Chapter 1 - The Study of American Government

Covers Chapter 1 of American Government 16th Edition by James Wilson, John DeIulio, Meena Bose, and Matthew Levendusky.

Explain how politics drives democracy…

People often debate the governments spending and taxation. EX: The Budget Control Act of 2011 wanted to call for a long term deficit reduction, but the White House and Congress could not reach a verdict.

What is an issue?

A conflict between the interests, beliefs, or ideas of different citizens.

What is the raw material of politics?

Any sort of issue.

Define politics…

The activity by which an issue is agitated or settled.

Define power…

The ability to manipulate another person to agree with your intentions.

EX: president tells Air Force that it cannot build a new bomber.

Define authority…

The right to use power.

EX: we accept decisions without question if made by powerful people.

Define legitimacy…

Political authority represented by law/state/national constitution.

EX: Constitution of the United States of America.

Define democracy…

The rule of the many.

What are the two most popular types of democracy?

Representative Democray and Direct/Participatory Democracy.

What is a Direct/Participatory Democracy?

A government where all or most citizens participate directly.

What is a Representative Democracy?

A government where leaders make decisiosn by winning a competitive struggle for the popular vote.

What is an elite?

People who share of some valued resource, such as money, prestige, or expertise. (in government it is usually political power)

What are the main five views about how political power is distributed in America?

Class view, power elite view, bureaucratic view, pluralist view, and creedal passion view.

What is the class view?

Inspired by Marxism, it is a a view that the government is dominated by capitalists.

What is the power elite view?

Derived from sociologist C. Wright Mills, it is a view that the government is dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government (EX: a group of businesses, military, labor union).

What is the bureaucratic view?

Derived from Max Weber, it is a view that the government is dominated by appointed officials.

What is the pluralist view?

Inspired by David B. Truman, it is a view that competition among affected interests shapes public policy.

What is the creedal passion view?

Articulated by Samuel Huntington, it is a view that morally impassioned elites drive politics

What is the definition of the political agenda?

Issues that people believe require governmental action.

What four things always affect the political agenda?

Shared political values, customs and traditions, importance of events (EX: terrorist attacks), and debates.

What prompts the government add issues to the political agenda when the public little demands it?

Groups, Government Institutions, the Media, and Action by the States.

How do groups affect what the government adds to the political agenda?

It is when groups (e.g., corporations or unions) band together and violently express its dissatisfaction with what they believe are intolerable conditions.

How do Government Institutions affect what the government adds to its politcal agenda?

Institutions like the courts, bureaucracy, and the Senate constantly voice their opinions on certain matters.

EX: Supreme Court has the final say in certain laws (like Roe v. Wade; a decision that caused the public to go nuts).

How does the media affect what the government adds to its politcal agenda?

It is because the national press can publicize matters on the agenda.

How do actions by the states affect what the government adds to its politcal agenda?

Certain states that pass laws may be adopted by the national government.

What is a cost?

A burden that people believe they must bear if a policy is adopted (EX: the taxes it intails)

What is a benefit?

A satisfaction that people believe they will enjoy if a policy is adopted.

What are some examples of a widely distributed cost?

Income tax, Social Security Tax, or a high rate of crime. (something people generally don’t like)

What are some examples of a widely distributed benefit?

Retirement benefits for all citizens, clean air, national security.

What are some examples of a narrowly concentrated cost?

A factory’s expenditures to reduce its pollution, government regulations imposed on doctors and hostpitals regarding Medicare.

What are some examples of a narrowly concentrated benefit?

Enlarged freedom of speech/protest, subsidies to farmers or merchant ship companies.

What are the four types of politics?

Majoritarian Politics, Interest group Politics, Client Politics, and Entrepreneurial Politics.

What are majoritarian politics?

A policy where almost everybody benefits and almost everybody pays.

What are interest group politics?

A policy where one small group benefits and another small group pays.

EX: When Congress passed a bill requiring companies to give a 60 day notice of a plant closing or a large scale laoff, labor unions backed the bill, and businesses opposed it.

What are client politics?

A policy where one small group benefits and almost everybody pays.

EX: Farmers benefit from agricultural price supports, but food consumers have to pay the prices in taxes of these price supports.

What is pork-barrel legistlation?

Legislation that gives benefits to people in many districts/states to win their votes in return.

What is log-rolling?

When a legislature supports a proposal someone else in return for their support.

What are entrepreneurial politics?

A policy where almost everybody benefits and a small group pays.

EX: The antipollution and safety requirements of automobiles improved almost everyone’s health and well-being, but it was at the expense of automobile companies.

What are policy entrepreneuers?

Activists (in or out of government) who pull together a political majority on behalf of unorganized interests.

EX: People, like Ralph Nader who have the ability to dramatize an issue in a convincing matter.

Recall Figure 1.1 on Page 13. Majoritarian Politics are…

Distributed Perceived Costs and Benefits

Recall Figure 1.1 on Page 13. Entrepreneurial Politics are…

Concentrated Perceived Costs, but Distributed Benefits

Recall Figure 1.1 on Page 13. Client Politics are…

Distributed Perceived Costs, but Concentrated Benefits

Recall Figure 1.1 on Page 13. Interest Group Politics are…

Concentrated Perceived Costs and Concentrated Benefits.

Recall Figure 1.1 on Page 13. Try and create that on paper 🙂

You should have two column labled “Distributed Perceived Costs” and “Concentrated Perceived Costs” and then two rows labled "Distributed Perceived Benefits” and “Concentrated Perceived Benefits”

After, you should have Majoritarian and Client politics under the column “Distributed Perceived Costs” and Entrepreneurial and Interest Group Politics under the column “Concentrated Perceived Costs”