![Page 1: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Introduction to the AmericanPolitical System (POLS 1105H)
David A. Hughes, Ph.D.
University of Georgia
January 14, 2016
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 1 / 11
![Page 2: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 3: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 4: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 5: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 6: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 7: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Objectives
Objectives
• By the end of this lecture, students should have a betterunderstanding of. . .
1. The principles of politics and political systems,2. The institutions that animate those political systems,3. How citizen preferences interact with each others’ and political
institutions and create a need for government,4. Types of collective action problems, and5. Types of government.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 2 / 11
![Page 8: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Understanding Politics
• “Politics” refers to the process of making collective decisions toallocate public resources and to create and enforce rules for theoperation of society.
• A “Political System” refers to the way a society organizes andmanages its politics across various levels of public authority.
• Politics is fundamentally about satisfying people’s needs or wants,which we may say are governed by their “preferences.”
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 3 / 11
![Page 9: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Understanding Politics
• “Politics” refers to the process of making collective decisions toallocate public resources and to create and enforce rules for theoperation of society.
• A “Political System” refers to the way a society organizes andmanages its politics across various levels of public authority.
• Politics is fundamentally about satisfying people’s needs or wants,which we may say are governed by their “preferences.”
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 3 / 11
![Page 10: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Understanding Politics
• “Politics” refers to the process of making collective decisions toallocate public resources and to create and enforce rules for theoperation of society.
• A “Political System” refers to the way a society organizes andmanages its politics across various levels of public authority.
• Politics is fundamentally about satisfying people’s needs or wants,which we may say are governed by their “preferences.”
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 3 / 11
![Page 11: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Institutions
• In light of people’s conflicting preferences, there must exist somemeans of making group (collective) choices.
• “Institutions” are rules or sets of rules or practices that determinehow people make collective decisions.
• These institutions span the branches of government, specificprocedures for making government function, or even the groupsresponsible for governance.
• We may think of the “Political System” as a bundle of institutionswithin which individuals seek to further their interests.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 4 / 11
![Page 12: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Institutions
• In light of people’s conflicting preferences, there must exist somemeans of making group (collective) choices.
• “Institutions” are rules or sets of rules or practices that determinehow people make collective decisions.
• These institutions span the branches of government, specificprocedures for making government function, or even the groupsresponsible for governance.
• We may think of the “Political System” as a bundle of institutionswithin which individuals seek to further their interests.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 4 / 11
![Page 13: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Institutions
• In light of people’s conflicting preferences, there must exist somemeans of making group (collective) choices.
• “Institutions” are rules or sets of rules or practices that determinehow people make collective decisions.
• These institutions span the branches of government, specificprocedures for making government function, or even the groupsresponsible for governance.
• We may think of the “Political System” as a bundle of institutionswithin which individuals seek to further their interests.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 4 / 11
![Page 14: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Understanding Politics
Institutions
• In light of people’s conflicting preferences, there must exist somemeans of making group (collective) choices.
• “Institutions” are rules or sets of rules or practices that determinehow people make collective decisions.
• These institutions span the branches of government, specificprocedures for making government function, or even the groupsresponsible for governance.
• We may think of the “Political System” as a bundle of institutionswithin which individuals seek to further their interests.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 4 / 11
![Page 15: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Collective Action Problems and the Need for Government
• A “Collective Action Problem” is a situation in which there is aconflict between group goals and individual goals of self-interest.
• Some examples: The dirty kitchen, a mattress in the road, taxes, etc.Other examples?
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 5 / 11
![Page 16: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Collective Action Problems and the Need for Government
• A “Collective Action Problem” is a situation in which there is aconflict between group goals and individual goals of self-interest.
• Some examples: The dirty kitchen, a mattress in the road, taxes, etc.Other examples?
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 5 / 11
![Page 17: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
The Hobbesian State of Nature
• Without some means ofcoordinating social interests, chaosis a likely result.
• Enter Hobbes’ “Leviathan.”
• Is Syria in a “State of Nature”?
