POLS 1101: Exam 1

Government

the system by which society organizes itself and allocates

authority in order to accomplish collective

goals and provide benefits to that society.

Politics

refers to the process of gaining or

exercising control within a government by

an association of persons with shared goals

or objectives for society.

Common goods

• Shared resources available to everyone, but

limited in supply

• Must be managed to prevent overuse or

depletion

• Examples: clean water, fisheries, fresh air

Public Goods

• Provided by the government, free of charge to all

• Examples: national defense, public education

Private Goods

• Provided by businesses for profit (food, clothing,

housing)

• Only available if you can pay

Toll Goods

• Available to many, but only if you can pay

• Examples: private schools, toll roads, subscription TV

• Non-Rivalrous

Thomas Hobbes

• 1588-1679

• In the state of nature, life is “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”

• Negative view of human nature

• The Contract: argued we should give up natural rights in favor of security

• Rights and liberties are second to safety

• Argued in favor of a monarch

• Should submit without question

• Key Text: Leviathan (1651)

John Locke

• 1632-1704

• In the state of nature, people are free and equal, governed by natural law

• Positive view of human nature

• Capable of reason and cooperation

• The Contract: people form government to protect natural rights

• “life, liberty, property” (Two Treatises of Government (1689), Second Treatise, ch. IX)

• The government’s role is to protect property

• If government fails, people have the right to rebel

• Argued in favor of limited government and consent of the governed

• Key Text: Two Treatises of Government (1689)

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

• 1712-1778

• State of Nature: people are free, equal, and peaceful

(Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (1755), Part I)

• Became corrupted by society

• “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains” (The Social Contract (1762), Book I, Ch. 1)

• Negative view of inequality created by civilization

• Creation of private property corrupted man

• Created a government to protect property

• The Contract: legitimate government is based on the general will, citizens surrender individual interests for the good of the community

• Advocated for direct democracy and popular sovereignty

• Key Text: The Social Contract (1762)

General Will

• collective interest of the people

Democracy

• A system where power ultimately rests with the people

• Authority comes from the consent of the governed and the principle of popular sovereignty

• Example: The United States and other constitutional democracies

Representative Democracy (Republic)

• Elect representatives to govern on behalf of

the people

• Follows majority rule, but also protects

minority rights

• Civic engagement

Direct Democracy

• Citizens participate directly in decision-making

• Examples: Town meetings in New England, Ancient Athens-all male citizens debated and voted on laws

Absolute Monarchy

• A system in which a single ruler, such as

a king or queen, holds power

• Justified by tradition, hereditary, or

divine right

• Have unrestricted power

• Examples: Saudi Arabia

Constitutional Monarchy

• Power is limited by law and shared with an elected legislature

• Examples: England,

Monarchy

• A system in which a single ruler, such as a king or queen, holds power

• Justified by tradition, hereditary, or divine right

Totalitarianism

• One ruler or ruling party exercises total control

• No legal or constitutional limits

• Authority comes from force, coercion, propaganda, and control of military and institutions (schools, media, courts)

• Government has total control over citizens’ lives

• Example: Nazi Germany under Hitler, North Korea

Oligarchy

• Power held by a small elite group

• Authority comes from economic dominance, military control, or social influence over key institutions

• Limited or no participation by the general population

• Example: Russia, Iran

Power

• the ability to influence or control the actions of others

• shapes political outcomes by determining “who gets what, when, and how” -Harold Lasswell

Coercion

• Using force or threats to compel behavior

Persuasion

• convincing others through argument, appeals, or incentives

Legitimate authority

• power accepted as rightful (laws, elected officials)

Pluralist theory

• Power is distributed among many competing groups

• Robert Dahl: Who Governs? (1961)

• No Single Group is Dominant

• More representative and inclusive

• Bottom-up approach

Elite Theory

• Power is concentrated among a small group of

elites

• C. Mills Wright: The Power Elite (1956)

• Power is controlled by those who control critical

resources

• Three sectors of power

• Corporation sector

• Military sector

• Political sector

• Top-down approach

Magna Carta (1215)

• Established that nobody is above the law

• Placed limits on kings authority

The Enlightenment

• Rejected traditional ideas like monarchy and religion

• Freedom of expression/ religion

• Separation of powers

English Bill of Rights (1689)

• Glorious Revolution (Dominion of New England)

• Limits on royal power

• Rulers must govern according to law rather than divine right

• Inspired by Locke

House of Burgesses (1619)

• First representative body in the colonies

• Modeled after parliament

Mayflower Compact (1620)

