democracy)

16. Procedural Democracy Universal participation Direct Procedural
Political Equality
Majority rule
Real representation
Direct Procedural
Democracy
Indirect Procedural
Democracy

17. Substantive Democracy
Doesn’t reject procedural democracy
Nature or essence of decisions for a society
Democracy as the good, just, and fair society (not perfect)
WHAT

18. Substantive Democracy
Civil liberties – freedom of speech, press, religion, jury trial, right to lawyer, etc.
Civil rights – “equality” and non- discrimination of all racial, ethnic, religious, gender groups
Social rights – right to health care, decent education, etc.
Economic rights – right to a decent standard of living