The Study of American Government Chapter 1-Wilson

Politics-2 major questions 1. Who governs? 2. To what ends? What individuals, groups, and institutions seem to exert the greatest power in the continuous struggle to define the purposes of government?

Political Power The ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions Power found in all human relationships! We are concerned about government power- who will hold government power and how government will behave

Political authority and Legitimacy The right to use power- the acceptance of decisions by people that we believe have the right to make them Legitimacy is the authority conferred by a law or a constitution-In America no exercise of political power seen as being legitimate unless it is Naked Power versus Legitimate authority

Power versus authority

What is democracy? “Demos”-the many “Cracy”-to govern or rule Monarchy-Rule by one based on blood Oligarchy-Rule by small group Aristocracy-Rule by few based on wealth or status Autocracy-Rule by one based on power Democracy-Rule by many

Different type of democracies Direct or participatory democracy All free citizens participate directly in government decisions Ancient Athens under Pericles-4th century BC -all free adult male property holding males citizens right to serve in government -Jury trials -Freedom of speech and expression -Leaders chosen by lottery -ostracism practiced

Representative democracy Elitist theory of democracy (Indirect) Power given by a competitive struggle for peoples vote Ancient Roman Republic Why in the US? 1. Impracticable for people to decide on all public policy issues 2. Direct democracy leads to poor decisions

Democratic centralism View that democracy is served when the best interests of the people are served whether or not the people had a voice USSR-Union of Soviet Socialist Republic PRC-People’s Republic of China DPRK-Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea

A democrat at heart?

Founders 1. Strongly favored representative democracy over direct democracy 2. Most citizens not informed and did not have time or expertise to make choices about policy issues 3. Power could be abused by a tyrannical popular majority as much as a King

Question? Do people have more time, information, energy, interest, and expertise to gather information for collective decision making when the constitution was written? Has High technology brought us closer to direct democracy?

Answer! Not really 1. Most young people do not consume much political news 2. Most people not the active in political affairs. 3. Few people fill close to political leaders or have confidence in their leaders.

Distribution of Political Power 4 competing views of distribution of power Elitist theories-Political power exercised by elites who are actually involved in the decision making What is an elite? A group of person who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource

Marxist View German Philosopher Karl Marx Government mere reflection of economic forces Economic determinism Idea of class struggle Government, even in democracies, controlled by capitalist class Examples from history?

The Power Elite View C Wright Mills Coalition of 3 groups dominate politics and government, mostly outside government Corporate leaders Top Military leaders Elected leaders Some add labor leaders, special interest group leaders, and media chiefs Great advantages in wealth, status, or organizational position

Government

Corporate Leaders

Media elites

Bureaucratic View Max Weber-German Sociologist All institutions have fallen under control of bureaucracies Expertise and competence factor Staff and operate the government on basis Virtually invisible to general public Not only implement policy but make policy based on their own idea and interests

Bureaucratic View

The Pluralist View No single intellectual founder Political resources are so widely scattered that that no single elite has a monopoly Most policy outcomes result of complex pattern on haggling, compromises, and shifting alliances Mass public opinion has factor as well Not a majoritarian point of view!!