1. Concepts of Democracy

2. Foundations ► A recognition of the fundamental dignity of every person; ► A respect for the equality of all persons; ► A faith in majority rule and insistence upon minority rights; ► An acceptance of the necessity of compromise; ► An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom.

3. Worth of the individual ► Each individual, no matter what his or her station, is a separate and distinct being ► The welfare of one or a few individuals is subordinate to the interests of the many in a democracy. ► People can be forced to do certain things they do not want to do. (Paying taxes)

4. Equality of persons ► All men are created equal  Equality of opportunity  Equality before the law ► Democratic concept holds that no person should be held back for any arbitrary reasons as those based on race, color, religion or gender.

5. Majority Rules, Minority Rights ► Will of the people dictates public policy. ► Democracy argues that a majority of the people will be right more often then wrong. ► The majority will be right more than any other person. ► Must recognize the minority right to become, by a fair lawful means the majority. ► The majority must always be willing to listen to a minority’s argument, to hear its objections, criticisms and to welcome suggestions.

6. Necessity of Compromise ► In order to find the position most acceptable to the largest number ► Compromise is a blending and adjusting to different points of view. ► It is a process, a way of achieving majority agreement

7. Individual Freedom ► Democracy can only thrive in an atmosphere of individual freedom ► There is not complete freedom. That can only exist in anarchy. ► Each individual must be free to do as he or she pleases as far as freedom will allow

8. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System ► The American economic system is often called the Free Enterprise System. ► Economic system characterized by:  Private ownership of capital goods,  Individual initiative  Profit and  Competition

9. How the system works ► Free enterprise is often called capitalism ► Also know as private enterprise system and ► Market based system. ► Does not rely on the government to decide what items are produced or how much to sell. ► Democracy is a political system and Free Enterprise is an economic system.

10. Law of Supply and Demand ► States when supplies for good and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop ► When supplies become scarcer, prices tend to rise

11. Government and the Free Enterprise System ► American economy is a free market system ► Mixed Economy- an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion. ► Government’s role is twofold  To protect the public  To preserve free private enterprise

12. Government participation ► Can be seen at every level: national, State, local. ► Examples:  antitrust laws,  pure food and drug laws,  anti-pollution standards  City and county zoning ordinances and building codes

13. ► Nation’s economic life is promoted in many ways ► The government grants money  Transportation systems  Scientific research  Growing of particular crops  Builds roads  Operates public schools  Provides services such as postal system, fire department, police department

14. Democracy and the Internet ► 181 million Americans can log onto the internet. ► Cyberspace has become a marketplace. ► Democracy demands that people be informed. ► Cyber votes were cast in 2000 Arizona Democratic Party’s Presidential Primary ► Problem is that you can not guarantee absolute integrity.

15. ► How much should government participate, regulate, promote, police, serve?  “The legitimate object of government is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not so well do for themselves-in their separate individual capacities” Abraham Lincoln, July 1, 1854