1. Macro Political Spectrum

2. What is a Political Spectrum? It’s a way to measure, classify, and compare different political systems or thoughts. Why will this be a Macro Political Spectrum? Macro means that we will be looking at the BIG picture, in this case the different political systems in the world.

3. The Macro Political Spectrum RadicalLiberalModerateConservativeReactionary

4. Conservative (Macro) ModerateConservativeReactionary Most Important Value: Security Based On: Thomas Hobbes’ Justification Type of Government: Authoritarian Types Seen in the World 1.Monarchy (Morocco) 2.Dictatorship (China) 3.Junta (Burma)

5. Differences in Authoritarian Governments In all authoritarian governments, all governmental power (legislative, executive, judicial) is in the hands of one person or group. Differences are just superficial MonarchDictatorJunta

6. Reactionary (Macro) ConservativeReactionary Most Important Value: Control Based On: Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperative Type of Government: Totalitarian Historical Examples 1.Nazi Germany 2.Stalinist Russia 3.The Taliban

7. Authoritarian vs. Totalitarian Authoritarian One political view allowed (Government controls your political life) Controlled Economy (Government controls your economic life) Totalitarian One political view allowed (Government controls your political life) Controlled Economy (Government controls your economic life) State religion or lack of one (Government controls your spiritual life) Mandated Government Activities (Government controls your social life)

8. Examples Hitler Youth MovementStalin’s Great PurgesTaliban’s Sharia Law

9. Liberal (Macro) RadicalLiberalModerate Most Important Value: Protect Liberty Based on: John Locke’s Social Contract Type of Government: Constitutional Democracy Types Seen in the World 1.Presidential Leadership (U.S.) 2.Parliamentary Leadership (U.K. and others)

10. Presidential Leadership President House of Representatives Senate Legislative BranchExecutive Branch The Voters

11. Parliamentary Leadership Prime Minister House of Commons House of Lords Legislative BranchExecutive Branch The Voters ( Appointed)

12. What difference does it make? Presidential Leadership If we were Parliamentary… House of Representatives Senate President House of Representatives SenatePresident

13. Presidential leadership can result in… Mixed Government A government in which the different branches of government are controlled by opposing political parties. Results in both gridlock (lack of things being done) and compromise (since both parties must take each other into account) Parliamentary leadership always results in… Unified Government A government in which all branches of the government are controlled by the same political party. Results in a more efficient government (more things get passed) and perhaps more extreme government (since needs of the other party aren’t always taken into account)

14. Moderate (Macro) LiberalModerateConserv. Constitutional Monarchy Socialist Democracy Executive is a hereditary monarch. But power limited by constitution. Democratically elected Legislature. Democratically elected executive and legislature. Government owns some major industry (energy, health care, etc.)

15. Radical (Macro) LiberalRadical Anarchy Most Important Value: Total Freedom

16. A Brief Word on Anarchy The Easiest and Most Entertaining Way to Learn About Anarchy is …..

19. The Macro Political Spectrum RadicalLiberalModerate ConservativeReactionary Anarchy Con. Democracy Mixed Gov. Authoritarian Totalitarian As we move from left to right on the scale what increases? As we move from right to left on the scale what increases? Control Freedom Government Control Individual Freedom

20. Things To Look Out For The Political Spectrum is a valuable tool… HOWEVER…. 1)It represents the “ideal” system… in reality different forms of government never are 100% matches to the scale. 2)It can limit our thinking by putting “labels” on things and defining those “categories”