Intro to Political Science2:Core Concepts and Democracy

Power and Authority
  • Power: Ability to make others follow commands (e.g., political power by public officials).
  • Authority: Rightfulness in a public official's command due to their office.
  • Legitimacy: Lawfulness in a political system; officials acting within legal authority.
Government Functions
  • Basic: Protection (foreign/domestic), taxation, education (political socialization teaching obedience to law).
Discretionary/Advanced Functions
  • Social welfare (safety net)
  • Economic regulation, safety/pollution standards
  • Global leadership (foreign aid, diplomacy, peace)
Democracy
  • Direct: Voters decide every issue (e.g., Athens; California's initiative, referendum, recall).
    • Initiative: vote on proposed legislation.
    • Referendum: vote on a law.
    • Recall: remove an elected official.
  • Representative: Voters elect representatives to make policy decisions; often includes direct democracy elements.
Dahl's Standards for Ideal Democracy
  • 11: Equality in voting
  • 22: Effective participation
  • 33: Enlightened understanding
  • 44: Citizen control of the agenda
  • 55: Inclusiveness
Critical Views of Representative Democracy
  • Elite/Class Theory: Elections superficial; elites (shared wealth/background) hold real power.
  • Bureaucratic Theory: Unelected civil servants implement policy.
  • Pluralism: Policy shaped by competition among small groups.
Is American Democracy Broken?
  • Assessment varies by ideology, requiring comparison to original design and historical context.
Constitutional Background
  • Preview: constitutional background.