Constitutional Underpinnings

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Constitutional Underpinnings

• What is politics?

2
Word Association

• What words come to mind when you hear the word
  politics?
• Does the word have a more positive or negative
  connotation?

3
Machiavelli

• Machiavellis name is synonymous with tough and
  dirty politics
• Author of The Prince. One of historys first
  political scientists.

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Machiavelli Quotes

• The ends justify the means.
• It is better to be feared than loved.
• By no means can a prudent ruler keep his word.
  Because all men are bad and do not keep promises
  to you, you likewise do not have to keep your
  promises to them.

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Can we be hopeful about politics?
We Built It
Forward
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A neutral view of politics

• Harold D. Lasswell
• Who gets what, when, and how. (and where)
• All of us are political, were just not used to
  calling it that. You dont have to take a class
  to get politics. Aristotle was correct when he
  wrote, Man is by nature a political animal.

7
Social Contract Theory

• The only valid government is one based on the
  consent of the governed. - Locke
• Rulers and citizens enter into an agreement, or a
  social contract
• Government by the people, masses

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Lockes influence on the US

• A state also of equality, wherein all the power
  and jurisdiction is reciprocal, no one having
  more than another - John Locke, of Civil
  Government
• We hold these truths to be self-evident That
  all men are created equal. - Thomas
  Jefferson, Declaration of Independence

9
Political Power

• Power ability of one person to cause another
  person to act in accordance
• Authority right to use power
• Legitimacy what makes the law or leader a
  source of right

10
What makes a Democracy?

• Principles necessary for a democracy to exist.
• Universal suffrage (everyone vote)
• Political Equality (all votes counted equally)
• Majority Rule
• Government responds to public opinion

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Can uneducated/poor people be trusted?

• Direct Democracy citizens create/vote on laws
• Problems
• 1. Impractical for reasons of time, expertise
• How do you get 300 million people to vote
  multiple times per day on issues they no nothing
  about?
• 2. Masses of people make unwise decisions based
  on emotions (Hitler was elected)
• The masses are turbulent and changing and seldom
  judge or determine right. -Alexander Hamilton

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Representative Democracy (Republic)

• Citizens elect representatives
• Govt MEDIATES popular views
• Will of the people ? Common interest
• EX. Lower gas prices, minority rights
• Reps are educated on issues at hand
• Prevents fast, sweeping change
• Minority rights more likely to be protected

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Theories explaining how democracies ACTUALLY
function

• Majoritarian Theory
• leaders are forced to follow the wishes of the
  people because majority rules

2. Pluralist Theory groups compete and
compromise with each other to get the govt to do
what they want
3. Elite Theory groups or people who possess
the most more power (money or influence) dominate
govt
4. Bureaucratic Theory appointed officials
dominate the govt through unelected jobs
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Democracy Theory Test

• What theory is supported by the fact that
• The US holds mainly elections where the person
  who receives the most votes wins.
• Most US representatives are upper class people.
• The President appoints hundreds of people for
  govt jobs or judgeships, all have special
  powers.
• Interest groups spend millions of dollars toward
  campaigns of favored candidates.
• Govt can call for referendums, or votes by the
  people to pass or strike down potential laws.
• The candidate who raises the most money for an
  election almost always wins.

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Pluralism

1. Modern society consists of many groups (ex.
   Economic, religious, cultural, ethnic.) that
   compete with each other to achieve goals
2. Groups that influence govt, work hard, and have
   largest membership get what they want
3. Even if the average citizen does not keep up with
   politics, their interests will be protected by
   their group.
4. Groups must COMPROMISE to achieve goals

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Arguments for and against the Pluralist view
FOR
AGAINST

• Relatively low numbers of people join interest
  groups.
• Poor citizens have less opportunity to join
  interest groups or contribute to them.
• One cant assume that group decisions are always
  in the best interest of the nation.

• There is no unified majority in the US that
  always acts together.
• Govt leaders must please groups to gain votes
  and money to be reelected.
• Groups must compete for govt services and
  favorable laws.

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Marxist Theory (Elite)

• Control the economic system control the
  political system.
• Politicians require massive funding to win
  elections, and rely on corporations to supply
  them.

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A Reminder

• These are only theories. They are peoples
  perception of our democracy and the way it
  functions.
• Which theory is correct???
• Pluralist most popular today
• Majoritarian popular pre-1950s
• Elite rising since the 80s (Michael Moore)
• Bureaucratic govt spending more than ever
  before just to run itself