Introducing Government in America Ch. 1

Government institutions and agencies that translate institutions and agencies that translate public will into public policy; defined constitutionally public will into public policy; defined constitutionally

Politics who gets what, when and how who gets what, when and how evolutionary process evolutionary process

Linkage institutions Elections Elections Parties Parties Interest groups Interest groups Media Media

Six Basic Functions of Government

The Evolution of Democracy

Athens Participation Participation Education Education Service Service Philosophers Philosophers Socrates Socrates Plato Plato Aristotle Aristotle

“The middle class is least likely to shrink from rule, or to be overambitious for it: both of which are injuries to the state.... But a city ought to be composed, as far as possible, of equals and similars; and these are generally the middle class... “The middle class is least likely to shrink from rule, or to be overambitious for it: both of which are injuries to the state.... But a city ought to be composed, as far as possible, of equals and similars; and these are generally the middle class... Aristotle – On Politics Aristotle – On Politics

Rome Rome Republic Republic Bicameral legislature Bicameral legislature Checks & balances Checks & balances Twelve Tables Twelve Tables Citizenship Citizenship

Locke Locke Hobbes Hobbes Rousseau Rousseau Montesquieu Montesquieu Voltaire Voltaire Philosophers of the Enlightenment

Who said it? “Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will; and in a body, we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.” “Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will; and in a body, we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.”

Who said it? “I may disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Who said it? The natural condition of humans is “... a state of perfect freedom to order their actions, and dispose of their possessions and persons as they think fit,...without asking leave or depending upon the will of any other man.... A state also of equality, wherein all the power and jurisdiction is reciprocal [shared equally], no one having more than another.”

Who said it? The natural condition of humans is one of continuous conflict and competition:..“In such condition, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no The natural condition of humans is one of continuous conflict and competition:..“In such condition, there is no place for industry, because the fruit thereof is uncertain; and consequently no culture of the earth,... no knowledge of the face of the earth, no account of time, no arts, no letters, no society; and which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of people, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short”

Who said it? “When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty; because apprehension may arise, lest the same monarch or senate should enact them in a tyrannical manner.”

The U.S. Constitution Federalism Federalism Three branches Three branches Structure Structure Powers Powers Process for amending Process for amending

Amendments Amendments Twenty-seven total in over 200 years Twenty-seven total in over 200 years Bill of Rights Bill of Rights Extension of electorate Extension of electorate Clarifying problems in structure and functions of government. Clarifying problems in structure and functions of government.

Challenges to Democracy Participation Participation Diversity Diversity Conflict over the “public good” Conflict over the “public good” Increased technical expertise Increased technical expertise Representational styles Representational styles Campaign finance concerns Campaign finance concerns

Consensus and compromise or “Two Americas?” Divided government Divided government Gridlock Gridlock Partisanship Partisanship Moderates Moderates

Principles of Democracy Equality in voting Equality in voting Effective participation Effective participation Enlightened understanding Enlightened understanding Citizen control of the agenda Citizen control of the agenda Inclusion Inclusion Majority rules; minority rights preserved Majority rules; minority rights preserved Individualism Individualism

Six Theories of Who Governs Marxism/Class Marxism/Class C. Wright Mills (The Power Elite) C. Wright Mills (The Power Elite) Bureaucrats (Max Webber) Bureaucrats (Max Webber) Pluralist Pluralist Hyperpluralism Hyperpluralism Interlocking directorates Interlocking directorates