Civic engagement module POLS-2305

American citizens have the opportunity to participate in the government at what levels?

Federal, state, local

Civic engagement

voting demonstrating speaking out on important issues,participating in activities intended to improve the quality of life in one’s community by addressing issues of public concern, such as homelessness, pollution, or food insecurity, and developing the knowledge and skills needed to address those issues. Civic engagement can involve a wide range of political and non-political activities including voting, volunteering, and participating in group activities like community gardens and food banks

goverment

system by which a 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

are certain forms of government always linked to a particular economic system?

no

Democracy associated with what?

capitalism- economic system in which the means of production are controlled by individuals who invest in business and industry

Socialism

advocates public or government control whether directly or through regulation over the means of production , linked to government ownership,the means of generating wealth, such as factories, large farms, and banks, are owned by the government and not by private individuals s. The government accumulates wealth and then redistributes it to citizens, primarily in the form of social programs that provide such things as free or inexpensive health care, education, and childcare. In socialist countries, the government also usually owns and controls utilities such as electricity, transportation systems like airlines and railroads, and telecommunications systems.

socialism is typically realted to what

oligarchy form of government in which small class of political elites control the government, china
, in which a handful of elite members of society, often those who belong to a particular political party, hold all political power. For example, in Cuba, as in China, only members of the Communist Party are allowed to vote or hold public office, and the party’s most important members make all government decisions. S

U.S representative democracy adheres to what?

capitalist economic system

capitalist system

private businesses produce and sell most consumer goods and services earning profit on these private goods, some goods and services though (public safety and education) cannot be produced in sufficient quantities or for a profit the government provides these instead , goverments also protect common goods such as water and natural resources that are used by individuals but must be protected for the benefit of all a democratic government promotes individualism and the freedom to act as one chooses instead of being controlled, for good or bad, by government

democracy

form of government in which political power influence over institutions leaders and policies is controlled by the people

representative democracy

Citizens’ do not directly govern, government institutions and policy are determined by elected representatives , though they have a check on the power of citizens’ in order to protect the rights of minorities

direct democracy

people participate directly in government decisions instead of relying on elected representatives

absolute monarchy

single usually hereditary ruler holds political power - modern monarchies limit the monarch s power with some form of representative government such as a parliament

one ruler, usually a hereditary ruler, holds political power. Although the power of some monarchs is limited by law, and such kings and queens often rule along with an elected legislature that makes laws for the country, this is not always the case. Many southwest Asian kingdoms, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, h

totalitarian governments

the state usually controlled by a single leader or small group of elites controls virtually every aspect of citizens lives,the government is more important than the citizens, and it controls all aspects of citizens’ lives. Citizens’ rights are limited, and the government does not allow political criticism or opposition. These forms of government are fairly rare. North Korea is an example of a totalitarian government

elitism/ elite theory of government

a small group of elite’s controls power while other citizen’s have little or no influence

Pluralism/pluralist theory

competing interest groups influence the government to hold political power, citizens’ may influence the government by becoming involved with groups that share similar interest and engaging with their representatives at a local, state, or national level.

political power is distributed throughout society. Rather than resting in the hands of individuals, a variety of organized groups hold power, with some groups having more influence on certain issues than others. Thousands of interest groups exist in the United States.

70–90 percent americans belong to them

environmental advocates, unions, and organizations that represent the interests of various businesses

tradeoffs perspective

a

uld those who control the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National Security Agency (NSA) be allowed to eavesdrop on phone conversations of Americans and read their email? Should groups like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which protect all citizens’ rights to freedom of speech, be able to prevent this?

cknowledges that competing interests whether elitist or pluralist vie(fight \ compete) for government influence, and that these competing interests produce government actions and public policies that are influenced by a series of tradeoffs or compromises’

n action that will meet the needs of large numbers of people may not be favored by the elite members of society.

