1. Chapter 10: Political Challenges to Liberalism
Chapter Issue: To what extent should governments reflect the will of the people?
How do governments attempt to follow the will of the people?
How, and to what extent, are government actions justified that ignore the will of the people?

2. Does Government Serve the People or Lead the People?
“ The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government, and to protect its free expression should be our first object.” - Thomas Jefferson
In your opinion, do you believe governments still operate in the manner outlined by Jefferson?
As we will see, this principle is an ideal, that many governments aim to achieve, rather than a goal they must always achieve!

3. Questions about Democracy
How can a government determine what the will of the people is?
“ What I want is to get done what the people desire to have done, and the question for me is how to find that out exactly.” Abraham Lincoln
Is will of the people, or public opinion, an informed opinion?
Are there circumstances where the government should go against the will of the people?

4. Winston Churchill on Democracy
“Democracy is the worst form of government, except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time”
What is Churchill saying about democracy? Do you believe his statement has merit?

5. The Will of the People There are 2 forms of democracies:
Direct- every citizen’s voice is important and necessary for the orderly and efficient operation of society, therefore, every citizen votes on every issue.
3 instruments are of importance: referendums or plebiscites, initiatives and recalls
Representative- citizens elect officials to make decisions on their behalf.

6. How are elected officials held accountable?
Multiple Parties
Separation of powers among branches of gov’t
Periodic Elections
Accountability of elected officials
Independent Judiciary
Independent Media
Rule of Law

7. Canada’s Parliamentary Democracy
Canada follows the tradition of Responsible government. Responsible government means that the branch of government that proposes laws, or the executive branch, is dependent on the direct or indirect support of the elected officials of the legislative branch.
How does this reflect the will of the people?
It is all about accountability: the P.M and cabinet ministers need to be accountable to parliament as well as their constituents and Canadians as a whole.

8. Canada’s Parliamentary Democracy
Canada runs on a system of Representation by Population.
The whole country is divided into electoral districts, usually of about 100,000 people, which are known as ridings or constituencies.
Each riding sends one representative to Parliament.
This is known as a SINGLE PART CONSTITUENCY, or FIRST PAST THE POST, because the person with the most votes win.
Can you think of any reasons why FPTP could be seen as disregarding the will of the people?

9. Canada’s Parliamentary System
Canada is a bicameral legislature, which means it has 2 chambers to provide 2 different legislative bodies, each based on a different form of representation.
1. Senate- which is made up of 105 members and based on representation by region rather than by population. Senators are not elected, and can remain there until they are 75 years old.

10. Canada’s Parliamentary Democracy

11. Vocabulary Self reliance Compassion and Collective Responsibility
Education
Democracy
Freedom and Tolerance
Equality
Fiscal Responsibility
Peace, Order and Good Government

12. Canadian Political Parties

13. NDP
Proponents of Social Democracy, believing that society is collectively organize by the state for the general good.
Desire comprehensive social welfare system with government regulation.
Supported by intellectuals, working poor and unionized labour.

14. Bloc Quebecois Formed in 1990
Sovereignty of Quebec primary purpose of the party
Proponents of social welfare
 Advocate for Quebec within the Federal government
Daniel Paille

15. Liberals
Purpose of government is to assist the poor and disadvantaged group in society
Desire to develop the social welfare system
Proponents of less government regulation
larger role for the Federal government in promoting national unity
call for greater self- reliance by individuals ?

16. Conservatives
promote a social welfare system based on the individuals right to freedom of choice – MEANING?
reduce government involvement in all aspects of society
call for greater self-reliance of Canadians, being more competitive and individualistic
call for balanced budgets, eliminating the debt, equality of all the provinces – CURRENTLY?

17. Legislative Branch – power to make laws
The power to make laws rests in parliament which consists of the Senate and the house of Commons (the Governor General is also included but only due the royal assent he/she gives to bills).

