POLS 207: Exam 2 (Phaik Lim)

Political Culture

Simply your way of life: values, beliefs, etc.

A shared environment that is affected by your history

Transportation

What helped with isolation?

Minority Groups

Have their own subsets of political culture; these groups often absorb many characteristics of the dominant group

Texas; in most other places, people think of themselves as "Americans" first, but we think of ourselves as "Texans" first

Who has intense patriotism? and how?

Major historical events that do not fade away; ex. conservative beliefs

What is political culture based on?

47-48 have a majority of conservatives

How many states consider themselves culturally conservative?

Daniel Elazar

Who was the social scientist that studied cultural patterns of the U.S.?

Individualistic

An approach to gov. and politics that emphasizes private initiative with minimum gov. interference.

Stresses the importance of individual initiative and a role of gov. limited to protecting individual rights

Individualistic political culture

What ensures that social and political relationships are based upon merit, rather than tradition, family ties, or personal connections?

Traditionalistic

An approach to gov. and politics that sees the role of gov. as the preservation of tradition and existing social order

It is traditionalistic

What is true of Texas' political culture?

Gov. leadership lies in the hands of the social elite.

The level of participation by ordinary citizens is relatively low.

What is true of traditionalistic political culture?

To protect and preserve the existing social order

What is the role of gov. in traditionalistic cultures?

Moralistic

An approach of gov. and politics in which people expect the gov. to intervene in the social and economic affairs of the state, promoting the public welfare and advancing in public good

By the state's long history of one-party rule

How is Texas' political culture represented?

the 1970's

When did Texas have their first Republican governor?

To discourage people from voting

What is one of the main reasons that public policies are created?

It focuses on a state's history and development as important factors influencing politics and policy.

Why is political culture important?

They must go from feudalism to capitalism

How do countries progress?

Prefers the gov. to not intervene in the economy

What does it mean to be an economically conservative state?

Positive relationship of voter turnout

If voting turnout is high in 1994, it will also be high in 2000

Texas

Who is known for having a low voter turnout?

(1) maintain order, (2) provide public goods, (3) promote equality

What are the 3 purposes of government?

preserve life and protect property (national defense, public safety, etc.)

What does it mean to maintain order?

Benefits and services are available and beneficial to everyone (semi-debatable)

What does it mean to provide public goods?

Free-Rider problem

Those who use without pay

Help the poor; ex. welfare and social services like Healthcare

What does it mean to promote equality?

The gov. does EVERYTHING --> their countries are also more communist or have monarchies (ex. Hitler with Germany & Stalin with Russia)

What is a totalitarian gov.?

NO gov. power (ex. Somalian pirates)

What is anarchy?

The gov. moves closer and closer to socialism

What happens when resources become more abundant and society becomes more civilized?

Socialism

Gov. owns the basic goods and services provided to members of society; everything is divided equally

A&M: somewhat socialist system because the gov. owns a lot of things that we use

What is a local example of socialism?

Capitalism

When individuals own the basic goods and services provided to members of society

Hong Kong

What is the most capitalistic (free market) system in the world?

It leaves less privileged without means for quality of life

What is an outcome of capitalism?

Wants free markets and wants the gov. to regulate social issues

What is the conservative ideology?

Want gov. to regulate the economy and want freedom of social issues

What is liberal ideology?

Someone who is socially liberal and economically conservative.

What is a libertarian?

Someone who is socially conservative and economically liberal.

What is a populist?

Labor in a market system becomes less and less valuable as it becomes more productive.

What is the argument for socialism?

When everything is divided equally, there is no incentive for the individual to produce.

What is the argument against socialism?

It maximizes economic growth and promotes freedom of individual wealth.

What is the argument for capitalism?

Leaves those who are less fortunate without means for quality of life.

What is the argument against capitalism?

Capitalism & Socialism

What are the roles of gov. in the economy?

Social Freedom & Social Order

What are the roles of the gov. in society?

Social Freedom

Places a high value on individual liberties even at the expense of having an orderly society

Social Order

Places a high value on public stability and decency even at the expense of individual freedom

People's values are not always consistent

What is true of political ideology?

Conservatism

Refers to a general hostility to gov. activity; Consistent with the individualist political culture on economic issues and consistent with the traditionalist political culture on social issues.

Social Darwinism

The belief that individuals who prosper and rise to the top of the socioeconomic ladder are worthy and deserving, while those who sink to the bottom are unworthy and deserve their poverty.

State's have policies that are unusually stingy toward the underprivileged.

What has social darwinism resulted in?

If people are rich because they are hardworking --> they are poor because they are lazy

What is a mythical belief of social darwinism?

Vermont-- most liberal

Mississippi--most conservative

Liberals and conservatives states in the U.S.?

Republicans: they are in charge of the presidency, congress, senate, the house of representatives, and most of the states

Who holds all of the power in office right now?

Unitary Government, Confederacy, and Federalism

What are the 3 forms of government?

