Introducing Government inAmericaIntroducing Government inAmerica
Chapter 1
IntroductionIntroduction
Politics and government matter.
Americans are apathetic about politics andgovernment.
American youth are less likely to beinformed about government and politics andparticipate less in politics.
IntroductionIntroduction
The Political Disengagement of College StudentsToday (Figure 1.1)
IntroductionIntroduction
IntroductionIntroduction
Presidential Election Turnout Rates by Age (Figure 1.2)
GovernmentGovernment
Definition:
–The institutions and processes through whichpublic policies are made for society.
This definition leads to two basic questions:
–How should we govern?
–What should government do?
PoliticsPolitics
Definition:
–The process by which we select ourgovernmental leaders and what policies theseleaders produce. Politics produces authoritativedecisions about public issues.
Also consider Lasswell’s definition:
–Who gets what, when and how.
DemocracyDemocracy
Definition:
–A system of selecting policymakers and of organizinggovernment so that policy represents and responds tothe public’s preferences.
Equality in voting
Effective participation
Enlightened understanding
Citizen control of the agenda
Inclusion
Theories of U.S. Democracy…Theories of U.S. Democracy…
Pluralist Theory
–A theory of government and policiesemphasizing that politics is mainly acompetition among groups, each one pressingfor its own preferred policies.
Groups will work together
Public interest will prevail
Theories of U.S. Democracy…Theories of U.S. Democracy…
Elite and Class Theory
–A theory of government and politics contendingthat societies are divided along class lines andthat an upper-class elite will rule, regardless ofthe formal niceties of governmentalorganization.
Not all groups are equal
Policies benefit those with money / power
Theories of U.S. Democracy…Theories of U.S. Democracy…
Hyperpluralism
–A theory of government and politics contendingthat groups are so strong that government isweakened.
Exaggerated / perverted form of pluralism
Confusing / contradictory policies
Gridlock- inability to act at all
Challenges to DemocracyChallenges to Democracy
Increased Technical Expertise
Limited Participation in Government
Escalating Campaign Costs
Diverse Political Interests
Questions About DemocracyQuestions About Democracy
Are the people knowledgeable- and do theyapply what they know?
Do interest groups help the process, or dothey get in the way?
Do political parties offer clear consistentchoices for voters?
Does the President & Congress work in thebest interests of ALL the people?
American IndividualismAmerican Individualism
Individualism is the belief that individualsshould be left on their own by thegovernment.
Individualism is highly valued in the UnitedStates with a strong preference for freemarkets and limited government.
Questions about the Scope ofGovernmentQuestions about the Scope ofGovernment
How big a role does the Constitution sayshould be played by the federalgovernment?
Does a bigger, more involved (active)government limit the people’s freedoms?
Do we need a bigger, more involvedgovernment to protect our freedoms?
Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…
Do competing political parties make forbetter policies?
Do more interest groups create a biggergovernment?
Does the media help control the size andpolicies government?
Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…
Can the president control the government,or has it gotten too big?
Can Congress respond to the needs of thepeople, or just to the interest groups?
Do members of Congress expandgovernment by seeking to be re-elected?
Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…Questions about the Scope ofGovernment, continued…
Do the federal courts overstep their boundsand intrude on the powers of other branchesof government?
Are the federal agencies too large andunresponsive to the public they aresupposed to serve?