PS 1113 US Government Introduction PDF

PS 1113 US Government East Central University Introduction What is Politics? 1. The struggle over the allocation of scarce resources. 2. Who gets what, when, and how. Who gets what is never random! Why do we have government? Do you believe that people have a good human nature? o Then...

PS 1113 US Government East Central University Introduction What is Politics? 1. The struggle over the allocation of scarce resources. 2. Who gets what, when, and how. Who gets what is never random! Why do we have government? Do you believe that people have a good human nature? o Then government is necessary to help us solve our “collective action dilemmas.” John Locke Do you believe that people have an evil human nature? o Then government exists to make sure that we don’t harm each other – it coerces us to be good. o Thomas Hobbes: Life in a state of nature is is “nasty, brutish and short.” What is a collective action dilemma? Groups have problems working together efficiently. Some people “shirk” their duty to the group Governments help us solve the “free rider problem.” Too many free riders destroy the common good.  Examples of the Free Rider Problem Example Who is the Free How is the Rider? Common Good Destroyed? The Dirty Microwave The Groupwork Problem The Unpaid Toll The Nonvoting Citizen What is Democracy? A governing system in which the people govern themselves. The word derives from the Greek term meaning “rule by the many.” What is the opposite of democracy? Democracy is a continuum... Not an on/off switch. How does democracy work? Inputs Govt Outputs Feedback Loop Outputs is a fancy name for “laws” or “public policy.” Inputs come from the people Source: Christine Pappas Outputs come from the government Source: Pexel.com What’s an example of a law or policy? Theories of Power These theories help us explain “who gets what” through the political process. Source: Christine Pappas Majoritarianism “Who gets what” is determined by the will of the majority Elite Theory An elite group (top military officials, government officials, and corporate heads) control policy outcomes. The elite has different policy goals than the majority. The elite doesn’t want the majority to vote. We would mess up their deals. Example: The Oklahoma Legislature has $9 Billion extra dollars. Who should they spend it on? Majoritarianism Elite Theory Middle Class Families Corporations – Paying companies to move to Oklahoma Family Farmers Veterans Services Oil Companies Public Schools Major democratic values 1. Majority Rule 2. Minority Rights 3. Liberty 4. Equality 5. Diversity Source: Christine Pappas In summary... What is politics? Why do we have government? Collective Action Dilemmas What is democracy? Theories of Power Democratic Values