Foundations of American Democracy

Government

Refers to the processes society takes to enforce public policies

What functions does the government perform?

Maintaining Order

Providing Public Services

Protecting Rights

Promoting the Public Good

Democracy

Government by the people

Oligarchy

Power from elite group of people

Participatory Democracy

Community members can make policies decisions together with the government

Pluralist Democracy

More than one center of power

Elite democracy

Small number of wealthy/ well-educated people influence political decision-making

John Locke

Argued that all individuals possess natural rights to "life, liberty, and property". Formulated the social contract theory, stating that if a government fails to protect these rights, citizens have the right to alter or abolish it

Voltaire

Advocated for civil liberties, championed tolerance, and opposed religious censorship. His arguments directly influenced the First Amendment protections for free speech, religion, and expression

Baron De Montesquieu

Advocated for dividing government authority into legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The primary goal of this separation of powers is to prevent any single branch from becoming tyrannical and to safeguard liberty.

Jean Jacques Rousseau

Argued that legitimate political authority rests on the consent of the governed and the "general will" (or social compact) of the collective community.

Natural Rights

Unalienable Rights. Individuals possess inherent rights that are not granted by governments

Social Contract (compact)

Voluntary agreement of the people to unite as a political community

Popular Sovereignty

Leaders of a date and its government are created and sustained by the consent of the people

Right to Revolution

The right or duty of a people to “alter or abolish” a government

Salutary Neglect

British policy in the early to mid-18th century where the government no longer restricted its people and allowed them to make decisions on their own

Mayflower Compact

The first governing document of Plymouth Colony

Virginia House of Burgesses

An assembly elected representatives from Virginia from 1643 to 1776

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut

Provided the framework for the government of the Connecticut Colony from 1639