Political Thinking and Political Science

Political Thinking  Involves the careful gathering and sifting of information in the process of forming a knowledgeable view about a political issue.  Citizen involvement is key  Democracy places demands on citizens Political Science  The systematic study of government and politics Political Culture  Refers to the characteristics and deep-seated beliefs of a particular group of people about government and politics

America’s Core Values Liberty  Individuals are free to act and think as they choose provided they do not infringe on others  Individualism: people free from government restraint Equality  All individuals are equal in their moral worth and entitled to equal treatment of the law Self-Government  People are the source of governing authority and should have a voice in their governing.

Our Nation’s Political Ideals Politics  Means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costs  Those that have “it” want to keep “it”, those that don’t have “it” want to get “it.” Power  The ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developments.  The US has rules to help define the struggle for that power

What is government? Two aspects:  The institutions in a society which make decisions that affect the whole society  It involves the processes by which decisions are made

Democracy Form of government in which the people govern, either directly or through elected representatives Based upon the theory that the legitimacy of government must come from the free participation of its citizens.

A Constitutional Republic A constitutional republic refers to a form of government, where the head of state and other officials are representatives of the people and which governs in accordance with existing constitutional law. It is a government of laws not of men. Since the governing body is elected and their decisions are subject to judicial review the state is named as republican.

Theories of Power in Modern Democracies Majoritarianism  Numerical majority prevails in votes but making policy  Minority groups get overlooked Pluarlism  Power is held by special interests that dominate particular policy areas  Protects minorities but thwarts the majority Elitism  Policy controlled by small number of well-positioned highly influential individuals.  Often the elite are the economic elite