The Study of American Government US Government & Politics

Purposes of Government To maintain order To protect property To provide public goods

Politics Greek politikos “of or relating to citizens” Struggles over the leadership, structure, and policies of government

Forms of Government Autocracy Oligarchy or Aristocracy Monarchy Democracy Republic Constitutional

Dark green = most free; Dark red/black = least free

Is Representative Democracy Best? Favored by Framers; highly influenced by John Locke (English Enlightenment thinker) Government would mediate, nor mirror, popular views. Framers viewed people as lacking knowledge and susceptible to manipulation. Framers’ goal: To minimize the abuse of power by a tyrannical majority or by officeholders

Conditions needed for Democracy to be successful… 1. An educated electorate 2. Economic stability (market economy) 3. Social capital 4. Ideological conditions (democratic consensus) 5. Universal suffrage 6. Political equality (all votes counted equally) 7. Govt that responds to public opinion 8. Majority rule

Two kinds of Constitutional Democracy Today Parliamentary Presidential

Blue: Presidential republics with a full presidential system Blue: Presidential republics with a full presidential system. Yellow: Countries with a semi-presidential system. Green: Parliamentary republics with an executive presidency chosen by the parliament Orange: Parliamentary republic with a ceremonial president, where the prime minister is the executive. Red: Constitutional monarchies where executive power is vested in a prime minister Pink: Constitutional monarchies which have a separate head of government, but where royalty hold political power Purple: Absolute monarchies Brown: Single-party state

Freedom in the World https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom- world/freedom-world-2018