goals that governments seek to accomplish

economic pospierty secure national borders abd well being of citzens

what do goverments commonly provide for their citzens

education, health care, and infrastructure for transport

private goods

food, clothing, and housing,People can purchase what they need in the quantity in which they need i, cell phones, cars

can the market provide everthing( in enough quantity or low enough cost), and solution

no , thus some goods must be provided by the government (public goods)

public goods

national security and education , private bussines cannot provide theese , availaible to all w/o charge , stability and security military , police , fire departments , public education, public transport ,mail servive , food, housing, healthcare for poor, mail service

toll goood

. Toll goods are available to many people, and many people can make use of them, but only if they can pay the price, cable TV, private school turnpikes

common goods

s: goods that all people may use free of charge but that are of limited supply, such as fish in the sea or clean drinking water. Because everyone can use these goods, they must be protected so a few people do not take everything that is available and leave others with nothing. , fish

the goverment creates structure by

which goods and services can be made available to the people

representatives at city councils, state legislatures, and congress do what

make laws to govern their respective jurisdictions. They also pass measures to raise money, through the imposition of taxes on such things as income, property, and sales.

local state and national goverments do what aswell

draft budgets to determine how the revenue taken in will be spent for services.

local level funds are allotted for education, police and fire departments, and maintenance of public parks.

State governments allocate money for state colleges and universities, maintenance of state roads and bridges, and wildlife management, among other priorities.

On the national level, money goes to such things as defense, Social Security, pensions for veterans, maintenance of federal courts and prisons, and management of national parks. A

at all levels, representatives try to do what

to secure funding for things that will benefit those who live in the areas they represent. Once money has been allocated, government agencies at each level then receive funds for the purposes mentioned above and use them to provide services to the public

Local, state, and national governments also makw what

laws to maintain order and to ensure the efficient functioning of society, including the fair operation of the business marketplace. In the United States, for example, Congress passes laws regulating banking, and government agencies regulate such things as the amount of toxic gases that can be emitted by factories, the purity of food offered for sale, and the safety of toys and automobiles. In

s individualism,

it may choose to loosen regulations on business and industry or to cut taxes so that people have more money to invest in business

egalitarianism,

which calls for equal treatment for all and the destruction of socioeconomic inequalities, it may raise taxes in order to be able to spend more on public education, public transportation, housing for the poor, and care for the elderly

citzens play an important role in what ways (through civic engagement)

g what policies are pursued, what values the government chooses to support, what initiatives are granted funding, and who gets to make the final decision

political engagement forms

: reading about politics, listening to news reports, discussing politics, attending (or watching televised) political debates, donating money to political campaigns, handing out flyers promoting a candindidate, voting, joining protest marches, and writing letters to their elected representatives

political power

influence over institutions, leaders, and policies

majority rule:

the opinions of the majority of the people have more influence with government than those of the minority. If the number of elected representatives who favor a proposed law is greater than those who oppose it, the law will be enacted.

example of direct democracy in U.S

a referendum or proposed law might be placed on the ballot for citizens to vote on directly during state or local elections instead of leaving the matter in the hands of the state legislature. At N

Tradeoffs also occur as a result of what?

conflict between groups representing the competing interests of citizens.

what do tradeoffs led to in congress senate and house of rep and why

bcz United States Congress. Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives usually vote according to the concerns of people who live in their districts. Not only does this often pit the interests of people in different parts of the country against one another, but it also frequently favors the interests of certain groups of people over the interests of others within the same state

House members and senators in Congress may do what

ignore the voters in their home states and the groups that represent them in order to follow the dictates of the leaders of the political party to which they belong.

why does civic engagement matter

Although people may not get all that they want, they can achieve many goals and improve their lives through civic engagement. According to the pluralist theory, government cannot function without active participation by at least some citizens. Even if we believe the elite make political decisions, participation in government through the act of voting can change who the members of the elite ar

why is civic engagement declining

as groups are usually large, impersonal ones with thousands of members. People who join groups such as Amnesty International or Greenpeace may share certain values and ideals with other members of the group, but they do not actually interact with these other members,. Although people are still interested in volunteering and working for the public good, they are more interested in either working individually or joining large organizations where they have little opportunity to interact with others. abd decline in social capital

social capital

“the collective value of all ‘social networks’ [those whom people know] and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other”,networks of individuals, a sense that one is part of an entity larger than oneself, concern for the collective good and a willingness to help others, and the ability to trust others and to work with them to find solutions to problems.

