Unit 1 AP Gov-

• What are the key democratic ideals?

  • Rooted in U.S. establishment post-Revolution.

  • Early example: Mayflower Compact (1620) emphasized self-rule and Christian morals.

  • Principles: Popular sovereignty, natural rights, consent of the governed.

• What democratic principles are outlined in the Declaration of Independence?

  • Based on Enlightenment ideas of natural rights (life, liberty, pursuit of happiness).

  • Governments derive power from the consent of the governed.

  • People can alter or abolish unjust governments.

  • List of grievances against British Crown justified independence.

• What are the key ideas of republicanism?

  • Citizens elect leaders for a limited time to serve the public interest.

  • Inspired by Locke: Life, liberty, and property must be protected.

  • Violations (e.g., taxation without representation) justified independence.

• What Enlightenment thinkers influenced democratic ideals?

  • Thomas Hobbes: Social contract to surrender some rights for peace.

  • John Locke: Natural law, equality, government by consent, right to rebel.

  • Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Popular sovereignty, government for the common good.

  • Baron de Montesquieu: Separation of powers to ensure liberty.

• How is limited government applied in the U.S. Constitution?

  • Codifies checks and balances, separation of powers.

  • Protects individual liberties.

  • Examples:

    • Driving laws (state-level governance).

    • Supreme Court rulings on rights (e.g., LGBTQ protections).

• What grievances did the Declaration of Independence highlight?

  • Dissolution of colonial legislatures.

  • Unfair trials and taxation without representation.

  • Plundering colonial resources.

• How does the Declaration of Independence argue for separation?

  • Declares unalienable rights as divinely given.

  • Establishes colonies as free and independent states.

  • Appeals to the Creator and divine Providence.

• Thomas Hobbes: Social Contract

  • Key Work: Leviathan (1651).

  • Context: Lived during the English Civil War, which shaped his views on human nature and governance.

  • Beliefs:

    • Human beings are inherently selfish and in constant conflict.

    • Without a strong central authority, life would be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short."

  • Social Contract:

    • People surrender certain freedoms to a sovereign in exchange for peace and order.

    • The sovereign must be absolute to prevent chaos (favored monarchy).

  • Influence on Democracy:

    • Emphasized the necessity of an agreement between the governed and the ruler, a foundational idea for later democratic theories.

• John Locke: Natural Rights and Government by Consent

  • Key Works: Two Treatises of Government (1689).

  • Context: Advocated during England's Glorious Revolution, emphasizing constitutional monarchy.

  • Beliefs:

    • All individuals are born with natural rights: life, liberty, and property.

    • Governments exist to protect these rights, deriving authority from the consent of the governed.

    • If a government fails to protect rights, people have the right to rebel.

  • Social Contract:

    • People agree to form governments for mutual benefit, but the government's power is not absolute.

  • Influence on Democracy:

    • Inspired the Declaration of Independence.

    • Strong focus on individual liberty and limited government.

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau: Popular Sovereignty

  • Key Work: The Social Contract (1762).

  • Context: Lived during the Enlightenment, critical of inequality and authoritarianism.

  • Beliefs:

    • Humans are naturally good but corrupted by society.

    • True freedom is achieved by adhering to the general will (the collective good).

    • Advocated for popular sovereignty, where power resides with the people.

  • Social Contract:

    • The community agrees to govern itself for the common good, prioritizing collective needs over individual desires.

  • Influence on Democracy:

    • Inspired revolutionary movements, including the French Revolution.

    • Central to ideas about direct democracy and equality.

• Baron de Montesquieu: Separation of Powers

  • Key Work: The Spirit of the Laws (1748).

  • Context: Observed corruption in absolute monarchies and admired the English constitutional system.

  • Beliefs:

    • Liberty is best preserved by dividing government power into three branches:

      1. Legislative: Makes laws.

      2. Executive: Enforces laws.

      3. Judicial: Interprets laws.

    • Separation of powers prevents tyranny and ensures accountability through checks and balances.

  • Influence on Democracy:

    • Fundamental to the U.S. Constitution's design.

    • Ensured institutional safeguards against the concentration of power.

What are the three main types of representative democracies?

1. Participatory Democracy

   • Involves direct participation of citizens in government and public life.

   • Citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

2. Pluralist Democracy

   • People with varied interests form groups to influence decision-making.