• First written framework for self-government in North America

Fundamental Orders of Connecticut (1639)

• First written constitution in the Americas

Maryland Act of Toleration (1649)

• First law in North America requiring religious tolerance, only applied to christians

Salutary neglect

• Colonies left with loose oversight

• Lasted until end of French and Indian war (1763)

Proclamation of 1763

• Prohibited settlement west of Appalachian Mountains

Somerset v Stewart

• Judicial decision in 1772 which prohibited the transport of James Somerset, an enslaved African, forcibly out of England

First Continental Congress (1774)

• The only colony that did not attend was Georgia

• Issued the Declaration of Rights and Grievances

• Loyal to the Crown but denied Parliament's right to tax

Second Continental Congress (1775-1781)

• Became the de facto government for the Colonies until 1781

• Olive Branch Petition

• Battle of Bunker Hill

• Common Sense by Thomas Paine: First major writing to make the case for independence

• Lee Resolution, also known as "The Resolution for Independence”

• Voted in favor of the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776

• Voted in favor of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776

Articles of Confederation

• Established a weak government that prioritized the sovereignty of the individual states/ colonies

Northwest Ordinance of 1787

• Provided a method of adding new states and made slavery illegal in the Northwest Territory

Weaknesses of the Articles

• No power to tax

• Lack of funds

• Could not regulate trade or enforce laws

• Dependent on states for troops

• Amendments required unanimous approval

• Economic instability: Worthless currency, “not worth a continental”

• State tariffs

Shays' Rebellion

• Armed uprising in Western Massachusetts

• Conflict between farmers and merchants regarding taxes and debt collection

• Shays and others faced debtor's prison

• Discontent resulted in a violent mob

• Tried to shut down courts

• Rebellion put down by the Massachusetts militia

• Articles lacked power to address the crisis

Annapolis Convention

• Meet to reverse the protectionist trade barriers among states

• Turned to problems with the articles

• Only five states had Commissioners (New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Virginia)

• Convention was a failure but set up

  the Constitutional Convention

Constitutional Convention

▪ Initial purpose was to revise the Articles

▪ Shay’s Rebellion

▪ Annapolis Convention

▪ James Madison unofficially set the agenda

▪ Elected George Washington as President of

the Convention

▪ Convention proceedings would be secret

▪ The Virginia Plan was introduced

▪ Strong Opposition

▪ Lack of preparation by opponents

▪ Virginia Plan moved forward

Virginia Plan

• Bicameral Legislature (Had federal negative – veto state laws )

• Representation Based on Population

• Strong Single Executive

• National Judiciary With Broad Authority

• Strong National Government With Broad Powers

New Jersey Plan

• Unicameral Legislature

• Representation Based on States

• Weak Plural Executive

• Single Court With Limited Authority

• Weak National Government with Limited Powers

The Connecticut Compromise

• New Government Would Have a Bicameral Legislature (Congress)

• Each State Would Have Two Members of the Upper House (Senate)

• Elected By The State Legislatures

• The Lower House Would Be Determined By Population (House of Representatives)

• Census every ten years to determine population

• Elected By Popular Vote

• 3/5ths Compromise

Slave Trade Clause

• Push to end the Transatlantic Slave Trade

• Postponed issue for twenty years (1808)

• Fugitive Slave Clause

• Required the return of escaped enslaved people to their enslavers

• Allowed for the Fugitive Slave Acts of 1793 and 1850

Separation of Powers

• Specific powers allocated to specific branches

Checks and Balances

• A Power Sharing System Which Limits the Powers of Each Branch

• Enables One Branch to Prevent Certain Actions of the Other Branches

Federalism

• Power is Divided Between the National Government and State Government

Article I- Congress

• Power to Pass Legislation

• Enumerated Powers

• Power to Tax, Spend, and Borrow

• All Revenue Legislation Starts in the House, “Power of the Purse”

• Regulate Commerce

• Establish Federal Courts and Number of Supreme Court Justices

• Declare War

• Give “Advice and Consent” to Presidential Appointments

• Impeach Federal Officials

Article II- Presidency

• Responsible for Implementing Federal Laws

• Command-in-Chief of Armed Forces

• Conducts Foreign Affairs

• Appointment Power

• Pardon Power

• Veto Power

Appointment power

• Power to nominate Federal Judges, Cabinet Members, Other High-Ranking Officials

Pardon Power

• Power to absolve criminal sentences and/or convictions

Veto Power

• Power to reject legislation passed by congress

Article III- Judiciary

• Enforce Laws

• Resolves Disputes

• Protects Rights

Supreme court

• Only Court Specifically Mentioned in Constitution

• Congress Establishes the Number of Justices and Establishes Lower Courts by statute

