Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. American Political Culture: Seeking a More Perfect Union Chapter 1

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Big Trends Political efficacy has decreased since the 1960s Political efficacy has decreased since the 1960s Election 2008: Does it mark a change? Election 2008: Does it mark a change? Voter Turnout 2008=56.8, 2004=55.3, 2000=51.3 Voter Turnout 2008=56.8, 2004=55.3, 2000=51.3 Government is more complex Government is more complex Decreased power of political parties since 19 th century Decreased power of political parties since 19 th century Legacy of 9/11 Legacy of 9/11

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Government and Politics: Deciding Societies’ Goals Government=institutions, processes, and rules facilitating control of an area and its population; the formal institutions that make policy or laws on behalf of the people Government=institutions, processes, and rules facilitating control of an area and its population; the formal institutions that make policy or laws on behalf of the people Public Policy=A course of action decided upon by government that usually involves a choice among competing alternatives Public Policy=A course of action decided upon by government that usually involves a choice among competing alternatives Politics= who gets what, when and how, the process through which society makes its decisions Politics= who gets what, when and how, the process through which society makes its decisions

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Government and Politics: Deciding Societies’ Goals Power=ability of persons or institutions to control policy Power=ability of persons or institutions to control policy Authority=recognized right of person (s) or institution to exercise power Authority=recognized right of person (s) or institution to exercise power What is the relationship between governments, power, authority and politics? What is the relationship between governments, power, authority and politics?

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. SUPER HUGE IMPORTANT POINTS TO PONDER! GOVERNMENTS ARE WHATEVER A NATION MAKES OF THEM! GOVERNMENTS ARE WHATEVER A NATION MAKES OF THEM! How should we be governed (who holds power)? How should we be governed (who holds power)? What should government do? What is the proper scope of government action? What should government do? What is the proper scope of government action?

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Functions of Government Despite the type of government, all governments are supposed to do the following: Despite the type of government, all governments are supposed to do the following: Protection (maintain national defense) Protection (maintain national defense) Maintenance of public order (police power) Maintenance of public order (police power) Resolution of social conflicts Resolution of social conflicts Maintenance of a stable economy Maintenance of a stable economy Provision of public services Provision of public services

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. How Governments Are Classified Geographic Distribution of Power Geographic Distribution of Power Unitary, federal, confederal Unitary, federal, confederal Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Branches Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Branches Presidential v. parliamentary Presidential v. parliamentary The number who can participate The number who can participate

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Types of Government: Pluralist  political power distributed among a wide range of groups and interests Pluralist  political power distributed among a wide range of groups and interests Democracy (direct versus representative) Democracy (direct versus representative) Democratic socialism Democratic socialism Constitutional monarchy Constitutional monarchy

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Types of Government Authoritarian  power is held by one person or small group Authoritarian  power is held by one person or small group One person  One person  Small group  Small group  Totalitarianism (complete dominance) Totalitarianism (complete dominance)

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Political Culture: Core Principles of American Government Political culture: beliefs of a people about their government and politics European (Enlightenment) thought and practice shaped beliefs European (Enlightenment) thought and practice shaped beliefs

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Graphic Organizer ValueDefinition Origin of Value Example from Current Events Liberty Equality Self Government Individualism Rule of Law

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Core Values: Liberty, Equality, Popular Consent Liberty Liberty freedom to act and think as one chooses but not infringe on freedom of others freedom to act and think as one chooses but not infringe on freedom of others Equality Equality all individuals equal in worth, legal treatment, and political voice all individuals equal in worth, legal treatment, and political voice Self Government (popular sovereignty) Self Government (popular sovereignty) people are ultimate source of governing authority people are ultimate source of governing authority

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Core Values: Individualism, Rule of Law Individualism: people can achieve self – sufficiency and material success Individualism: people can achieve self – sufficiency and material success Rule of Law: no one is above the law Rule of Law: no one is above the law “The government of the United States has been termed a government of laws—not people” John Marshall “The government of the United States has been termed a government of laws—not people” John Marshall

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Activity In groups of 3 rank order the elements of American political culture (equality, liberty, popular sovereignty/consent, rule of law, individualism) In groups of 3 rank order the elements of American political culture (equality, liberty, popular sovereignty/consent, rule of law, individualism) Create poster Create poster Elect one group member to summarize your group’s findings and defend your ranking Elect one group member to summarize your group’s findings and defend your ranking 15 minutes 15 minutes

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Core Values: Political Liberty Self government requires liberty Self government requires liberty To act To act To persuade To persuade

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Core Values: Political Equality Each person carries equal weight in the policy making process Each person carries equal weight in the policy making process Each vote counts the same Each vote counts the same Equality of opportunity (versus equality of result) Equality of opportunity (versus equality of result)

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Core Values: Popular Consent/Sovereignty Policies reflect people’s desires Policies reflect people’s desires People participate in the political process People participate in the political process People can gain information and debate issues BEFORE policies are made People can gain information and debate issues BEFORE policies are made Majority rules the decision making process Majority rules the decision making process

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Origins of Popular Sovereignty: The Social Contract (pp ) Theorist Major Work Contribution to the idea of the social contract Hobbes Locke Rousseau

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Power of Ideals Influences reasonable and desirable behaviors Influences reasonable and desirable behaviors Influences public opinion on an issue (ex. Healthcare reform) Influences public opinion on an issue (ex. Healthcare reform)

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Limits of Ideals Do black people really have the same rights as whites? Do black people really have the same rights as whites? Do immigration laws discriminate? Do immigration laws discriminate? Pros and cons of affirmative action Pros and cons of affirmative action How well do you think that the United States is living out its core ideas? How well do you think that the United States is living out its core ideas?

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Origin of Political Conflict Scarcity Scarcity Unequal Resources Unequal Resources Unequal Experience/Expertise about System Unequal Experience/Expertise about System Values Values Different ideas about the role of government Different ideas about the role of government Different ideas about how elements of poltical culture should be carried out Different ideas about how elements of poltical culture should be carried out

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Democracy:our form of govt.=people govern directly or through elected representatives Democracy:our form of govt.=people govern directly or through elected representatives Constitutionalism: limits on government  protection of individual rights Constitutionalism: limits on government  protection of individual rights Capitalism: our economic system Capitalism: our economic system free enterprise and self-reliance free enterprise and self-reliance minimal governmental interference minimal governmental interference Rules of the Game of American Politics Rules of the Game of American Politics

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. American Political System American Political System Five overriding tendencies: Five overriding tendencies: Enduring cultural ideals Enduring cultural ideals Fragmentation of governance based on checks and balances Fragmentation of governance based on checks and balances Competition between diverse groups Competition between diverse groups Emphasis on individual rights and responsibilities Emphasis on individual rights and responsibilities Economic + political decision making separate  economic issues out of political control Economic + political decision making separate  economic issues out of political control

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Theories of Power: Who Governs? (Complete graphic organizer from website) Majoritarianism Majoritarianism Pluralism Pluralism Hyperpluralism Hyperpluralism Elitism Elitism Bureaucracy Bureaucracy

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. The American Political System Figure 1-5 The American Political System Figure 1-5

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. How American Politics Works The main factors of political life are interconnected The main factors of political life are interconnected The main factors of political life can be categorized (institutions, actors, procedures) The main factors of political life can be categorized (institutions, actors, procedures)

Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Permission Required for Reproduction or Display. Concept of a Political System Political System=parts of American government Political System=parts of American government Parts are separate Parts are separate Parts connect with each other Parts connect with each other Parts affect and interact with each other Parts affect and interact with each other Dynamic system, changing as needed Dynamic system, changing as needed