   • Interest groups compete for access and influence over policy.

3. Elite Democracy

   • Elected representatives make decisions on behalf of the people.

   • Emphasizes a more unequal spread of power, with elites dominating the political sphere.

What is Participatory Democracy, and what challenges does it face?

Participatory democracy emphasizes broad citizen involvement in politics, where people vote directly on laws and policies.

• Challenges:

  • It is difficult to involve everyone in decision-making in a large society.

  • In Ancient Greece, only those with time and resources participated.

  • The U.S. is too large and diverse for this form to work efficiently at the national level, though it works at the local level (e.g., town hall meetings, local votes).

What is Pluralist Democracy, and how does it work?

Pluralist democracy involves people with different interests forming groups to influence political decisions.

• How it works:

  • Groups compete in the "marketplace of ideas" to persuade policymakers.

  • The process is slow due to the need for bargaining and compromise.

  • It allows for many voices and prevents dominance by elites.

How did the Founders create a system to manage competing interests in Pluralist Democracy?

The Founders created a system that incorporated pluralist principles, such as:

• Broad geographic representation in the House and Senate, limiting the dominance of any single interest.

• The Electoral College system, where electors vote independently, prevents a single interest group from gaining too much power.

What is Elite Democracy, and where is it seen in U.S. government?

Elite democracy emphasizes that elected representatives, who have the necessary skills and education, should make decisions on behalf of the people.

• Where it is seen:

  • The Electoral College is an example of elite democracy.

  • The House of Representatives (directly elected) is the most democratic, while the Senate (originally elected by state legislators) is more elite.

  • Appointed positions like Cabinet officials and federal judges reflect elite democracy.

What tensions arose between the models of democracy during the Constitution's creation and ratification debates?

The debate centered around what type of participation in government is best:

• Federalists favored a strong federal government with indirect participation through elected representatives.

• Anti-Federalists feared that such a large republic would fail to represent constituents’ views and preferred smaller, more direct forms of democracy.

• The Constitution reflects both elite and participatory models, allowing for both federal powers and states' rights to encourage citizen participation.

How are the three models of democracy reflected in the U.S. Constitution?

• Participatory Democracy: States can allow direct citizen involvement in government (e.g., local elections, initiatives).

• Pluralist Democracy: Lawmaking requires compromise among competing interests.

• Elite Democracy: Elected representatives make decisions, and the Electoral College reflects elite involvement in choosing the president.

What are examples of Participatory Democracy today?

• Ballot Initiatives: Allow citizens to place measures on the ballot for a vote.

• Referenda: Citizens can contest laws passed by legislatures.

• Examples from 2020: Issues such as minimum wage, vaccination exemptions, renewable energy, and gender-neutral language.

What are examples of Pluralist Democracy today?

• Special Interest Groups: Groups like the NAACP, NOW, and AFL-CIO exert influence on policymakers.

• Methods of influence:

  • Lobbying, raising money for supportive candidates, influencing public opinion through ads, and providing expert testimony at hearings.

  • Pluralist democracy allows many viewpoints, leading to policies formed by consensus.

What role do interest groups play in Pluralist Democracy?

Interest groups raise money, elect supportive officials, provide expert testimony, and use ads to shape public opinion.

• They help facilitate negotiation and compromise among competing interests, ensuring diverse representation in policymaking.

What is the main argument in Federalist No. 10 regarding representation?

Federalist No. 10 argues that a large republic, like the U.S., helps balance competing interests.

• It contends that expanding the electorate makes it harder for any single group to dominate, ensuring diverse representation and preventing the tyranny of the majority.

What is the main argument in Brutus No. 1 regarding representation in a large republic?

Brutus No. 1 argues that in a large republic, it is impossible to have adequate representation of the people's sentiments.

• A smaller government would be more responsive to citizens' needs, as representatives would be closer to their constituents.

• What is a representative democracy?

  • Gov where the people entrust elected officials to represent their concerns

• What is a participatory democracy?

  • Depends on the direct participation of people and emohasizes their involvement

  • Citiznes vite dirdctky for laws instead of voting for people to represent them

  • pure form of participatory democracy is unwieldy

    • Large the population = more diffcult to involve everyone in a tineky manner so it doesn’t happen in the US

• What is the foundation of the U.S. government, according to the Declaration of Independence?

