1. The Study of American Government
Chapter 1-Wilson

2. Politics-2 major questions
1. Who governs?
2. To what ends?
What individuals, groups, and institutions seem to exert the greatest power in the continuous struggle to define the purposes of government?

3. Political Power
The ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions
Power found in all human relationships!
We are concerned about government power- who will hold government power and how government will behave

4. Political authority and Legitimacy
The right to use power- the acceptance of decisions by people that we believe have the right to make them
Legitimacy is the authority conferred by a law or a constitution-In America no exercise of political power seen as being legitimate unless it is
Naked Power versus Legitimate authority

5. Power versus authority

6. What is democracy? “Demos”-the many “Cracy”-to govern or rule
Monarchy-Rule by one based on blood
Oligarchy-Rule by small group
Aristocracy-Rule by few based on wealth or status
Autocracy-Rule by one based on power
Democracy-Rule by many

7. Different type of democracies
Direct or participatory democracy
All free citizens participate directly in government decisions
Ancient Athens under Pericles-4th century BC
-all free adult male property holding males citizens right to serve in government
-Jury trials
-Freedom of speech and expression
-Leaders chosen by lottery
-ostracism practiced

8. Representative democracy
Elitist theory of democracy (Indirect)
Power given by a competitive struggle for peoples vote
Ancient Roman Republic
Why in the US?
1. Impracticable for people to decide on all public policy issues
2. Direct democracy leads to poor decisions

9. Democratic centralism
View that democracy is served when the best interests of the people are served whether or not the people had a voice
USSR-Union of Soviet Socialist Republic
PRC-People’s Republic of China
DPRK-Democratic People’s Republic of North Korea

10. A democrat at heart?

11. Founders
1. Strongly favored representative democracy over direct democracy
2. Most citizens not informed and did not have time or expertise to make choices about policy issues
3. Power could be abused by a tyrannical popular majority as much as a King

12. Question?
Do people have more time, information, energy, interest, and expertise to gather information for collective decision making when the constitution was written? Has High technology brought us closer to direct democracy?

13. Answer! Not really
1. Most young people do not consume much political news
2. Most people not the active in political affairs.
3. Few people fill close to political leaders or have confidence in their leaders.

14. Distribution of Political Power
4 competing views of distribution of power
Elitist theories-Political power exercised by elites who are actually involved in the decision making
What is an elite? A group of person who possess a disproportionate share of some valued resource

15. Marxist View German Philosopher Karl Marx
Government mere reflection of economic forces
Economic determinism
Idea of class struggle
Government, even in democracies, controlled by capitalist class
Examples from history?

16. The Power Elite View C Wright Mills
Coalition of 3 groups dominate politics and government, mostly outside government
Corporate leaders
Top Military leaders
Elected leaders
Some add labor leaders, special interest group leaders, and media chiefs
Great advantages in wealth, status, or organizational position

17. Government

18. Corporate Leaders

19. Media elites

20. Bureaucratic View Max Weber-German Sociologist
All institutions have fallen under control of bureaucracies
Expertise and competence factor
Staff and operate the government on basis
Virtually invisible to general public
Not only implement policy but make policy based on their own idea and interests

21. Bureaucratic View

22. The Pluralist View No single intellectual founder
Political resources are so widely scattered that that no single elite has a monopoly
Most policy outcomes result of complex pattern on haggling, compromises, and shifting alliances
Mass public opinion has factor as well
Not a majoritarian point of view!!