Chapter%20One

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Chapter One

• The Foundations of American Government

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What is Politics?

• The struggle or process that people engage in to
  decide which members of society get certain
  benefits or privileges and which members of
  society are excluded from benefits or privileges

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What is Government?

• An institution, or ongoing organization with a
  life over and above the lives of the individuals
  who are part of it at any given moment in time
• The institution within which decisions are made
  that resolve conflicts or allocate benefits and
  privileges

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Why Do We Need Government?

• Security
• Order

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Types of Government

• Totalitarian regime rule by a small group or an
  individual dictator
• Authoritarianism only the government (not
  social and economic institutions) arefully
  controlled by the ruler
• Oligarchy rule by a few elites, who make
  decisions to benefit their own group
• Aristocracy initially rule by the best suited,
  which meant the wealthy, later it meant titled
  nobility
• Democracy political power is vested in the
  people
• Direct democracy when citizens vote directly on
  laws

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What Kind of Democracy Do We Have?

• Majoritarianism the political theory that, in a
  democracy, the government should do what the
  majority of the people want
• Elite theory the idea that society is ruled by
  a small group who exercise power in their
  self-interest
• Pluralism a theory that views politics as
  conflict among interest groups, where decisions
  are made through bargaining and compromise

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Fundamental Values

• Liberty versus Order
• Economic equality versus the Right to Property

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Ideology

• A closely linked set of beliefs about the goal of
  politics and the most desirable political order
• Liberalism advocates government action to improve
  the welfare of individuals, support for civil
  rights and tolerance for social change
• Conservatism advocates a limited role for the
  government in helping individuals and support for
  traditional values and lifestyles

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Table 1-1 The Traditional Political Spectrum
Socialism Liberalism Conservatism Libertarianism
How much power should the government have over the economy? Active government control of major economic sectors. Positive government action in the economy. Positive government action to support capitalism. Almost no regulation of the economy.
What should the government promote? Economic equality, community. Economic security, equal opportunity, social liberty. Economic liberty, morality, social order. Total economic and social liberty.
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Figure 1-1 A Four-Cornered Ideological Grid
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Hot Links to Selected Internet Resources

• Books Companion Site http//politicalscience.wad
  sworth.com/schmidtbrief2004
• Wadsworths Political Science Site
  http//politicalscience.wadsworth.com
• Government Resources on the Web
  http//www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/govweb.html
• Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy
  http//www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP