1.03__You_Don’t_Care_About_Government,_and_Maybe_You_Should
What is Politics?
Dictionary definition: politics is the art and practice of government. Unpack that to include all the activities by which a society is defined, organized, and regulated.
Campaigns and elections
Making laws
Taxing and spending
Regulating behavior and managing the economy
The art of the possible: How do you get people to agree to do something you want in a way they won’t resist or retaliate against you?
Lasswell’s tighter definition (20th century): \text{Who gets what, when, and how}
Easton’s definition: \text{Politics} = \text{the authoritative allocation of value}
Authoritative: someone or a group with the power to make decisions and carry them out
Allocation: dividing resources and benefits
Value: what people want (food, shelter, money, public goods, space, etc.)
How these ideas come together: Politics is about deciding who gets what and who pays for it, and how the pie (resources) is allocated and possibly reshaped over time.
Political science as the study of politics:
A social science like psychology, sociology, history, anthropology, and economics
Involves observing people, asking questions, collecting data, and often avoiding live experiments on people
Aims to understand how government works (and when it doesn’t) so we can understand politics better
The ubiquity of politics:
Politics is all around us, from personal decisions to the global economy
“All life is politics” because we are social creatures whose actions are shaped by networks, culture, and conditions in which we live
“It’s who you know, not only what you know” has some truth in political success
Politics: Hate the Player, Not the Game
Why people don’t like politics:
It’s not pretty; politics is often partisan, with candidates trying to win and make harsh statements about opponents
Negative campaigning is common and tends to push people away (Ansolabehere & Iyengar, Going Negative)
Many candidates claim “the system is broken,” which can give the impression that government doesn’t work and that people should disengage
The system often feels unchanged by rhetoric, even if arguments have shifted over time
The message of “broken system” can demotivate people from engaging with politics
The sausage-and-laws metaphor:
Quote often attributed to John Godfrey Saxe (misattributed to Otto von Bismarck):
"Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made."
The point: it’s better to focus on how the laws work, even if the process is messy
The reality about personalities and policy:
When working in a legislature, the author observed that legislators were not always nice or smart, and fashion sense varied
Yet, a law’s goodness is not purely about who passed it; it’s about how the law operates in practice (e.g., speeds limits, taxes, drug legality)
Why parties and politicians can push disengagement:
In the U.S., both major parties often fail to clearly explain what they believe
Negative campaigning dominates and reduces clarity about policy choices
The practical consequence:
People may feel powerless to fix problems they see, leading to disengagement and apathy toward politics
Key takeaway: politics is messy and human, but understanding how it works matters for real-world outcomes
How Politics Affects You
Why politics should matter to everyone:
Because politics is about how we live and how we live now is defined by political choices
It shapes everyday life, from roads and schools to public safety and the economy
Examples of political impact that people may overlook:
Government decisions affect job opportunities, school quality, and community resources
Rules and laws determine everyday experiences (driving, taxes, regulated substances, workplace rules, etc.)
The broader point:
Your life is affected by political processes, even if you don’t actively follow politics every day
Why You Might Care More as You Age
Voter turnout tends to rise with age; younger voters often have lower turnout
In the U.S., turnout is higher among older groups; in some places like Norway, there are senior citizens’ political movements
As people age, they have more at stake and become more invested in policies that affect housing, taxes, and services
Reasons aging changes political engagement:
After college or when starting a career, rules about work, taxes, and workplace behavior become more salient
Moving away from home, buying a house, or having kids increases personal stake in local governance and school quality
As stake in neighborhood and property taxes grows, local issues become more important
The adage: "where you stand depends upon where you sit"—your location and stakes influence political views
Regardless of age, government affects everyone in significant ways:
It decides war or peace, tax levels, public programs, and the legality of substances
It distributes public goods like colleges, parks, transportation, and health services
The mechanics of how government works:
Public colleges are commonly state-run, with boards appointed by governors and legislators
Tuition levels are often regulated by state legislatures; funding comes from state taxes and appropriations
Federal student loan rates and broader higher-ed funding are influenced by Congress
Governors and state legislatures, being elected, shape these outcomes
The role of interest groups:
Business groups, public unions, health care professionals, economic development advocates, transportation interests, parks/recreation users, K-12 teachers, and families with kids push legislators to spend in various ways
The push-and-pull among these stakeholders shapes policy outcomes and the size and shape of the public budget
The upshot:
Politics is about who gets what and how, and it has tangible effects on your daily life