Civics Notes Entry 1.1

Writing Prompt  What do you think the following quote means? Turn in when finished.  “To be free, one must be chained.”

Essentials   Essential Standards   Understand how democracy depends upon the active participation of citizens.   Essential Question  How do the concerns of the individual, community, and society work together to produce a civil society?

Learning Target  What responsibility does the individual have to the community, and the community have to the individual?

What is Civics?  The study of citizenship and Government  Citizen: people with certain rights and duties  Government: ruling authority of people  Three levels of Government: Federalism  Local  State  Federal

The Common Good  What is the common good for our nation?  A society that benefits all people  The whole is more important than the parts  Who governs? Popular Sovereignty  Active citizenship  Democracy must: practice majority rule and preserve minority rights

Why Is Government Important?  Make laws  Keep order  Provide services  Schools, libraries, social welfare  Prevent anarchy:  Lawlessness, total lack of control  Lord of The Flies [1990] - Piggy Death Scene - YouTube Lord of The Flies [1990] - Piggy Death Scene - YouTube Lord of The Flies [1990] - Piggy Death Scene - YouTube

Lord of the Flies and Anarchy (do not copy)  Golding clearly felt that anarchy--a social system with no central government or ruling class in which every person acts for him or herself as an independent part of a peaceful society--is impossible. What do you think? Do humans need a strong government, rules, laws, and social structures to keep us in line? Could society exist free of government?

Democratic Governments  Republic—representative government  Certain individuals can vote  Democracy  Representative: citizens choose a smaller group to govern on their behalf  US is representative democracy  Direct —all citizens vote on all issues  Constitutional Monarchy: parliament, king or queen

Authoritarian Governments  Absolute Monarchy—king or queen with ultimate power  Dictatorship—one person or small group, no individual rights; mostly economics and gov’t  Totalitarian—no individual rights, gov’t controls economics AND social and cultural life; violence; propaganda;  Theocracy : religious rule

Contemporary theories of Democracy 1.Pluralist theory: many compete for power and control; bargaining and compromise; power at different levels 2.Elite theory: our society is divided along class lines; wealth is the basis of power 3.Hyper-pluralism: too many groups wanting power; result is confusing and contradictory policy