1. [ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy

2. Foundations of Democracy
What do you make of this assessment of democracy by British statesman James Bryce: “No government demands so much from the citizen as Democracy, and none gives so much back”?
What does democratic government demand from you? What does it give you in return?

3. Foundations of Democracy
Worth of the Individual- view as a collection of individuals rather than a faceless group
Equality of All Persons
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
Necessity of Compromise- working across the aisle
Insistence upon Individual Freedom- absolute freedom can only exist in anarchy
“The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” Oliver Wendell Holmes

4. List some responsibilities of a good citizen Making a Difference
Responsibilities, Duties, and Obligations of Citizenship
Being a 'Good Citizen‘
List some responsibilities of a good citizen
Making a Difference
What can you do?

5. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
private ownership of capital goods
investments made by private decision, not by government directive
success or failure determined by competition in the marketplace.

6. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
This cartoon shows two trains sidetracked by a monopoly. Analyze Political Cartoons Why might there be tension in the economy between the government and private enterprise?

7. Quiz: Foundations of Democracy
Why is compromise important in a democracy?
A. Compromise is needed to blend and adjust competing views to find the position most acceptable to the majority.
B. Compromise is needed to help ensure the equality of all persons.
C. Compromise is needed to provide the largest possible degree of individual freedom.
D. Compromise is needed to ensure that all citizens are satisfied with the current laws.

8. Quiz: Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
How might the government react to a downturn in the economy?
A. The government might raise taxes to raise funds.
B. The government might take steps to stimulate the economy.
C. The government might revise antitrust laws to promote competition between businesses.
D. The government might work to make certain supplies scarce to create an increase in prices.