Thomas Hobbes
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 6 / 11
![Page 18: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Types of Collective Action Problems
• Free-Riding
• The “Prisoners’ Dilemma”
• Coordination Problems
• Unstable Coalitions
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 7 / 11
![Page 19: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Types of Collective Action Problems
• Free-Riding
• The “Prisoners’ Dilemma”
• Coordination Problems
• Unstable Coalitions
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 7 / 11
![Page 20: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Types of Collective Action Problems
• Free-Riding
• The “Prisoners’ Dilemma”
• Coordination Problems
• Unstable Coalitions
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 7 / 11
![Page 21: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Collective Action Problems
Types of Collective Action Problems
• Free-Riding
• The “Prisoners’ Dilemma”
• Coordination Problems
• Unstable Coalitions
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 7 / 11
![Page 22: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Principal-Agent Problems
Problems in Principal-Agency
• Despite the fact that government intervention can correct many socialproblems, that very interference introduces its own set of problems.
• These “government failures” are due to the “Principal-AgentProblem,” a situation where the representative does not share thesame preferences as the represented and has the opportunity to actout of self-interest.
• Examples from federal institutions and bureaucracies.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 8 / 11
![Page 23: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Principal-Agent Problems
Problems in Principal-Agency
• Despite the fact that government intervention can correct many socialproblems, that very interference introduces its own set of problems.
• These “government failures” are due to the “Principal-AgentProblem,” a situation where the representative does not share thesame preferences as the represented and has the opportunity to actout of self-interest.
• Examples from federal institutions and bureaucracies.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 8 / 11
![Page 24: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Principal-Agent Problems
Problems in Principal-Agency
• Despite the fact that government intervention can correct many socialproblems, that very interference introduces its own set of problems.
• These “government failures” are due to the “Principal-AgentProblem,” a situation where the representative does not share thesame preferences as the represented and has the opportunity to actout of self-interest.
• Examples from federal institutions and bureaucracies.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 8 / 11
![Page 25: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Designing Government
The Effects of Institutional Design
• Institutions matter.
• Politics is the struggle over “whogets what, when, how.”
• How we constitute governmentmatters in how we aim to combatcollective action and principal agentproblems.
• But the interests of factions alsodetermine how we constitutegovernment.
Harold Lasswell (1936)
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 9 / 11
![Page 26: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Designing Government
What Kind of Government?
• The U.S. Government hasadopted a representativedemocracy premised uponpopular sovereignty, naturalrights, and federalism to addresssome of the dilemmas discussedtoday.
• But this is not the only meansof pursuing the ends of thepopulace. Others include:
1. Authoritarianism
2. Monarchy
3. Dictatorship
4. One-Party State
5. Oligarchy
6. Democracy
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 10 / 11
![Page 27: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Designing Government
What Kind of Government?
• The U.S. Government hasadopted a representativedemocracy premised uponpopular sovereignty, naturalrights, and federalism to addresssome of the dilemmas discussedtoday.
• But this is not the only meansof pursuing the ends of thepopulace. Others include:
1. Authoritarianism
2. Monarchy
3. Dictatorship
4. One-Party State
5. Oligarchy
6. Democracy
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 10 / 11
![Page 28: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11
![Page 29: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11
![Page 30: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11
![Page 31: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11
![Page 32: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11
![Page 33: Introduction to the American Political System (POLS 1105H) · A \Political System" refers to the way a society organizes and manages its politics across various levels of public authority](https://reader035.vdocuments.us/reader035/viewer/2022070717/5edda991ad6a402d6668d0df/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Conclusion
Conclusion
• Today we’ve learned that:
1. Individual preferences aggregate to the group level.2. But what is rational for the group may not hold for the individual.3. This paradox produces the “collective action problem” and the
“principal-agent” problem.4. Government exists in part to ameliorate these problems, principally
through institutions.5. The types of institutions governments take on are partly a function of
the very paradoxes we try to avoid in the first place.
David A. Hughes, Ph.D. (UGA) Introduction to American Politics January 14, 2016 11 / 11