1. American Government: Basics
Lecture #1

2. What is political power?
Terms
Power: ability for one body (person, government) to get another person or government institution to do something
Is force used?
Does the government have too much power? Who decides?
Authority: right to use power
Tend to only have authority to use power if you have….
Legitimacy: determination of who has authority
Can the President issue a travel ban?
Can Congress pass healthcare legislation?
Can the Courts legalize gay marriage?

3. What is American Political Culture?
American political culture: set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that Americans share
Natural Rights: Lockean views  life, liberty, property
Social contract: people allow their government to rule over them to ensure an orderly and functioning society
Popular sovereignty: government’s right to rule derives from people
republicanism (small “r”): system which authority of government comes from people representative democracy

4. Different Types of Democracy
Direct: every citizen participates in the decisions government must make (everyone plays equal role)
Examples: Ancient Greece
Indirect/Representative:
Examples: current US government; student government at PFHS

5. Who Governs? Marxist Theory
Control economic system, control government
Based on writings from Karl Marx
Elitist Theory
Top, powerful leaders (some economic, some not) make decisions and do not typically represent popular beliefs
Started with C. Wright Mills, American sociologist

6. Who Governs? 3. Bureaucratic Theory
Appointed civil servants (public actors) who operate and control the government
Marxism is flawed because it forgets the many government institutions that exist
In other words, capitalists (rich business elites) AND government workers can come to power
Based on Marx’s protege→ Max Weber
4. Pluralist Theory
Competition exists and no single group has all the power because there are so many different resources (money, prestige, media, etc) and levels of government that no group can control all gov’t

7. Institutions, Systems, & Power
US Constitution forms basis for nation’s government, its purpose, and the framework for political institutions
Political institutions: structure of government
US is a constitutional republic: democratic system with elected representatives in which the Constitution is the supreme law of the land

8. Ms Ottenberg’s Docket 8/26-8/27
Students will research current events and find examples of the five purposes of government as listed in the Preamble of the Constitution
To do:
Chapter 1 Notes
Review textbook access (LCPS GoTextbooks  Launchpad)
Purpose of news chart: due Monday, September 2 11:59 PM