1. Politics: Who Gets What, and How?
Chapter 1

2. In This Chapter We Will Learn About:
The meaning of “politics” and “government”
The varieties of political systems and the roles they endorse for the individuals who live in them
The historical origins of American democracy
The goals and concerns of the founders as they created the American system
The components of critical thinking and how the themes of power and citizenship will serve as our framework for understanding American politics

3. What is Politics?
Politics: who gets what, when, and how; a process of determining how power and resources are distributed in a society without recourse to violence
Politics arranges our lives into some kind of social order
Using the “who gets what, when, and how” definition above, can you come up with examples of politics on campus?

4. Power and Government
Power: the ability to get others to do what you want.
The way power is managed must be legitimate or there will be violence
Government: a system or organization for exercising authority over a body of people.
Authority: the power that people recognize as legitimate

5. Rules and Institutions
Rules: directives that specify how resources will be distributed or what procedures govern collective activity
The “how” of who gets what, and how
Institutions: organizations in which government power is exercised
The “where” of the political struggle
What are some examples of both rules and institutions on campus?

6. Politics and Economics
Economics: the production and distribution of a society’s material resources and services
Both politics and economics focus on the distribution of society’s resources
Economics was meant to be private, whereas politics was meant to be public. Why do you think this distinction was made?

7. Economic Systems
Capitalism: market determines production, distribution, and price decisions
Regulated capitalism has government procedural guarantees, whereas laissez-faire capitalism doesn’t
Do you believe that Americans truly understand capitalism? Do you? How would you explain it to someone else?

8. Socialism and Social Democracy
Socialist economy: the state determines production, distribution, and price decisions; property is government owned
Few nations still claim allegiance to socialism
Social democracy: is a hybrid of capitalism and socialism

9. Socialism and Social Democracy, con’t
American politicians have become increasingly likely to accuse one another of being socialist. Can you think of recent examples of this? How accurate is this portrayal?
See NPR’s podcast, “We Found a Socialist!”

10. Authoritarian Systems
In authoritarian systems, the state holds all power
Monarchy: government power vested in a king or queen (Saudi Arabia)
Theocracy: government claims to draw its power from divine or religious authority (Iran)

11. Authoritarian Systems, con’t
Fascist government: policy is made for the ultimate glory of the state (Nazi Germany)
Oligarchy: rule by a small group of elites (post-Soviet Russia)
Totalitarian government: exercises absolute control over every aspect of life (North Korea)

12. Non-Authoritarian Systems
Anarchy: the absence of government and laws
In such a system, no one has true freedom because your rights can be usurped by anyone physically stronger than you or by anyone with a weapon
Anarchy, apocalypse, and societal collapse have become popular subjects in pop culture in recent years. Can you think of examples, i.e. TV shows and movies? Why do you think we are fascinated by this topic?

13. Democracy
Democracy: government that vests power in the people; based on popular sovereignty
Popular sovereignty: the concept that the citizens are the ultimate source of political power

14. Theories of Democracy
Elite democracy: limits the citizens’ role to choosing among competing leaders
Pluralist democracy: citizen membership in groups is the key to political power
Participatory democracy: citizens should actively and directly control all aspects of their lives and participate in all aspects of lawmaking

15. The Role of the People
In authoritarian systems, individuals are subjects of their state government:
They are obliged to submit to a government authority against which they have no rights
In democratic systems, individuals are citizens:
They are members of a political community having both rights and responsibilities

16. The Role of the People, con’t
What are some examples of the rights that come with citizenship? The responsibilities?
Why do we differentiate between rights and responsibilities? How important is it that citizens both give and receive in a democracy?
See John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum’s video of his famous 1961 inaugural address

17. Origins of American Democracy
Ancient Greece ( BC): Athenian democracy.
See History Channel’s video, “The Birth of Democracy”

18. Origins of American Democracy, con’t
Middle Ages ( AD): politics based largely on the divine right of kings (the principle that earthly rulers receive their authority from God)
Age of Reason/Enlightenment ( AD): divine right discredited, notion that citizenship confers both rights and responsibilities emerged

19. Social Contract Theory
Social contract theory: society is based on an agreement between government and the governed in which people agree to give up some rights in exchange for the protection of others

20. Social Contract Theory, cont’d
John Locke ( ): legitimate government requires that people consent to it and if government breaks contract, people may form a new one
Thomas Hobbes ( ): government did not exist due to divine right; instead, people agree to be governed for their own protection

21. When is Revolution Justified?
Refer to “What’s at Stake… in Taking It to the Streets” at the beginning of the chapter
Under what circumstances might the social contract be considered violated by the government?
When is revolution justified? In what forms? What about violence?
See the Chronicle of Higher Education’s article, “Why Violence Works”

22. Democracy in America
James Madison feared “pure democracy” because people may create “factions”
Factions: groups that might pursue only their self-interest
Instead, he preferred a republic
Republic: a government in which decisions are made through representatives of the people

23. Democracy in America, con’t
Madison did not trust average Americans to act beyond their own interests
His view contrasted with the idea of republican virtue: citizens can put interests of community ahead of their own
American citizenship today illustrates elements of both views

24. Citizenship in America today: Two Views
Madison’s view
Republican virtue
Human nature is to be self-interested, individual participation in government should be limited, and “too much” democracy is a bad thing
Faith in the citizen’s ability to act virtuously, not just for his or her own good but for the common good as well

25. Discussion: Competing Views of Citizenship
Which view do you subscribe most closely to?
What are some examples of both views in politics, or in a particular stance on a political issue?
Do you think that certain areas of the country or certain demographics tend to subscribe to one over the other?

26. Themes of Keeping the Republic, 7th Edition
Think critically about American politics: analyze and evaluate ideas and arguments based on reason and evidence
Analysis: understanding how something works by breaking it down into its component parts; see how it works
Evaluation: assessing how well something works or performs according to a particular standard or yardstick

27. Themes of Keeping the Republic, 7th Edition, con’t
Citizenship and power
Analyze American politics by asking three questions:
Who are the parties involved?
What do they have at stake?
How do the rules shape the outcome?
Evaluate politics