what can civic engagement do

Civic engagement can increase the power of ordinary people to influence government actions. Even those without money or connections to important people can influence the policies that affect their lives and change the direction taken by government. examples in abolisging of slavery,womans right to vote and civil rights, integrated schools and public accommodations, prohibited discrimination in housing and employment, and increased access to higher education. Activists for women’s rights fought for, and won, greater reproductive freedom for women, better wages, and access to cred

activism effects daily

Working to make cities clean up vacant lots, destroy or rehabilitate abandoned buildings, build more parks and playgrounds, pass ordinances requiring people to curb their dogs, and ban late-night noise greatly affects people’s quality of life. The actions of individual Americans can make their own lives better and improve their neighbors’ lives as well.

forms of civivc engageemnt

o stay informed about debates and events in the community, in the state, and in the nation. Awareness is the first step toward engagement. write or email political representatives. Filing a complaint with the city council is another avenue of engagement. City officials cannot fix problems if they do not know anything is wrong to begin with. Responding to public opinion polls, actively contributing to a political blog, or starting a new blog are all examples of different ways to be involved, voting, City council members, mayors, state legislators, governors, and members of Congress are all chosen by popular vote.

more forms of civic engagement

attending political rallies, donating money to campaigns, and signing petitions. Starting a petition of one’s own is relatively easy, and some websites that encourage people to become involved in political activism provide petitions that can be circulated through email. Taking part in a poll or survey is another simple way to make your voice heard

group activivites for civiv engagement

Group activities can be as simple as hosting a book club or discussion group to talk about politics,Engaging in fundraising efforts, handing out bumper stickers and campaign buttons, helping people register to vote, and driving voters to the polls on Election Day are all important activities that anyone can engage in. Individual citizens can also join interest groups that promote the causes they favor

youg americans are typically more involved in what

communities/volunteer ourputunities more than traditional politcal activivties

volunttering civic enagagemtn activities , and what they do

nclude tending a community garden, building a house for Habitat for Humanity, cleaning up trash in a vacant lot, volunteering to deliver meals to the elderly, and tutoring children in after-school programs, help fill in gaps where goverment should do and areas it can be active in

direct froms of civic engamenet

protest marches and demonstrations, including civil disobedience,such as boycotting businesses of whose policies the activists disapproved, are also still common. Along with boycotts, there are now “buycotts,” in which consumers purchase goods and services from companies that give extensively to charity, help the communities in which they are located, or take steps to protect the environment

factors of civic engaement

weath and education, and depends on how strongly people feel about current political issues.

why were younger americans less likely to be involved in politcal engagement

American politics become more partisan in nature, young people turn away,When elected officials ignore all factors other than their party’s position on a particular issue, some voters become disheartened while others may become polarized, and with this are not indetifiying whit a party and instead concered with specififc issues , aswell

at younger Americans did not feel that candidates generally tackle issues relevant to their lives.

pit of by idealogy of the political partys

partisanship,

which is the tendency to identify with and to support (often blindly) a particular political party,

distrust of the opposing party and not an ideological commitment to their own party that is at the heart of most partisanship among voters

idealogy

—established beliefs and ideals that help shape political policy—

latennt preferences

Latent preferences are not deeply held and do not remain the same over time,They may not even represent a person’s true feelings, since they may be formed on the spot when someone is asked a question about which they have no real opinion. I voting may reflect this

intense preferences

are based on strong feelings regarding an issue that someone adheres to over time. People with intense preferences tend to become more engaged in politics; they are more likely to donate time and money to campaigns or to attend political rallies. The more money that one has and the more highly educated one is, the more likely one will form intense preferences and take political action