American Government Chapter 1

Three major political values

Freedom, order, and equality.

Globalization

The increasing interdependence and connection of countries around the world.

Effects of globalization on American politics

Events and decisions in other countries can affect U.S. policies, the economy, and government decisions.

National sovereignty

A government’s right to govern its people without interference from other nations.

How globalization challenges national sovereignty

International rules, organizations, and events can influence what governments are able or expected to do.

Example of international events affecting the U.S.

Events such as COVID-19 or the Russia-Ukraine war can affect U.S. policies, the economy, and government decisions.

Three major purposes of government

Maintaining order, providing public goods, and promoting equality.

Oldest purpose of government

Maintaining order.

Maintaining order

Establishing the rule of law to preserve life, protect property, and maintain safety.

Public goods

Benefits and services available to citizens, such as roads, education, sanitation, and parks.

Why government provides public goods

They benefit society but may not be produced adequately through voluntary individual action.

Controversy of public goods

People disagree about how much government should spend and whether government or private businesses should provide them.

Promoting equality as a government objective

Became major during the twentieth century, particularly after industrialization and urbanization.

Welfare state

A government that provides citizens with benefits such as medical care, education, and guaranteed income.

Income redistribution

Using government resources to transfer income or benefits from wealthier people toward those with fewer resources.

Controversy surrounding income redistribution

People disagree about whether government should use taxation and government programs to promote economic equality.

Hobbes's most important government function

Protecting life and maintaining order.

Hobbes’s state of nature

A condition without government where people lack an authority to maintain order and protect them.

Hobbes's belief on security

People should give up some freedom and obedience to government laws in exchange for security.

Locke's objective of government

Protecting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Classical liberalism

The belief that government should leave citizens free to pursue their individual goals.

Marx's belief about private property

He rejected private ownership of property used to produce goods and services.

Political concept

A generalized idea that groups events, objects, or qualities under a common classification or label.

Purpose of concepts in political science

To understand political events more broadly and identify the values and trade-offs behind government decisions.

Freedom

The absence of unnecessary constraints on behavior; the ability to make choices and act freely.

Difference between freedom of and freedom from

Freedom of means freedom to do something; freedom from means freedom from exploitation, oppression, or unwanted conditions.

Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms

Freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom from fear, and freedom from want.

Order

The preservation of life, protection of property, and maintenance of established social relationships and rules.

Social order

The established patterns of authority and traditional ways of behaving in society.

Equality of opportunity

The idea that each person should have the same chance to succeed.

Equality of outcome

The idea that people should end up with more equal results.

Political equality

Equal political participation, commonly expressed as one person, one vote.

Police power

The authority of state governments to protect residents’ safety, health, welfare, and morals.

State regulation of seat belts

States possess a general police power that allows them to protect public health and safety.

National government's police power

The national government only has powers granted to it by the Constitution.

Freedom-order conflict with surveillance

Surveillance may increase safety and order but can reduce privacy and individual freedom.

Two major dilemmas of government

Freedom vs. order and freedom vs. equality.

Historical precedence of dilemmas

Freedom vs. order came first historically.

Conflict between freedom and order

Government must restrict some individual behavior to maintain safety, protect life, and protect property.

Modern dilemma of government

Freedom vs. equality.

Conflict between freedom and equality

Promoting equality may require government to redistribute resources or regulate behavior, which can limit individual freedom.

Commonality of the two dilemmas

Both require trading some amount of individual freedom for another important value.

Example of freedom vs. order

Speed limits restrict driving freedom in order to promote safety and order.

Example of freedom vs. equality

Equal-pay laws promote equality but require government restrictions on how employers compensate workers.

Political ideology

A consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government.

Totalitarianism

The belief that government should have unlimited power and control all sectors of society.

Differences of socialism, capitalism, libertarianism, and anarchism

Socialism: greater government control of the economy; Capitalism: private ownership and free enterprise; Libertarianism: minimal government, mainly protecting life and property; Anarchism: no government.

Differences between liberals, conservatives, libertarians, and communitarians

Liberals: use government to promote equality; Conservatives: emphasize order and traditional social arrangements; Libertarians: prioritize freedom and limited government; Communitarians: prioritize equality and order over individual freedom.

BIG IDEA of Chapter 1

American government constantly balances freedom, order, and equality, and different political ideologies disagree about how much government power is appropriate and which values should be prioritized.