Politics and Film: Liberal Ideologies, Democracy, and Capitalism

Politics and Film

Week 2: Liberal Ideologies: Democracy and Capitalism

Government: Definitions

  • Government

    • Refers to institutions and procedures through which a territory and its people are ruled.

  • Politics

    • Refers to conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments.

Forms of Government: Structure, Size, and Operation

  • Variation: Governments vary by size, structure, and operation based on who governs.

  • Types of Government:

    • Autocracy:

    • Definition: Government by a single, nonelected individual (e.g., king, queen, dictator).

    • Oligarchy:

    • Definition: Government by a small group that is not accountable to citizens (e.g., military officers, landowners, wealthy merchants).

    • Democracy:

    • Definition: A system of rule that permits citizens to play a significant part in the governmental process, usually accomplished through the election of key public officials.

Forms of Government: Limiting Government

  • Variation in Governance: Governments also differ in how they impose limits on their own authority.

  • Types of Governance:

    • Constitutional Government:

    • Definition: A government limited by law both in the powers it holds and how it exercises them.

    • Authoritarian Government:

    • Definition: Recognizes no limits on its authority but may be constrained by other institutions, such as business or religion.

    • Totalitarian Government:

    • Definition: Recognizes no limits on its authority and seeks to eliminate other institutions that might challenge it.

The Free Masons

  • Freemasonry:

    • Introduced from Britain; continues as a significant secret society today.

    • Members believed in self-determination, Republican virtues, peaceful assembly, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion—radical ideas in continental Europe.

The Fall of Freemasonry

  • Anti-Masonic Party:

    • A single-issue party opposing Freemasonry founded in the late 1820s due to William Morgan's disappearance, who was a critic of the Masonic organization.

  • Current Status: Freemasons remain a fraternal organization, with 51 Grand Lodges in the U.S. (one for each state and D.C.) and approximately 875,000 members; over 6 million worldwide.

Famous Freemasons

  • Notable Members:

    • U.S. Presidents:

    • 16 U.S. Presidents, including Washington, Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR, and Harry S. Truman.

    • Revolutionary Figures:

    • Ben Franklin, Paul Revere, John Hancock, Aaron Burr, Benedict Arnold, Simon Bolivar, Mustafa Ataturk.

    • Global Figures:

    • Winston Churchill, Mozart, Voltaire, Nelson Mandela, Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Napoleon Bonaparte.

    • Political Figures:

    • J. Edgar Hoover, Earl Warren, Douglas MacArthur, Rev. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson.

    • Pop Culture Figures:

    • Shaquille O’Neil, Scottie Pippen, John Wayne, all seven Ringling Brothers, Ashton Kutcher, Simon Cowell, John Elway, Brad Paisley.

Influencing the Government through Participation: Politics

  • Definition of Politics:

    • The struggle over “who gets what, when, how.”

    • Involves conflicts over government leadership, organization, and policies.

  • Political Power:

    • Definition: Influence over a government’s leadership, organization, or policies.

Politics and Democracy

  • Influence of Government Structure: Politics is shaped by the system of government and participation opportunities, particularly in democracies.

  • Forms of Democracy:

    • Representative Democracy (Republic):

    • Definition: Government where people elect representatives who make significant governmental decisions.

    • Direct Democracy:

    • Definition: System that allows citizens to vote directly on laws and policies.

    • Examples: ballot initiatives, popular referenda.

Politics and Pluralism

  • Definition of Pluralism:

    • A theory that all interests are and should be free to compete for influence in government, leading to compromise and moderation.

How Interest Groups Influence Congress: Lobbying

  • Definition of Lobbying:

    • A strategy by a group to influence the policy process through persuasion of public officials.

    • Methods:

    • Face-to-face contact with legislators or top staff.

    • Providing information to legislators on key legislation.

    • Testimony before congressional committees.

Regulating Lobbying

  • Regulation:

    • Lobbying activities are regulated by federal law.

    • The 2007 reform prohibited lobbyists from paying for most meals, trips, parties, and gifts for Congress members.

    • However, lobbyists quickly learned to circumvent many new rules.

    • Case Study: Citizens United v. F.E.C.