• Nation’s Final Court of Appeal

• Limited Original Jurisdiction

Article IV- The states and Federalism

• Balance between the powers of the states and the federal government

• Regulated Relations Among the States

Article IV Provisions

• Full Faith and Credit Clause

• Privileges and Immunities Clause

• Extradition

• Admission of New States

• Guarantee Clause

Full faith and Credit Clause

• States must honor the laws, records, and court rulings of other states

Privileges and immunities clause

• Citizens of each state are entitled to the same rights as citizens in other states

Extradition

• Individuals charged with crimes who flee must be returned to original state upon request

Guarantee Clause

• U.S. guarantees each state a republican form of government and protection

Article V - Amendment Process

• Amendment must be approved by 2/3 of Congress or a national convention

• Amendment must be approved by the 3/4 of the state

Article VI – Federal Supremacy

• “Supremacy” clause

• No religious test to hold public office

• Debts remained valid under the new Constitution

• Must take oath to become official

Article VII – Ratification of Constitution

• How to ratify the proposed Constitution

• Nine states (two-thirds of all states) must ratify the Constitution for it to take effect

Federalist papers

• Written in response to opposition to the Constitution

• Organized by Alexander Hamilton

Tyranny

• when a single individual or group has

all the authority and control

Federalist No. 39 – “The Conformity of the Plan to Republican Principles” (Madison)

• The Constitution is republican and partly federal, partly national

Federalist No. 68 – “The Real Character of the Executive” (Hamilton)

• Defends the Electoral College and argues it prevents corruption in choosing the president

Federalists No. 70 – “The Executive Department Further

Considered” (Hamilton)

• A single strong executive ensures accountability and energy

Federalist No. 78 – “The Judiciary Department”(Hamilton)

• An independent judiciary protects the Constitution and rights

• “least dangerous” branch

Bill of Rights

• First 10 Amendments to the Constitution

1st amendment

• Freedom of Religion

• Freedom of Speech

• Freedom of the Press

• Freedom to assemble

• Freedom to petition

2nd amendment

• Right to bear arms

3rd amendment

• no quartering troops

4th amendment

• No search or seizures

• Warrant and probable cause

5th amendment

• Due process and grand jury

• Double jeopardy and self incrimination

6th amendment

Criminal Rights

• Speedy and public trial

• informed of criminal charges

• confront witnesses and compel witnesses to appear in court

• assistance of counsel

7th amendment

• Right to a jury trial in certain civil cases

• prohibits courts from overturning a jury’s findings of fact

8th amendment

• No cruel and unusual punishment

• No excessive bail or fines

9th amendment

• Protects rights not listed in prior amendments

10th amendment

• Power not given to federal government belongs to the people and states

President requires ___ years of age

35

President requires ___ years of U.S. Residency

14

22nd Amendment

• Vice presidential succession allows up to two additional terms if succeeding mid-term

State of the Union

• Intended as a report to Congress on the nation’s condition

• Outline legislative agenda, recommend objectives, set national priorities

• Has become a public spectacle

Informal powers of the President

• Chief communicator

• Legislative leader

• Party leader

Chief Communicator

• Frames issues and sets tone for national debate

“Bully Pulpit” strategy

• Rallying public opinion behind presidential goals

• Effectiveness depends on timing & communication skill

“Going Public” strategy

• Bypassing Congress by appealing directly to the people

• Mobilizes voters to pressure lawmakers

• Increases polarization if overuse

Legislative Leader

• Shapes agenda through State of the Union, budget

• Uses persuasion, bargaining, veto threats

• Private negotiations with members of Congress

Party Leader

• De facto head of their political party

• Guides platform, fundraising, and election campaigns

• Shapes the party’s long-term identity

George Washington

Established important presidential precedents

• Two-Term Limit

• Established Cabinet

• Bank of the U.S.

• Neutrality Proclamation

Neutrality Proclamation

• Claimed authority to set U.S. foreign policy without

  Congress

Andrew Jackson

Expanded political role of presidency and use of veto

• “Peoples President”

• Extensive use of the veto

• Bank War (1832-1836)

• Indian Removal Act (1830)

• Spoils system

Andrew Jackson’s Bank War (1832-1836)

• vetoed re-charter of the Second Bank of the U.S.

• Withdrew federal deposits and asserted control over economic policy

Indian Removal Act (1830)

• Andrew Jackson pushed aggressive policy of relocation and defied Supreme Court rulings (Worcester v. Georgia)