Transcript Unit 1: Constitutional Underpinnings

Ch. 1: pp. 1-24
How should we govern?
What should government
do?
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15-25
26-38
39-51
52-64
65-75
Radical
Liberal
Moderate
Conservative
Reactionary
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Reading Check Quiz: Ch. 1 pp. 1-14
Read: The Children’s Story by James Clavell (1963)
Imagine school with no rules. What would it be like?
Use all 5 senses when you describe it.
Why do we have rules? What do rules do for us and our
school? Are rules necessary? Why?
What about society in general without rules/laws. Think
about public safety, roads and highways, securing
private property, and your ability to make a living.
What makes laws effective? Have there ever been laws
that have been ineffective? Give examples. Why were
these laws ineffective?
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When there are no rules it is called “State of Nature.” This term was
penned by political philosopher John Locke.
Locke believed that because of human nature there was a need for
rules and laws to protect people’s natural rights of life, liberty, and
property.
He believed that people formed governments to protect natural
rights.
People formed social contracts where people agree to obey rules of
the government and the government agrees to protect the natural
rights of the people. If the government violates people’s natural
rights or does not protect the natural rights of the people, the
people have an obligation to get rid of the government and forma
new one.
John Lock’s writings had a huge influence on the founders of our
government. Washington, Adams, Franklin, Jefferson all read
Locke’s writings and much of our government reflects his ideas.
Jefferson applied many of Locke’s ideas in the Declaration of
Independence.
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Does government really matter in your lives?
List 20 ways government affects your life
In 1970 58% of college freshmen kept up with politics and
in 2003 only 26% kept up…what changed?(Under 25,
least likely to vote was at 32% as of 1996).
Proliferation of cable TV channels
Young not in the habit because no longer on all the
channels
The numbers are going up currently: 4 points from 20032005
2012 Election Results/Voter Turn-Out Hand-Out!
Why should we stay informed?
Fosters civic virtues
Helps citizens identify what policies would benefit
them and vote accordingly
Promotes active participation in politics
those who participate are the most likely to benefit
What is the solution?
Voting at 16, so they can practice voting in high
school?
Jefferson: “There never have been, nor ever will be a
people who are politically ignorant and free.”
Definition: The institutions and processes through which public
policies are made for a society.
Fundamental Questions:
How should we govern? (Who should hold the power?)
What should the government do?
Universal Government functions (What are they?)
National Defense
Provide Public Goods: Goods that we all share and that
business is not likely to provide. Examples: Education,
libraries, parks, schools, highways, weather forecasting,
clean water, and clean air
Preserve order
Socialize the young
Collect Taxes
Politics: The process by which we select our government
leaders and the policies they pursue.
Creates conflict/Whether one wishes to reach a consensus
or not…
Bag Demo! Veil of Ignorance
Political Participation
Voting most common
U.S. is one of the lowest voter turn outs in the
world
Gives a distorted sample of public opinion
Single Issue Group
Narrow interest (abortion)
Dislike compromise
Attracts people new to politics
Policymaking Hand-Out (see chart p. 12)
The process by which policy evolves and comes into being
Linkage Institutions: channel through which people’s political
concerns get on the agenda. Elections, political parties,
interest groups, media
Policy agenda: Issues that attract serious attention of public
officials
Political Issues: An issue that people disagree how to fix
Policymaking institutions: Branches of Government that take
action on political issues: President, S.C., Congress,
(bureaucracy is being added)
Public Policy: The choice the government makes in response
to a political issue. (They can be established through action
and inaction-not responding to an issue-AIDS,???) p. 13
Reading Check Quiz pp. 14-24!
Democracy
What do you think of when you hear the word democracy?
Freedom, justice, apple pie…
Government Continuum: Anarchism, Representative
Government, Totalitarianism, Libertarianism
Economic Continuum: Socialism, Capitalism, Communism
193 countries in the world:
How many democracies are there?