Using the Courts

  • Litigation Methods:

    • Interest groups affect public policy through courts in three primary ways:

    • Bringing suit directly on behalf of the group.

      • Example: Norma McCorvey's case.

    • Financing suits for individuals.

    • Filing amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs regarding existing cases.

Mobilizing Public Opinion

  • Going Public:

    • Interest groups work to gain mass public awareness and support on issues through various strategies.

    • Methods:

    • Institutional advertising aimed at creating a positive image of the organization.

    • Organizing protests and demonstrations.

    • Grassroots mobilization to get members to petition Congress directly.

Electoral Politics

  • Role of Interest Groups:

    • Interest groups seek to elect legislators aligned with their concerns.

  • Political Action Committees (PACs):

    • Provide financial support to candidates and parties.

    • Federal law limits contributions to federal candidates to $5,000 per election.

  • Super PACs:

    • Can raise unlimited funds but cannot make direct contributions or coordinate with candidates; must limit expenditures to independent ventures.

American Political Values

  • Fundamental values underpinning the American system of government form the political culture:

    • Liberty

    • Equality

    • Democracy

  • These values are echoed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

American Political Values: Liberty

  • Definition:

    • Liberty refers to freedom from governmental control and economic freedom.

    • Personal Freedom: Enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

    • Economic Freedom:

    • Encompasses capitalism, free markets, and protection of private property.

    • Linked to laissez-faire capitalism and articulated by Adam Smith’s description of “The Invisible Hand.”

    • Economic freedom also implies the ability to control one’s labor, relevant given historical aspects of slavery in the U.S.

American Political Values: Equality

  • Declaration of Independence:

    • Declares “all men are created equal.”

  • Principles of Equality:

    • Equality of Opportunity:

    • The ideal that everyone should have the freedom to pursue their highest potential.

    • Political Equality:

    • The right for all individuals to participate equally in politics, subscribing to the principle of “one person, one vote.”

    • Equality suggests an obligation for the government towards the people, generating debates about the extent of government promotion of social and economic equality.

Equality vs. Equity

  • Definitions:

    • Equality: Providing everyone with identical opportunities, regardless of diverse backgrounds and identity factors.

    • Equity: Distributing resources or treating individuals according to their needs and existing societal disparities.

  • Debate on Fairness:

    • Proponents argue equity is grounded in fairness and justice; opponents claim it generalizes and divides society, rendering it unjust.

  • Controversial Laws and Policies:

    • Many laws based on equity (e.g., affirmative action) face scrutiny, while tax laws often emphasize equity.

Should the Government Intervene in the Economy?

  • Capitalism's Stance:

    • Historically, until 1929, Americans favored minimal government economic intervention.

    • The Great Depression shifted public opinion on the need for government involvement.

    • FDR:

    • Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected in 1932 and advocated for proactive federal actions to address the economic crisis, exemplified by the New Deal.

Should the Government Intervene in the Economy? Keynes

  • Keynesian Economics:

    • Named after economist John Maynard Keynes, argues that government can stimulate the economy by increasing public spending or cutting taxes.

    • This increased demand generates higher production, thus aiding economic recovery from recession.

Should the Government Intervene in the Economy? Other Philosophies

  • Evolving Economic Philosophies:

    • In the 1980s, many Republicans began to eschew Keynesian economics, advocating for minimal government intervention for optimal economic performance.

    • Democratic Perspective:

    • Prevailing belief that government still holds an essential role in managing the economy.

Social Policy and the Welfare State

  • Welfare State Overview:

    • Historically, local governments and charities provided aid to the poor until the Great Depression, when this system crumbled amid widespread poverty.

    • Following the crisis, the federal government established a formal welfare system which evolved significantly in subsequent decades.

The Modern Welfare System: Contributory Programs

  • Definition:

    • Known as “forced savings,” contributory programs are social programs financed through mandatory taxation or contributions.

    • Examples:

    • Social Security, Medicare, Unemployment insurance.

The Modern Welfare System: Noncontributory Programs

  • Noncontributory Programs:

    • Also referred to as social assistance programs; these provide benefits based on demonstrated need rather than prior contributions.

    • Commonly termed “welfare,” includes:

    • SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), School Lunch programs, and Pell Grants.