The American System

 Two major questions each society must answer about government  Who gets the power? ▪ Political SCIENCE  How should that power be used? ▪ Political PHILOSOPHY

 Power –  the ability to have someone act in a certain way  Authority –.  The RIGHT to use power.  Americans accept this if those in. power act in accordance with the laws  Legitimacy –  Authority conferred by law using some form of a constitution

 Founding Fathers on Representative Democracy  The will of the people does not always serve the common interest or public good.  Slows the process to prevent “knee-jerk” reactions.  Hinders demagoguery.  Minimized risks of: ▪ The tyranny of the masses ▪ Self-serving office holders

 Modern Times and Representative Democracy  Some states allow some degree of Direct Democracy ▪ Initiative ▪ Referendum  Modern technology allows more access to greater information for larger numbers of people

 Elected Officials have the POWER (of the vote) ?  Majoritarian – ▪ vote as the majority of people like ▪ Delegates of the people ▪ Serves to stay in office by pleasing majority  Public Trustee ▪ Votes what the politician feels is in the “best” interest of the people (even if they don’t know it’s best)  Partisan ▪ Votes as the political party wants  Politico ▪ Votes in a manner that is most expedient at the moment

 Political Elite have the real power ?  Small group who are not necessarily elected  Pull all of the strings behind the scene  Disproportionate power compared to general public  Who are these elites? ▪ Marxist view ▪ Power Elite view ▪ Bureaucratic view ▪ Pluralist view

 Marxi$t View of Political Elite  Karl Marx  All history is a class struggle  The class which dominates the economy – capitalists in USA – dominates the government.  Power Elite View of Political Elite  C. W. Mills  Top officials (in military, business and politics) hold real power  Modern view includes media heads, union presidents and special interest group leaders

 Bureaucratic View of Political Elite  Max Weber  Administrations come and administrations go, but the bureaucrats are in place over a long time  The bureaucrats push agendas by implementing action (or inaction) when enforcing laws  Pluralist View of Political Elite.  Modern times have NO such thing..  Competing interests cancel each other out  Power comes from ability to compromise. with other groups.

Does self-interest drive our democracy? YES Everyone is in it for themselves! SORT OF Everyone is in it for themselves, so they cancel each other out when policy is written. NO There are a lot of good people and good legislation that do what is needed, not what is popular.

Opposing political philosophies Liberals Tend to want to make changes to the status quo Conservatives Tend to want to stay the course and keep what is working. Establish a society which best benefits the people

 America has a long history of shifting political thought!  Major economic shifts  Crises  Definition of the major problems of the day  Definition of public interest of the day  Deeply held beliefs (factor against change)

 Politics is not clear cut  Cannot be defined by mathematical or scientific formulas  Politics deals with people and their preferences  Preferences change  People do not always act in totally predictable ways