Unit 1

Section 1- What is Politics and Democracy?

Politics- Is the activity by which an issue is agitated or settled.

Power- Getting someone to do what you want them to do. (Persuading someone)

It the person in power is always obvious?

No, for example Mrs. Wilson after the President’s stroke or Nancy Reagan changing the President’s mind on key issues.

The relationship between political power and authority

Authority- means the right to use power. It is important because we accept the decision by those in who we feel like has the right to make them.

Ex: A substitute teacher having difficulty with some of the students.

What is formal authority?

When the right to excessive power is vested in a governmental office.

Ex: Trump when he won the election but not the popularity vote of the people in 2020.

How do we grant right or authority in the US?

By law and state or national constitution.

Why do we accept these as granting legitimacy?

Because we believe in the constitution. Many of the major struggles in this country’s history have been arguments over what is/was legitimate for the government to do.

Ex: The Federal Union vs. the State during the Civil War. The New Deal legislation. The Affordable Care Act.

What is the relationship between legitimacy and democracy in the US?

We would consider no level of government legitimate if it were not seen as being democratic.

Ex: At the Convention, Alexander Hamilton thought the new government was too democratic while George Maddison thought it was not democratic enough.

The State: 4 Types

The state exists to serve the will of the people. The state was a voluntary act.

1. The Force Theory- Is the belief that an individual or small group claimed control over an area and forced those within to submit to their will. (Ex: A bully on the playground)

2. The Evolutionary Theory- The state developed out of the early family to the clan and then to the tribe. When the tribe decided it no longer wanted to be nomadic, the state was born because rules or laws needed to be governed. Rules were needed to regulate behavior.

3. The Devine Right Theory- The belief that God created the state and gave those of royal birth the devine right to rule. Democracy developed to challenge this theory. (Ex: The Revolutionary War against England)

4. The Social Contract Theory- that at some point people decided to give up certain rights and responsibilities to the state; and in return the state is expected to protect those rights. Supported by John Locke and Thomas Hobbs. (Two of the enlightenment philosophers) Before, people had to protect themselves and responsable for their own safety.

What is the purpose of government?

It is found in 6 parts. It is the Preamble of the Constitution.

1. To for a more perfect union. The framers

The intent of the framers was to create a republic or a republican for of government. We have interpreted that to mean a representative form of government.

What does representative democracy demand?

1. Competitive elections.

2. People in parties who can seek office.

3. The ability to share or communicate your view to the voters.

4. Voters have to believe they have real options.

What are the virtues of direct democracy?

Community control and citizen participation in the program that affects your life.

Why did the framers prefer representative democracy?

1. It serves as a check against an unjust majority.

2. It serves as a check against self serving office holders.

Ex: Joe Mcarthy

Section 2-How is power represented in a democracy?

Majoritarian politics vs elitism

Majoritarian Politics

Means leaders are compelled to follow their wishes of their constituents (voter)

As a result majoritarian politics works best when the issuers are clear, simple and fiasable.

Ex: pothole, lamppost that is out.

Elitism

When government decisions are made by an identifiable group of people who have a disproportionate share of political power. Because these groups are active participates in the policy making process.

*most government decisions are made by small groups of people.

There are 4 theories describing how political power is distributed among elitists and how a policy is determined.

1. The class theory- based on marxism. The belief that society is divided into classes based on their relationship to the economy. The main two classes are bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the proletariat (workers).

2. They believe that government is a reflection of underlying economic forces

3. They believe the class that dominates the economy will also control th e government.

4. The theory of power elites-according to socialologests C Wright Mills, small groups of people outside of government are making most of the major policy decisions to benefit the interests of the elites.

The elites consist of a coalition of 3 groups formally called “an iron triangle”. The triangle can consist of corporate leaders, military leaders, key political leaders, labour leaders, and media leaders.

The beurocratic theory-according to max Weber the burócrata who oporatiate the government agencies on day to day bases have the power.

(Have notes on papers)

Section 3 Who governs and two what ends

Those are two great questions of politics.

The first question is important because we believe who and what our leaders are will affect the type of policies you support.

The second question is important because it tells us how government will impact our lives. The problem is you can’t always predict what the government will do by simply knowing who governs.

The average of congress is white, male, middle class, middle age and Protestant but they pass legislation that impacts other demographics.

Setting the Political Adgenda

The two most important decisions affecting policy making are: deciding what belongs on the political adgenda, making government officials aware of the problem. Prior to the Great Depression it was easy to decide because government did veery little in the areas of: environmental protection, consumer protection, civil rights, and homeland security, the government did not have a lot of money as well. In 1935 4% of Americans payed income taxes and the average tax rate was 4% of income. Now 96% pay income taxes and average tax rate is around 20%.

What 4 factors determine what the government should do?

1. Shared political values. Ex: People are less likely to support programs to assist the poor if they believe those individuals are responsable for their situation.

2. The weight of customs and tradition. The longer a federal program is in existence the more support it receives. Ex: Social security, medicare, and medicade.

3. The impact of events during times of crisis. People want the government to do more. Ex: Natural disasters.

4. The terms of the debate. The public can be influenced by the actions of their political leaders or elites.

The Policy Making Process

There are 4 forces that can reduce an increase in the roll of government.

1. Small groups- Most government depictions are made by small groups of people. Small groups can add issues to the governments adgenda. These groups can be well organized (Interest groups) and work behind the scenes or they can be protest movements (Black Lives Matter). Their actions can lead to new commissions, new laws or they can change peoples values and beliefs.

2. The Work Government institutions- Like the courts, the burocracy and the senate. The courts, make desicions that force actions by the other branches (Ex: The Obergefell Case. The ruling forced the justice department to enforce the courts ruling.) Going to court is the preferred method for groups that support unpopular causes. The burocracy, they have become a source of innovation and policy proposals due to their expertise. They think up problems to solve which increases their power.(Ex: The Great Society.) As a result, the burocracy has been referred to as the profesionalization of reform(Senators Moyhinham came up with that term). The Senent, the senant has become a source for presidential candidates with new ideas. This would be a surprise to the fraimors because they thought the sneak it would moderate change and not facilitate it.

3. The media- They determine which issues to place on the political adgenda or which issues to publicize that are placed on the adgenda by others.(Trump wanting to buy Greenland)

4. The Actions by the States- Sometimes national policy starts at the state level. (Ex: Education Reform like No child Left Behind or Common Core. Legalizing marajuana)

The Politics of Different Issues

The type of government program that is most likely to receive the widest support. Is one where the cost is payed by someone else.

Definition of Cost- A cost is any burden monetary or non monetary that someone must bear (pay) if a policy is adopted.

Definition of Benefit- A benefit is any sadisdfaction monetary or non monetary that people believe they will enjoy if a policy is adopted.

There are two things to consider abt cost and benefits, the public’s perception about who is paying and weather the public believes those who receive the benefit are deserving.

People prefer policies that provide benefits at a low cost. The problem is the lower the cost the less amount of people can enjoy the benefit.

the 4 types of politics

Majoritarian- A large group receive a benefit and a large group of people pay for the benefit. The contraversy is should the government provide the service. Ideology and cost.

Intrest group Politics- One small group gets the benefit and one small group pays the cost.

The controversy is between two competing groups who have something to lose.