1. Unit 1: Foundations
Chapter 1 Notes

2. Essential Features of a State
A state is a political community with an organized government that has the ability to make and enforce laws.
States need FOUR things to exist:
Population: because there’s no reason without it
Territory: because the population needs a place to live
Sovereignty: because the population and territory needs to be protected
Government: because a state has to be able to express sovereignty

3. Government
The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for a society.
Government’s purposes (what it should do)
Maintain social order
Provide public services
Provide for national security
Make economic decisions

4. Maintain Social Order
The government is there for protection by providing ways of preventing, stopping, and resolving conflicts.
This is done through law and legal structures; the government has the power to enforce binding laws on all citizens.
This structure contains and controls conflict through limiting actions and establishing courts to further resolve conflicts.

5. Provide for Public Services
Public services are essential services that people need but cannot or will not do on their own.
For example: public sanitation, schools

6. Provide National Security
A government is charged with protecting its people from inside and outside threats.
This also includes international relations, i.e., treaties—which only a government can make.
Why would a nation-state want to open good relations with another?
Trade, culture, technology, etc.

7. Make Economic Decisions
A government can provide economic opportunities and/or resources, but it cannot provide everything based on the economic principle of scarcity.
Scarcity is the idea that resources and products are limited. This idea is a catalyst for conflict.
This is the point at which a government tries to avoid conflict by intervening in an economic system and making decisions. They want stability and have the opportunity to achieve it by controlling inflation, encouraging trade, and regulating natural resources.

8. Government vs. Politics
Politics: the process that creates government and decisions about policy.
Public policy: a course of action in response to a problem or concern made by an authority for others
Political Participation: the activities of citizens in attempt to influence politics
Political Issue: a problem or concern with no clear solution that influences the creation of public policy

9. Policymaking
The people create a political issue.
That issue moved closer to the government by linkage institutions.
Public policy is created and instituted.
Officials take action through policy-making institutions.
Government officials get involved and start creating agendas.

10. Types of Government
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Democracy

11. Autocracy Rule by one person.
All authority is given to a single individual. This authority can be gained various ways, examples being inheritance, and military power.
This creates the position of authority as being either gained, or given.

12. Autocracy: Position Gained
Dictatorship
Usually totalitarian, in which a single leader is in complete control of all aspects of social, political, and economic life.
This is a position that is usually won by force and military power.
Their responsibility is not to the people, as the people have no power.

13. Autocracy: Position Gained
Dictators do not have to be totalitarian.
Authoritarian dictators focus more on politics than all other aspects of life.
Dictators do not have to take over the position militarily.
They can be appointed, or even elected in some cases.
To achieve a position this way, dictators will often claim they will rule for the sake of the people.

14. Autocracy: Position Given
Monarchy
A single ruler exercises all powers of government (and sometimes religion).
The throne is typically inherited through heredity.
Monarchs often make, or appear to make the attempt to hear the voice of the people.

15. Autocracy: Position Given
There are TWO major forms of a monarchy
Absolute Monarchs have complete and unlimited power to rule their people.
Constitutional Monarchs share their governing powers with elected officials and serve as ceremonial leaders.

16. Oligarchy A small group holds power. (Rule by a few)
An oligarchy’s power typically comes from wealth, military power, social position, and/or sometimes religion.
Often claim to rule for the sake of the people, much like a dictatorship.
However, they usually wind up suppressing any political opposition.

17. Democracy Rule by the people.
The people hold sovereign power to protect their own interests.
Make decisions through personal input, i.e., voting.
There are TWO major types of democracy:
Direct
Representative
What would be their highest interests? (The natural rights)

18. Democracy: Direct Democracy
People govern themselves and make decisions as a whole through voting on key issues.
Problems that appear in direct democracy often have to do with the people’s participation or lack their of. Therefore, most of the problems have to deal with the population.
In a direct democracy, everyone must vote on everything every time an issue arises.

19. Democracy: Representative Democracy
The people elect representatives to vote for them.
The people give these representatives the power to conduct government on their behalf.
This is also known as a republic, where citizen participation is required as voters hold sovereign power, and solves the problem of size in a direct democracy.
A constitutional republic strives to limit the government as it holds the people as the ultimate source of power.
While stemming from democracy, republics do not exist in every democracy.

20. Characteristics of Democracy
There are FOUR main characteristics of democracy:
Individual liberty
Majority rule with minority rights
Free elections
Competing political parties

21. Individual Liberty
All people need to be free to develop their talents.
A democratic government will promote equal opportunities.
Example: Higher education

22. Majority Rule with Minority Rights
Decisions are made through majority rule (of voters in a free election).
Although difficult to maintain, a democratic government will combat the concern of tyranny of the majority so that the rights of the minority are protected.
Example: Volunteer military service

23. Free Elections
The people have a chance to voice their opinions, with elected officials and/or the government paying attention to their votes.
In a democratic government, everyone’s vote is worth the same, voters receive competing ideas from multiple candidates, citizens are able to help these candidates and/or support issues, the requirements for voting are kept to a minimum, and voters use secret ballots without fear of punishment for their decisions.

