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What is politics?
The process of resolving conflicts and deciding “who gets what, when, and how.” More specifically, politics is the struggle over power or influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant or withhold benefits or privileges.
What is government?
The preeminent institution in which decisions are made that resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and privileges. It is unique because it has the ultimate authority within society.
Institutions
An ongoing organization that performs certain functions for society.
Why is Government Necessary?
To provide public goods and services
Provide security
Protect liberty
Enforce property rights
Exercise authority consistent with fundamental values of those governed
Why is Government Necessary?
To maintain order and protection of the people
Divine Right of Kings
A political and religious doctrine that asserts a monarch’s legitimacy is conferred directly by God and as such a king is not subject to any earthly authority, including his people or the church
Social Contract
A theory of politics that asserts that individuals form political communities by a process of mutual consent, giving up a measure of their individual liberty in order to gain the protection of government.
Political Culture
The set of ideas, values, and ways of thinking about government and politics that is shared by all citizens.
Political Socialization
The process through which individuals learn a set of political attitudes and from opinions about social issues. Families and the educational system are two of the most important forces in the political socialization process.
Fundamental Values
Liberty
Order and the Rule of Law
Individualism
Equality
Property
Capitalism
Eminent domain
Liberty
the greatest freedom of individuals that is consistent with the freedom of other individuals in the society.
Order
a state of peace and security. Maintaining order by protecting members of society from violence and criminal activity is the oldest purpose of government.
Equality
as a political value, the idea that all people are of equal worth.
Property
anything that is or may be subject to ownership. As conceived by the political philosopher John Locke, the right to property is a natural right superior to human law (laws made by government)
Capitalism
an economic system characterized by the private ownership of wealth creating assets, free markets, and freedom of contract.
Eminent Domain
a power set forth in the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that allows government to take private property for public use under the condition that just compensation is offered to the landowner
Forms of Government
Totalitarian regime
Authoritarianism
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Democracy
Anarchy
Direct Democracy
A system of government in which political decisions are made by the people directly, rather than by their elected representatives; probably attained most easily in small political communities
Legislature
A governmental body primarily responsible for the making of laws
Initiative
A procedure by which voters can propose a law or a constitutional amendment.
Referendum
An electoral device whereby legislative or constitutional measures are referred by the legislature to the voters for approval or disapproval.
Recall
A procedure allowing the people to vote to dismiss an elected official from state office before his or her term has expired.
Direct Democracy as a Model
Initiative
Referendum
Recall
The Limits of Direct Democracy
Fear of democracy deteriorating into mob rule
Republic
A form of government in which sovereignty rests with the people, as opposed to a king or monarch
Democratic Republic
A republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies
Representative Democracy
A form of government in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policies; may retain the monarchy in a ceremonial role.
Principles of Democratic Government
Universal suffrage
Majority will and majority rule
Free, competitive elections
Limited government
Majoritarianism
A political theory holding that in a democracy, the government ought to do what the majority of the people want.
Elite Theory
A perspective holding that society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power to further their self-interest
Pluralism
A theory that views politics as a conflict among interest groups. Political decision making is characterized by bargaining and compromise.
Ideology
A comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and about the role of an institution or government.
Socialism
A political ideology based on strong support for economic and social equality. Socialists traditionally envisioned a society in which major businesses were taken over by the government or by employee cooperatives.
Libertarianism
A political ideology based on skepticism or opposition toward almost all government activities.
Liberalism
A set of beliefs that includes the advocacy of positive government action to improve the welfare of individuals, support for civil rights, and tolerance for political and social change.
Conservatism
A set of beliefs that includes a limited role for the national government in helping individuals, support for traditional values and lifestyles, and a cautious response to change.
Hispanic
Someone who can claim a heritage from a Spanish-speaking country other than Spain. This is the term most often used by government agencies to describe this group. Citizens of Spanish-speaking countries do not use this term to describe themselves.
Latino
Preferred term for referring to individuals who claim a heritage from a Spanish-speaking country other than Spain.
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