Transcript The Political Landscape - Bishop Amat Memorial High School

The Political Landscape
Chapter 1
Mr. Manzo
American Government:
Continuity and Change
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The Political Landscape
•
In this chapter we will cover…
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Roots of American Government
The Theory of Democratic Government
Characteristics of American Democracy
American Political Culture and the American
People
5. Ideology of Americans
6. Views of Government
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1. The Roots of American
Government
• Aristotle and the Greeks articulated the idea of
natural law.
• Society should be governed by ethical principles
that are part of nature and can be understood
through reason.
• Government before had been by “divine right,”
but these philosophical changes put humans on
the road toward self government.
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Roots of Government
•
1.
2.
3.
4.
Epicureans (natural rightsliberalism)
Self Interest of the individual
No participation in public life
Protection of natural rights by government
Government guarantees civil liberties,
privacy & political rights.
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Roots of Government
•
1.
2.
3.
Stoics (classical republicanism)
Common good over individualism
Participation in pubic affairs
Political rights i.e. voting, opinions, public
office
4. Interest groups
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Popular Consent
Social Contract Theory
• People are source of power
• People give consent to government
to rule
• Government provides protection of
natural rights
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John Locke
Second Treatise of Government
• Honorary Founding Father
(Oxford fellow)
• State of Nature – perfect
freedom (world w/o civil
authority) [moral state]
• Natural Rights – life, liberty,
(estate) property.
• Contract w/ government
• Government by Consent of the
majority
• Limited government
(separation of powers)
• Right to revolt
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Second Treatise
• Parliamentary supremacy – legislative
power
• Rule of law (limited government to protect
rights)
• Constitutional government –role of the
executive
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Hobbes- Leviathan
• The life of man is
solitary, poor, nasty,
brutish, and short.
• State of war – conflicts
of religious views, moral
judgments, and
exercising power over
others (“all against all”)
• Strong government is
necessary to restrain
man
• Sovereign
representative of the
people
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Rousseau
Social Contract
• His essay The Social
Contract explores the
dilemma of how man
loses his identity and
freedom by creating a
state. His opening
words embody his basic
political theory: "Man is
born free; and
everywhere he is in
chains.
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Montesquieu
Spirit of Laws
• Articulated the
theory of separation
of powers which is
the basis for the
United States
Constitution.
• Executive, Legislative,
Judicial branches
• "checks and
balances"
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Founding a New System
At the time of the founding of our nation
several forms of governments existed…
– Monarchy
– Oligarchy
– Aristocracy
All are based on elite rule and
give few rights to the people
who live under them.
The colonists did not want to live under the
systems they had suffered under in the Old World
so they established a new system: democracy.
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2. The Theory of Democratic
Government
• Direct democracy
• Indirect democracy
• Republic
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Direct Democracy
• A system in which all come
together periodically to discuss
policy and abide by majority
rule.
– New England town meeting
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Indirect Democracy
A system of government that
allows citizens to vote for
representatives who will work on
their behalf.
Metropolitan Area Government
Los Angeles, New York, Boston
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Republic
A government rooted in
the consent of the
governed.
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The Economic System
Capitalism
• private ownership of property
• free market economy (laissezfaire)
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3. Characteristics of American
Democracy
1. popular consent
2. popular sovereignty
3. majority rule
4. individualism
5. equality
6. personal liberty
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4. American Political Culture
and the American People
Population of the United States:
– July 1, 1900 there were 76,094,000
– Today there are over 300,203,717
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One birth every.................................. 8 seconds
One death every.................................. 13 seconds
One international migrant (net) every............ 36 seconds
One Federal U.S. citizen (net) returning every...2891 seconds
Net gain of one person every..................... 13 seconds
– Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division
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Changing Demographics
• Not only are we bigger
we are also more
diverse.
• In colonial times most
Americans were AngloSaxon.
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Graying of America
• In 2011, the
“baby boom”
generation will
begin to turn 65,
and by 2030, it is
projected that
one in five
people will be
age 65 or older.
• The growth of the population age 65 and older will affect
every aspect of our society, presenting challenges as well
as opportunities to policymakers, families, businesses,
and health care providers.
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5. Ideology of Americans
• Political ideology is an individual’s coherent set of
values and beliefs about the scope and purpose of
government.
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.
Americans' political ideology 1992-2011, with 40% self-identifying as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal
Ideology of Americans
• Conservativism – a political philosophy
based on tradition and social stability, stressing
established institutions, and preferring gradual
development to abrupt change; specifically :
such a philosophy calling for lower taxes,
limited government regulation of business and
investing, a strong national defense, and
individual financial responsibility for personal
needs (health care and retirement)
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Ideology of Americans
• Liberalism – a political philosophy
based on belief in progress, accept change,
the essential goodness of the human race,
and the autonomy of the individual and
standing for the protection of political and
civil liberties; specifically : such a
philosophy that considers government as a
crucial instrument for amelioration of social
inequities (as those involving race, gender,
or class)
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Ideology of Americans
• Libertarianism – thought to favor a free market
economy and no governmental interference in
personal liberties. Libertarianism is, as the name
implies, the belief in liberty
• The central tenet of libertarianism is the principle of self-ownership. To
libertarians, an individual human being is sovereign over their body, extending
to their life, liberty and property.
• Oppose infringement of civil liberties such as restrictions on free expression
(e.g., speech, press, or religious practice)
• Libertarians believe you should be free to do as you choose with your own life
and property, as long as you don't harm the person and property of others.
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Ideology of Americans
• Populism is a political philosophy or rhetorical
style that holds that the common person’s interests
are oppressed or hindered by the elite in society,
and that the instruments of the state need to be
grasped from this self-serving elite and used for
the benefit and advancement of the people as a
whole. Hence a populist is one who is perceived to
craft his or her rhetoric as appeals to the
economic, social, and common sense concerns of
average people.
• 1912 – Theodore Roosevelt Bull Moose
Progressive Party
• 1968 – George Wallace, Alabama Governor
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• 1992 –Ross Perot, Texas businessman
6. Views of Government
• Our ideology and experiences greatly affect
how we view our government.
• It is part of our culture to expect negative
campaigns, dishonest politicians, and
political pundits who bash our leaders and
institutions.
• Looking at our government in such a light
leads many to remain uninformed and
pessimistic.
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High Expectations and No
Appreciation of the Good
• Americans expect more and more from their
government.
• Many Americans do not know what
government actually does for them.
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Regulation of airwaves for TV and Radio
Clean water
FDA inspections
Air Traffic Control
Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security
Veterans Hospitals, public schools
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