24. Competing Political Parties
Political Party: a group with the same political beliefs and ideas that strives to gain authority.
Rival parties make elections meaningful, create a focus on a few key issues, and give voters choice.
In a democratic government, the idea of “loyal opposition” creates criticism on the party in power so that it is more responsible to the people.

25. Keys to Success There are FIVE things a democracy needs to succeed:
Active citizen participation
A favorable economy
Widespread education
Strong civil society
Social consensus

26. Active Citizen Participation
Citizens who are willing to participate in civic life/politics/
Places where citizens are able to learn about issues, vote, support candidates, and run for offices are more likely to maintain a strong democracy.
Why is this important?
Citizens are at the root of democracy. If they don’t participate in a government that, by definition, gives them the power, there is no democracy.

27. A Favorable Economy
Democratic countries should not have extremes of wealth and poverty but should have a large middle class.
Citizens who make the majority of their own economic decisions feel better about making their own political decisions.
Why is this important?
If a democratic society’s economy is unfavorable, the opportunity for another type of government to take over is more prominent. This is because the people will become more concerned about their security than their political participation.

28. Widespread Education
Democracy sees the need for public education. Because it presents voters with choice, it wants them to make informed decisions, and institutes education so that citizens can more effectively understand issues and evaluate candidates.
Why is this important?
If citizens do not understand who or what they are voting for, they are not really being presented with choice and this takes away from free elections.

29. Strong Civil Society
Civil Society: a complex network of groups, organizations, and associations that exist independently of the government.
These groups give citizens a way to make their views known to each other and the government, acting as another way to participate in democracy.
Why is this important?
Even if citizens do not feel comfortable voting, or maybe do not yet meet the requirements to vote, a strong civil society will still allow them to participate and make their opinions known. A weak civil society will have a isolationistic effect on the population and give the impression that personal opinions are not important.

30. Social Consensus
The population must first and foremost agree on the democratic values, the limits and purpose of government.
The people have to be willing to allow democracy to exist within their society.
Why is this important?
Really? I thought the second bullet covered that. But if you insist: If there is no consensus amongst the people on the institution of democracy, it will not exist or will begin to incorporate characteristics from other types of government, essentially making it less of a democracy.

31. Theories of American Democracy
Pluralism
Policymaking is an open process. It is open to many groups and everyone has the ability to participate in government.
No single group or individual would have the ability to dominate because the creation of public policy is based in bargaining and compromise.
Power is distributed to multiple branches, allowing those who lose against one branch to play against a different one.

32. Theories
Pluralism
Believe that public interest will prevail due to the combined efforts of the majority and minority.
They do not necessarily work together, but “all active and legitimate groups in the population can make themselves heard at some crucial stage in the process” (Robert Dahl).

33. Theories
Elitism
Policy is controlled by the wealthy because society is divided along socio-economic lines and these are the people with influence.
This happens regardless of formal governmental organization due to the dominance of wealth.
The main idea here is that if you are wealthy you do not just influence policy, but have the ability to create it (to your benefit).

34. Theories Hyperpluralism
The influence and number of interest groups that try to or actually participate in politics have weakened the government.
It’s not that they are so strong, but there are too many of them and too many ways for them to have a say.
There are also multiple parts of government which can all be influenced. This can cause a lack of coordination between the pieces of government so nothing really gets done.

35. Theories Hyperpluralism
The ultimate result is that because there are too many interest groups, the government tries to placate them all. This results in confusing and/or contradictory policies that rarely reflects public interests.

36. Democracy Keys to Success Challenges Active Citizen Participation
Widespread Education
Favorable Economy
Strong Civil Society
Social Consensus
Complexity of Issues
Limited Participation
Escalating Campaign Costs
Diverse Political Interests

37. American Political Culture
Political culture: the overall set of values widely shared by a society.
American political culture has come to include FIVE widely shared values:
Liberty
Individualism
Egalitarianism
Laissez-Faire
Populism

38. Liberty “Freedom is fundamental to the American way of life.” (pg 18)
Individual liberty: the FREEDOM to develop one’s own talents.
FREE elections: the right of the people to cast their votes FREELY among issues/candidates.

39. Egalitarianism E-gal-lit-tear-re-an-ism: the favoring of equality.
People should get the same, be treated the same or as equals, in some respect.
Free Elections: everyone’s vote is worth the same.
Individual Liberty: equal opportunities.
Majority Rule w/ Minority Rights: Both may cast votes, nothing bad happens to either.

40. Individualism
The belief that people can and should get ahead on their own.
The ability to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps.”

41. Laissez-faire The economic result of institutionalized individualism.
Reinforces capitalist ideals with free markets and limited government involvement, meaning that in the US the government is less involved in the economic lives of individuals (housing, healthcare, etc.) than most western nations.

42. Populism
“The political philosophy of supporting the rights of average citizens in their struggle against privileged elites.” (pg 20)
Competing Political Parties claim that they do this on a regular basis.
Most politicians are far removed from their constituents, so it’s always anyone’s guess what the people really want.

43. Characteristics of… Democracy American Political Culture
Individual Liberty
Majority Rule with Minority Rights
Free Elections
Competing Political Parties
Liberty
Egalitarianism
Individualism
Laissez-faire
Populism