  The Declaration of Independence laid the foundation for a new government to replace Britain's oppressive rule. It states that governments are instituted among men to secure inherent and inalienable rights, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

• What are the three main types of representative democracies?

  • Participatory Democracy

    • Involves direct participation of citizens in government and public life.

    • Citizens vote directly on laws and policies.

  • Pluralist Democracy

    • People with varied interests form groups to influence decision-making.

    • Interest groups compete for access and influence over policy.

  • Elite Democracy

    • Elected representatives make decisions on behalf of the people.

    • Emphasizes a more unequal spread of power, with elites dominating the political sphere.

• What is Participatory Democracy, and what challenges does it face?

  Participatory democracy emphasizes broad citizen involvement in politics, where people vote directly on laws and policies.

  • Challenges:

    • It is difficult to involve everyone in decision-making in a large society.

    • In Ancient Greece, only those with time and resources participated.

    • The U.S. is too large and diverse for this form to work efficiently at the national level, though it works at the local level (e.g., town hall meetings, local votes).

• What is Pluralist Democracy, and how does it work?

  Pluralist democracy involves people with different interests forming groups to influence political decisions.

  • How it works:

    • Groups compete in the "marketplace of ideas" to persuade policymakers.

    • The process is slow due to the need for bargaining and compromise.

    • It allows for many voices and prevents dominance by elites.

• How did the Founders create a system to manage competing interests in Pluralist Democracy?

  The Founders created a system that incorporated pluralist principles, such as:

  • Broad geographic representation in the House and Senate, limiting the dominance of any single interest.

  • The Electoral College system, where electors vote independently, prevents a single interest group from gaining too much power.

• What is Elite Democracy, and where is it seen in U.S. government?

  Elite democracy emphasizes that elected representatives, who have the necessary skills and education, should make decisions on behalf of the people.

  • Where it is seen:

    • The Electoral College is an example of elite democracy.

    • The House of Representatives (directly elected) is the most democratic, while the Senate (originally elected by state legislators) is more elite.

    • Appointed positions like Cabinet officials and federal judges reflect elite democracy.

• What tensions arose between the models of democracy during the Constitution's creation and ratification debates?

  The debate centered around what type of participation in government is best:

  • Federalists favored a strong federal government with indirect participation through elected representatives.

  • Anti-Federalists feared that such a large republic would fail to represent constituents’ views and preferred smaller, more direct forms of democracy.

  • The Constitution reflects both elite and participatory models, allowing for both federal powers and states' rights to encourage citizen participation.

• How are the three models of democracy reflected in the U.S. Constitution?

  • Participatory Democracy:

    States can allow direct citizen involvement in government (e.g., local elections, initiatives).

  • Pluralist Democracy:

    Lawmaking requires compromise among competing interests.

  • Elite Democracy:

    Elected representatives make decisions, and the Electoral College reflects elite involvement in choosing the president.

• What are examples of Participatory Democracy today?

  • Ballot Initiatives: Allow citizens to place measures on the ballot for a vote.

  • Referenda: Citizens can contest laws passed by legislatures.

  • Examples from 2020: Issues such as minimum wage, vaccination exemptions, renewable energy, and gender-neutral language.

• What are examples of Pluralist Democracy today?

  • Special Interest Groups: Groups like the NAACP, NOW, and AFL-CIO exert influence on policymakers.

  • Methods of influence:

    • Lobbying, raising money for supportive candidates, influencing public opinion through ads, and providing expert testimony at hearings.

    • Pluralist democracy allows many viewpoints, leading to policies formed by consensus.

• What role do interest groups play in Pluralist Democracy?

  Interest groups raise money, elect supportive officials, provide expert testimony, and use ads to shape public opinion.

  • They help facilitate negotiation and compromise among competing interests, ensuring diverse representation in policymaking.

• What is the main argument in Federalist No. 10 regarding representation?

  Federalist No. 10 argues that a large republic, like the U.S., helps balance competing interests.

  • It contends that expanding the electorate makes it harder for any single group to dominate, ensuring diverse representation and preventing the tyranny of the majority.

• What is the main argument in Brutus No. 1 regarding representation in a large republic?

  Brutus No. 1 argues that in a large republic, it is impossible to have adequate representation of the people's sentiments.

  • A smaller government would be more responsive to citizens' needs, as representatives would be closer to their constituents.