What is government and politics?

Government is the institution in which decisions are made to resolve conflicts and allocate benefits in society.

Politics is the process of resolving conflicts and deciding,“ who gets what, when, and how.” Harold Laswell

Why Government?(in Preamble to the Constitution)

Create a union of states

Establish justice with fair laws

Insure domestic tranquility

Provide for common defense

Promote general welfare: services

Secure blessings of liberty, individual freedoms

Anarchism

Anarchism is the political theory of abolishing governments. Anarchists believe that compulsory government or the state is unnecessary and destructive and should be done away with.

What do you think would happen if we abolished our national government?

Monarchy

A monarchy is a government ruled by king or queen

Monarchs inherit their throne from their parents and pass it along to their children

An absolute monarch is when a king or queen have complete power

A limited monarchy is a government in which a monarch must share power

Dictatorship

A government ruled by a single all powerful ruler

Although similar to an absolute monarch, a dictator does not inherit power

A dictator takes power through force or persuasion (e.g. Hitler)

Democracy

Democracy - rule by the people

1. Direct democracy

citizens vote on each decision. This form began in Greece

2. A representative democracy is called a Republic

People vote for representatives who vote on key issues

Democratic countries have a written set of laws called a constitution

Key terms connected with democracy

Popular Sovereignty- ultimate political power rest with the people

Respect for individual rights. States serves individual and not the other way around

Liberty- freedom

Equality of opportunity, not necessarily results

Free enterprise (capitalism) with some government regulation

More Terms

Autocracy is rule by one including:

1. Monarchy - rule by king or queen

2. Dictatorship -

Oligarchy - rule by few

1. Aristocracy: rule by elite

2. Theocracy: rule by religious leaders

Theories of government

Majoritarian: consent of the governed through representatives, majority rules

Pluralist theory- interest groups compete to make policy

Hyperpluralist- There are so many competing interest groups within society that government cannot get things done. Gridlock is the result.

Elitist theory - small powerful elite rules (e.g. corporate leaders, military officers, or political leaders) C. Wright Mills or the Marxist notion of rule by the bourgeoisie

Bureaucratic theory - govt. bureaucrats follow a set of rules determine policy - Max Weber

Which theory do you think best describes our current governmental system? What evidence would you cite?

Origins of the Political Spectrum

Taken from French Revolution. The Left opposed the monarchy, the right supported King Louis XVI and the center believed in a constitutional monarchy.

On the Left of the Political spectrum

A radical (on the far left) favors rapid or fundamental change. This may involve violence or non-violent means of change.

A liberal believes that government should take action to change unfair policies, including the regulation of business. Liberals are strong advocates of individual civil liberties and more likely to be in the Democratic Party.

On the Rightof the political spectrum

A reactionary (on the far right) wants to restore society to an earlier era. May seek change through violent or non-violent methods.

A conservative favors a limited role for government in the economy (laissez faire). However, conservatives often favor a strong military. Many conservatives are in the Republican Party.

In the Center of the Political Spectrum

A moderate holds beliefs that fall between liberal and conservative views, usually including some of both.

A moderate may be an independent or either a Democrat or Republican.

Classic liberalism versus liberalism today

Classic liberals in the time of the American Revolution believed in free trade and individual liberties (e.g. Adam Smith)

The definition of liberalism changed with the New Deal of FDR. Now it typically refers to government intervention in the economy and is associated with the Democratic Party.

Conservatism

US Conservatism has been defined domestically as small government, with few regulations on business

Ronald Reagan is typically seen as the key President in the conservative movement, focusing on cutting domestic spending and taxes, but believing in a very strong military.

Conservatives during the 1930’s had a more isolationist foreign policy, but since the Cold War conservatives have supported military intervention against our enemies (e.g. Iraq and Afghanistan)