18. House of Commons
House of Commons (Lower House) Elected members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons are responsible for the legislation introduced in parliament. Representation by population allows for each MP to represent roughly 100,000 Canadians. Power in the House of Commons is a result of the party system in Canada. Members of Parliament represent political parties and the party with the greatest number of seats has the right to form the government. If this party has over 50% of the seats in the house it forms a majority government. A minority government exists when the government has less than 50% of the seats and must therefore recruit the support of other parties in the house to pass legislation.
 Strong party discipline

19. How do you become a Member of Parliament?
Members of Parliament
How do you become a Member of Parliament?

20. Executive Branch -power to enforce and administer laws
Canada is a constitutional monarchy
Executive power officially lies in the British Monarchy represented by the Governor General in Canada as the Head of State (symbolic power, figurehead). The Privy Council is the official term for those members of parliament who hold the executive power in the Canadian Government, the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. They are “appointed” by the Governor General (unwritten practice).
The Prime Minister and his Cabinet (Selection process)bear the responsibility of proposing and putting into practice the policies that guide our nation

21. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet

22. Senate
Senate (Upper House) – acts as sober second thought for the House of Commons. Members are appointed by the Prime Minister.
Senators must be 30 years of age and serve until 75 generally without being subject to review (always?). Representation in the Senate is according to region.

23. Senate
“Triple E” Senate has been suggested as well as the abolition of the Senate.
Elected
Effective
Equal

24. Judicial Branch – power to interpret laws
The fundamental principle of the role of the judiciary is independence from the executive and legislative branches of government.
Supreme Court Judges are appointed by the Prime Minister but are subject to review and can be removed
CONTROVERSY – role?
Canadian Political Process Simplified!
The House of Commons Compendium

26. Democracy in the USA

27. What is it based on? Congressional or Presidential Democracy
(Key Term: Checks and balances) – everything that occurs in the US must be ratified by another institution of the government – examples?
USA -a republic (all representatives are elected; no hereditary leaders) – WHY?

28. Montesquieu
power clearly divided/separated among the three branches so that no one can be too powerful and have too much control over the entire government (Canada's branches are not so separate )
WHY?

29. Democrats - principles
Environmentalism
Social (Modern liberalism
Enhanced freedoms
universal health care
Strong support from youth, working class, African Americans
Support unions
Forward thinking in science (stem cell research)
Gun control

30. Famous Democrats

31. Republicans - principles
Free market economics
Fiscal conservatives
Increase personal responsibility over welfare
Conservative -issues?
Advocate greater powers at the state level
Pro life (generally)
Greater support from business, educated middle class, white families, older citizens
Criticized fro limited individual freedoms-Patriot Act, Guantanamo Bay Prison
Right to bear arms

32. Famous Republicans

33. Legislative Branch - Congress
Representatives from each state -ensures the regions [States] have a strong voice in the legislature of the Federal government.
2 houses: Senate and House of Representatives - where bills are passed into law (if signed by President).
Both houses can initiate money matter bills.
Weak party discipline -voting in Congress does not follow party lines, because there is no responsible government and no votes of confidence (this frees reps to vote for the best interests of their state).
President is responsible for operations of government, but must rely on Congress for funding ($$) needed to operate government.

34. 112th United States Congress
House of Representatives 435 Representatives
Political groups
Democratic Party - Blue Republican Party - Red
United States Senate 100 Senators
Political groups
Democratic Party – Blue
Independents – light blue Republican Party – Red

35. Senate
Different from Canada; powerful and effective(can be stronger than H.O.R.).
Two Senators per state (=100), thus each state is equal here – WHO BENEFITS?
Term of office one third elected every year (thus more stable than House of Representatives) WHY?

36. House of Representatives
Representation by population ( 435 members )
Representatives/Congressmen elected for 2 years
Laws-must be approved by both houses – deadlock
Large states rule

37. Executive Branch not a part of the legislative branch; unlike Canada)
President
Chief Executive Officer of USA; Head of State, Head of Government
not a member of Congress (therefore, not responsible to it)
term: 4 years
re-election – once
Veto
What is the President’s job?

38. Cabinet appointed by President
not members of Congress (thus not responsible to it); are not elected
proposes legislation to President
similar function to Canada's Cabinet
Who can be a member of the cabinet?
Experts versus decision makers – BETTER?

39. Judicial Branch
interprets government law and determines its constitutionality (its “fit" with the Constitution)
Supreme Court - 9 members appointed for life – very similar to Canada
Challenges?

40. Other theories of Democracy
There is a thought to some, that needs of the society is best met through an elite group of people, who are deemed better to make decisions to meet the needs of all.
This is known as the ‘elite theory of democracy’.
This follows the beliefs of Thomas Hobbes and Plato.
People who follow this belief argue that because a single vote has little weight in a large group of decision makers, individuals have little or no sense of responsibility for their decisions, and in turn have a less informed decision.
What are some problems of this theory in terms of democracy and liberalism?