Unitary Government

A single gov. that is very strong; ex. Dictatorship

Confederacy

a league or alliance of confederate states

Federalism

Regional governments in a single political system

To protect "we the people" from the tyranny of government

Why was the Bill of Rights proposed?

(1) No government period, (2) Municipal government period, (3) State Intercity government period, (4) Federal government period, (5) New Federalism Era

What are the periods of government?

"No Government Period" (1776-1850)

Period of county government, rural & low population, self-dependence, traditional government; "the best gov. was the least gov.

"Municipal Government" period(1850-1895):

Influx of European immigrants causing congestion and urbanization, beginning of services (like mass education, etc.), city gov. has the right to tax, corruption and ward heelers

Somebody who takes care of the district

What is a ward heeler?

"State Intercity Government" period (1895-1931):

Political corruption in cities, reforms imposed by state governments, Dillion's Rule, and state regulations superseding common laws

Dillion's Rule

A municipal government has authority to act only when: (1) the power is granted in the express words, and when (2) the power is fairly implied

Local gov. is a creation of the state gov. and cities have to comply with state statutes

What was created during the State Intercity Gov. period?

"Federal Government" Era (1932-1980):

Great Depression & WWII, federal gov. becomes responsible for managing the economy and national defense, grants were introduced, and national standards

The country suffered, not only because of the economic failure, but because of the "dust bowl" effect. President Hoover believed that the economy was going to "write itself"

What happened during the Great Depression?

Places on the outskirts of main cities where people fled to during the Great Depression

What are Hooverville's?

Texas

Where did FDR borrow the public policy from during the Great Depression?

Joseph Kennedy

Who was put in charge of the stock markets?

Stated that if you want to invest in the stock market, your credentials must be reviewed, your financial books must be audited by an accounting agency and you must record your financial quarters every 3 months

What is the SCC?

Congress sued the president but then FDR said that he would add 4 Supreme Court justices if they were to rule against him.

What happened when the gov. wanted to cut FDR's spending?

Not until the WWII spending

When did the U.S. get out of the Great Depression?

Full employment: men were either at work or at war

Social changes: women began to work

What were some outcomes from WWII?

For the creation of jobs

Why did the federal gov. give $ to the local gov.?

The states become addicted to it

What happens when states accept $ from the federal government?

WWII: the federal gov. was very active with foreign policy

International issues during Federalism Era:

The state constitutions had a balanced budget

States unwilling to act:

Federal gov. had unlimited financial funds and the ability to tax and raised taxes to 90% to pay for WWII

Financial resources during the Federalism Era:

(1) Individuals make better decisions than institutions,

(2) state and local governments make better decisions than the federal gov.

(3) businesses make better decisions than gov.

(4) gov. closer to people make better decisions

Ideas during "New Federalism":

National Defense: federal gov. is in charge of it

Space Program: National gov. is in charge

Postal Service: we should be using FedEx instead

What were the federal responsibilities?

Welfare: give states grant money to run programs

Employment services: gov. provides programs for people to help them find jobs

Unemployment compensation: federal gov. gives $ to the states and the states give $ to those who are unemployed

What are the shared responsibilities?

Education, health, policy & corrections, welfare, highways & transportation, and fire (engines, stations, etc.)

What are the biggest areas in terms of state & local budgets?

TRUE

True or False:

Despite the glamour of national politics, states and communities have several huge responsibilities

FALSE - there was no federal gov. spending

True or False:

Prior to 1932, there was a lot of federal gov. spending.

Increased spending due to war

What does every bump in the chart (4.2) represent?

Figure that shows that spending has increased 18 times

What is the most accurate figure about controlling inflation & population?

Eisenhower: spending went down (he was a military hero)

Truman: WWII

Reagan: per capita spending increased significantly

Bush: 9/11

Johnson: Vietnam War

Clinton: the lowest dip in the economy

Federal share of total gov. expenditures (under each president):

Highest - in between Truman & Eisenhower

Lowest - in between Clinton & Bush

Figure 4.4--when was spending the highest and lowest?

(1) After 1948, income tax became stable

(2) excise taxes and corporate income taxes both decreased over time

(3) payroll taxes began to increase continuously

What does figure 4.6 (Composition of federal tax revenue) show about the different taxes?

Texas

Who used to be the biggest oil provider in the world (before the Middle East)?

Alaska: 6.5%

Texas & Louisiana: 7.6%

What are the best states to live in, based on tax burdens?

User or Client Pay

Any user who pays for goods and services received

Ability to Pay

Gov. uses taxes to fund programs such as education; services are provided to all who are eligible regardless of wealth

- Excludable: only those who pay get the goods

- Non-rivaling: everybody can use without denying to others

- Merit good: goods that should not be denied to people who cannot pay for them (ex. public education & healthcare)

Types of private and public goods:

Texas

Who has a lot of rainy day funds?

Sales, borrowing, gambling/lottery

What are some types of state gov. revenues?

Education and social services

What are the largest portions of state and local gov. expenditures?

1/3

How much of Texas total revenue comes from the federal gov.?