THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM LECTURE 1 András Tarnóc PhD

GENERAL TERMS Politics: who gets what, when and how— the distribution of power (Harold Laswell) Government/governing: legitimate use of force in order to regulate human behavior within territorial boundaries

POLITICAL IDEAS FROM ANTIQUITY ◦First known written code of laws: Code of Hammurabi (1790 B.C, Amorite king ruling Babylon), laws chiseled in stone columns ◦Laws of early Hebrews, Ten Commandments ◦Direct democracy in Athens Assembly selected a Council to preside over its meetings, a Board of Generals to lead the army and a Board of Officials to direct courts

POLITICAL IDEAS FROM ANTIQUITY Representative democracy—Roman Republic: Consuls, Senate, Tribunes Consuls elected by the Patricians’ Assembly annually Consuls appoint Senators Plebeians’ Assembly elected Tribunes Heads of state: 2 consuls with veto power over each other

THE RISE OF REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY Henry II ( ) trial by jury Magna Carta (1215) nobles could not be taxed without their consent, no unlawful arrests 1265 Simon de Montfort’s rebellion, the formation of Parliament 1400: House of Lords, House of Commons 1628: Petition of Right further limiting the king

PHILOSOPHICAL BACKGROUND OF AMERICAN GOVERNMENT Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (1651)—state of nature, life is nasty, brutish, and short, Governed: pledges obedience to ruler in return for protection of life 1620: Mayflower Compact: foundation of consensual government—government is based on the consent of the governed John Locke: Two Treatises on Government (1690) natural rights, life, liberty, property

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Main responsibilities of government: Maintenance of law and order Promotion of public welfare Promotion of equality in society

THE BILL OF RIGHTS OF 1689 A major landmark in the development of democratic government Eliminating the divine right principle Trial by jury Monarch may not suspend Parliament Punishment for a crime should not be cruel and unusual

LAW AND ORDER Protection of social order Use of police power: the power of government protecting the health, welfare, safety, and morals of the people Protection of life, property, maintenance of the traditional pattern of social relations

EQUALITY Political equality-one person—one vote Equality of opportunity—no titles of nobility, lack of property requirements for holding public office, free public education Equality of results: must maintain actual equality in society

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Totalitarian government: government controls all aspects of public life Nazi Germany, Soviet Union Socialism: based on the ideas of Marx, government controls goods, services, economy, and the means of production Capitalism: free enterprise, private property

POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES Libertarianism: laissez faire economic policy, limited government, rejection of governmental action or interference except for the protection of life and liberty Anarchism: prime value: freedom Liberal v. Conservative

LIBERALISM Protection of equality (opportunity) Positive discrimination-affirmative action compensatory policies for past discrimination Favors minorities, women Against limitation of civil liberties (rights of flag burning as a political statement, arguing against capital punishment or the death penalty

CONSERVATISM Limited government Against governmental interference in the economy Rejection of positive discrimination Protection of law and order For death penalty, against abortion

CLASSIC GREEK CATEGORIES OF GOVERNING Autocracy-rule by one person Oligarchy-rule by the few Democracy-popular sovereignty Demos: people, kratos: power

PROCEDURAL DEMOCRACY Who participates in the decision-making process? What is the value of the vote? How many votes are needed to make a decision? Direct v. indirect democracy

MAIN PRINCIPLES OF PROCEDURAL DEMOCRACY Full participation in the political process Political equality Rule by the majority The power of public opinion-government is accountable to people

CONTENT/SUBSTANTIVE DEMOCRACY Emphasis on content over procedure Protection of civil liberties (freedom of speech, press, religion) No specific criteria to determine whether government is truly democratic The mere existence of guarantees for civil liberties do not necessary guarantee democracy

INSTITUTIONAL MODELS OF DEMOCRACY Majority model: emphasis on individual participation Referendum—people vote on a potential governmental action, in U.S., no national referendum, in Hungary, referendum on joining NATO, EU Initiative: based on the petition

DEMOCRATIC PLURALISM V. THE POWER ELITE Politics is the result of competition between interest groups Power Elite C. Wright Mills, land mark work in the 1950s, the powerful few influences government, a small minority controls a large majority American democracy is more pluralist than majority based