41. Other theories of democracy
Poses the problem of inequality of power, and decreased citizen participation
Those that go along with the “elite theory of democracy’ believe it is impossible to hold citizens accountable and informed because to do so would make citizens neglect other duties in society.
To what extent do you agree with this statement?

42. Proportional Representation –
ARGUMENTS FOR
Moving to proportional representation (PR) would give minority parties and independent candidates a better chance of ending the hegemony of our three leading parties. This would introduce different voices to our national political life.
The current system is unrepresentative - it gives all the power to one party, however small its majority might be. For instance, only a quarter of those eligible voted for Labour at the last general election. As it is, many MPs are elected to Parliament despite 75 per cent of their constituency voting against them.
Under PR, those supporting Labour in a safe Conservative seat, or vice versa, would not be wasting their vote. This would mean that the parties would have to appeal to their core supporters, rather than the 200,000 or so swing voters in marginal seats.

43. Proportional Representation –
ARGUMENTS FOR
There would be a higher turnout at the polls under PR, as the electorate would come to realise that their votes really counted.
Proportional representation is used by the majority of the world's leading democracies. Only a few countries, including the UK, the US, India, Canada and France, still have elections that are decided by plurality voting systems.
In the UK, we already use PR for the European parliament elections, and for London Mayoral elections. So we have no reason to fear the system.
Solid, centrist policies will result. As PR seldom results in one party holding an absolute majority, it requires governments to compromise and build consensus.

44. Proportional Representation –
ARGUMENTS AGAINST
PR allows extremist parties to gain a foothold in national life, which our current system of first past the post doesn't. This happened in Austria, where Jorg Haider's far- right Freedom Party formed a coalition in 2000.
The coalition governments that PR tends to produce are often weak and indecisive. Italy, which has such a system, has had to dissolve its parliament seven times in the last 40 years.
Compromise is not always ideal. Neither the trade union reforms which Thatcher pushed through, nor Tony Blair's improvement of public services, could have been carried through without a strong governing majority.
One of the strengths of first past the post is that MPs serve the constituency they campaign in. This makes them more inclined to tackle important local issues. 

45. Lobbying by Interest Groups
Can you think of any interest groups that have or had any success on influencing government policy?
What tools do you think an interest group has to have at their disposal to have an impact on government decisions?
Lobby Group- well organized group that represents a particular interest or perspective. They are designed to raise money to inform and persuade (lobby) representatives of government members to consider their perspectives.
In what ways do these groups reflect the will of the people? In what ways do they override the will of the people?

46. Potential Problems of Democracy
Tyranny of the Majority: the will of the majority may be imposed on minorities to the detriment of other liberal principles.
Can you think of anytime in history when there was a tyranny of the majority?
The question that has to be asked is: Does the will of the people necessarily indicate the right course of action??

47. Potential Problems of Democracy
Do you agree that in some cases the government may be more objective and ‘wiser’ than the people?
“ The true democracy, living and growing and inspiring, puts its faith in the people-faith that the people will not simply elect men who will represent their views ably and faithfully, but will also elect men who will exercise their conscientious judgment-faith that the people will not condemn those whose devotion to principle will lead them to unpopular courses, but will reward courage, respect honor, and ultimately recognize right.” – J.F.K

48. Practicality Vs. Popular Opinion
Can you ever think of a time when a decision has been made on practicality, or necessity, despite opposition from the majority of people??
This happens within the government as well, and is one of the problems facing democracy and governments as a whole.
Looking at everything as a whole, can you see any inherent flaws in the principle of the will of the people???

49. Authoritarianism
Social 30-1
The Basics

50. Book Definition
Authoritarianism: vests authority in an elite group that may or may not rule in the interests of the people. Dictatorships, Monarchies, Oligarchies, Juntas are all examples.

51. Oligarchies
Form of government in which political power rests with a small elite segment of society.
Often controlled by powerful families

52. One Party State
System where only one party forms the government-NO OPPOSITION ALLOWED!

53. Military Dictatorships
Political Power resides with the military leadership.
Can also be called a junta

54. Techniques (this should be review)
They project a vision of what the country could be/should be/how great things could be, etc
Propaganda
Controlled Participation
People are allowed to feel as if they are contributing to the country somehow
Directing Popular Discontent
Terror and Force

55. Do all systems eventually become oligarchies?

56. Propaganda-Don’t believe everything you read

57. Are Dictatorships Easier than Democracies?
If this were a dictatorship it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I’m the dictator.
George W. Bush