How many dictatorships are there?
Communists: Loas, N.K., Vietnam, China, Cuba
Military
Presidential Dictatorship
Absolute Monarchy
Transitional?
One Party dominates?
How did the framers feel about it?
Government by the People probably coined by Lincoln
What was the struggle of the Cold War?
Traditional Democratic Theory Include:
Inclusion: Majority Rule, Minority Rights (Issue of Power)
Assume Majority will make the right decision. Is this fair?
Equality of voting: one person, one vote
Effective participation: must have opportunities to participate
to express preferences.
Enlightened understanding: free speech and free press; free
expression of ideas essential
Citizens should control the agenda
Representation: Democracy v. Representative Government
Majoritarianism- Direct Democracy; majority of
population entitled to certain degree of
primacy. (“mob rule”); leaders are heavily
influenced by the will of the people.
Pluralist Theory (positive)
Citizens participate through joining interest
groups
Need to have multiple center of influence
(Federal System)
Recently there has been a proliferation of
interest groups
Become more effective: Lobbyists, technology
Poor always under-represented
Elite and Class Theory (negative) (Hobbes and Locke)
Upper class elite control government decisions
1/3 of nations’ wealth held by 1% of citizens
These are the groups that can afford to finance
campaigns
Reagan and Bush Jr. big business supporters.
Clinton and Wall Street
Doesn’t really matter who is elected to
government; it’s really about the corporate giant
that holds the power.
Against: Studies show that this group doesn’t
agree and isn’t necessarily getting what they want;
Hyperpluralism (negative)
Pluralism gone amuck: interest groups actually
in control
Government has overlapping sphere of influence
Tries to please everyone: result is conflicting
policies
Ex: tobacco-subsidize it and pay for health
consequences
By trying to please everyone, public policy does
not equal public interest-no clear directions.
1. Hume - 1734-1750’s - Human nature that man was
evil. . Government by the many with negotiation and
compromise promoting a union and eventually
establishing a republic.
2. Hobbes - one needs an inherited monarchy to promote
the legitimacy of government. Absolutism rules. . .Self
interest is national interest/Laws = order.
3. Locke - 1689 - social contract theory - Life, liberty and
property - Consent of the gov’t by Parliament( few) who
had a stake in society because it represented people of
property. . .poor people don’t lose much when life
deteriorates. Natural rights dominate gov’t rule!
4. Rousseau – Man was corrupted by an evil society. Rule
by all - a complete democracy; a community of the
whole-- Mobacracy - or maybe Direct Democracy.
Hand-Out!
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Compare and contrast two of the four political
philosophers’ ideas (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau,
Hume) in establishing who governs in a
democracy.
Thesis: Take a Stance
Resources on class web-site
Please Cite Additional Outside Information
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The framers of the Constitution established a
representative democracy. Political scientists have
developed at least three theories of American
democracy: pluralism, elitism, and hyperpluralism.
A. Describe each of these three theories
B. Describe how the average citizen is to play a
role in politics according to each theory
C. Choose one of the above theories. For that
theory, explain one way in which it would support
representative democracy and one way in which it
would retard representative democracy.
Limited Participation
Increased Technical Expertise: Do citizens know enough to
make well informed decisions-knowledge is power!
Escalating Campaign Cost
House: ½ million
Senate: closer to 1 million
President: over 100 million
PAC: $5,000
How does this effect democracy?
Diverse Political Interests
Policy gridlock: People want (or not) so many things,
decisions can’t be made; no agreement (again conflict…)
Divided governments: Last 50 years…
How much should our government be involved in our lives?
More: Protect minorities and disadvantaged, positive changes
Less: People make own decisions
Comparative Perspective
How does the U.S. compare in taxes: Less
How does the government compare in services: Less
American Individualism
How did we become this way?
Feudal system oppressed so doesn’t want government
interference
Frontier developed independence
p. 21