chapter 1 (american government and politics)

1.1

American Government and Politics

==Objective: Describe the balance between governmental power and individual rights.==

Intro to Rights

• %%politics%%: the process of influencing the actions and policies of the government
  • %%government%%: rules and institutions that make up a system of policy-making
• individuals use political tools to secure and exert rights
• the american system of government is complex and balances competing rights

1.2

American Political Culture

==Objective: Describe American political culture.==

Declaration of Independence

• %%declaration of independence%% (^^1776^^): foundation of american republic; drew on ideas of liberty and government from great britain and enlightenment
  • %%preamble%%: sets the stage for the constitution
  • argument: claimed that british government was “no longer legitimate”
  • definition of citizens’ rights: listed as rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
  • %%list of grievances%%: the many offenses to american colonists (taxes, quartering act, virtual representation, etc.)
  • declaration of freedom: conclusion to document declaring america free from great britain
• %%democracy%%: power is held by the people
• influences on declaration of independence:
  • @@john locke@@: english enlightenment philosopher
  • %%natural rights%%: right to life, liberty, and property, which the government cannot take away
  • %%social contract%%: people allow government to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society
  • if government breaks the social contract by violating rights, the people have the right to replace the unjust government with a just one
  • @@baron de montesquieu@@: french enlightenment leader
  • proposed that power in government should be divided into branches so no one branch has too much power
  • @@david hume@@: scottish enlightenment thinker
  • believed government should be designed to keep the greedy and ambitious from using political power to their own advantage
• %%american political culture%%: the set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that americans share
  • @@rodgers smith@@: contemporary political scientist; argued that contradictions existed in political culture
  • ex. racism and misogyny were commonplace, but the government was designed to be “fair to all”
  • american political culture values popular sovereignty, natural rights, and republicanism

Popular Sovereignty and Republicanism

• %%sovereignty%%: right of a government to rule
  • ex. monarchies, divine right, leadership of elite group
  • %%popular sovereignty%%: the idea that the government’s right to rule comes from the people
• %%republicanism%%: the authority of the government comes from the people
  • representative government replaced direct democracy
  • citizens vote for representatives to assert their interests in the national policy-making process
  • reps are held accountable in free and fair elections to serve their terms:
    • u.s. house of reps: 2 years
    • u.s. senator: 6 years
    • president: 4 years

Inalienable Rights

• %%inalienable rights%%: rights the government cannot take away (life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness)
  • just system of political rule will protect these rights (rights compromised = unjust government)

Two Visions of Liberty

• %%liberty%%: social, political, and economic freedom; foundational american idea expressed in declaration of independence
• two visions of liberty: the differing interpretations of liberty
  • freedom to exercise rights (ex. students claim to have the right to explore their faith by establishing a church club)
  • freedom from enforced policies (ex. other students might have freedom risked from the school system supporting a specific religious affiliation over nonreligious beliefs)

Pursuit of Happiness and American Dream

• %%american dream%%: the belief that individuals should be able to achieve their goals through hard work, sacrifice, and their own talents
  • supported by @@jefferson’s@@ mentioning of the “pursuit of happiness”

Religion and American Political Culture

• religious traditions have helped shape american political culture
  • ex. many of the earliest british colonies were founded by religious groups fleeing persecution
• america is still a nation partly defined by religious faith and expression (even though it has become less apparent in recent times)

1.3

Competing Theories of Democracy

==Objective: Explain and compare models of representative democracy.==

Participatory Democratic Theory

• %%participatory democracy%%: a theory that widespread political participation is essential for democratic government
• %%civil society groups%%: independent associations outside the government’s control; joined to participate in democracy
  • @@robert putnam@@: author that wrote “ bowling alone: the collapse and revival of the american community”
  • book emphasized that there is a decline in civil society in america; same amount of groups are being formed but less “leagues” are being joined
  • he argued that fewer americans are participating in in civil society and are becoming less exposed to diversity (which promotes working for the common good)

Pluralist Theory

• %%pluralist theory%%: a theory that emphasizes the role of groups in the policy-making process
• groups could influence the government by:
  • contacting government officials
  • donating to campaigns
  • filing lawsuits
  • etc
• pluralists argue that groups could lack in one resource (ex. money) and still have other resources (ex. large number of members)
• pluralists think policy-making is complex and results from bargaining and compromise

Elitist Theory

• %%elitist theory%%: a theory that the elites have a disproportionate amount of influence in the policy-making process
  • small minority with economic power dominates politics
  • elected officials are too heavily influenced by wealthy interest groups
  • elite theorists are concerned with the growing income gap in america
  • top 1% have too much influence in politics and benefit far more from lax government and tax exemptions
• critics of theory argue that less wealthy and smaller groups can still participate in other ways (ex. filing lawsuits, encouraging members to vote, etc.)

1.4

Institutions, Systems, and Power

==Objective: Describe a constitutional republic.==

• devising a system of government requires 2 questions to be answered:
  • how much power will the government have?
  • how will political power be distributed?
• depending on answers, governments can be formed differently:
  • %%totalitarian%%: have no limitations on their power
  • %%authoritarian%%: suppress the voices of their citizens, but may not have some economic or social institutions under governmental control (government doesn’t exert total control over citizens’ lives)
  • %%u.s. constitution%%: establishes constitutional republic as system of government in america
  • %%constitutional republic%%: a democratic system with elected representatives to carry out citizens’ interests and which the constitution is the supreme law
• %%political institutions%%: the structure of government (including executive, judiciary, and legislature)
  • u.s. constitution forms basis for nation’s political institutions and government
• constitution limits power of national government to protect americans’ fundamental rights
  • constitution also establishes that sovereignty comes from the people
  • giving the national government power to maintain order runs risk of oppressing the citizens
  • americans elect representatives to prevent this
• america is too big to vote directly (representative democracy in place)