Lesson 1: Relation Between Government and Authority PDF

Lesson 1 Relation Between Government and Authority Government exercises authority over a body of people. Authority is power that people consider to be legitimate. If people lose faith in their government, they put themselves in a state of rebellion. Example: The American Colonists lost their f...

Lesson 1 Relation Between Government and Authority Government exercises authority over a body of people. Authority is power that people consider to be legitimate. If people lose faith in their government, they put themselves in a state of rebellion. Example: The American Colonists lost their faith in a political system they no longer believed to be legitimate; began to question the authority of a king, rather than authority coming from the people. Example: Many Americans lost faith in the integrity of our elections, leading protestors to storm the capital in protest of the election results in 2020. Comparing Systems of Government Types of Government Systems (see pg. 12-13). Authoritarian Systems exercise full control over individuals' lives and people living in these systems are referred to as subjects because they are subject to the will of the ruler. Possible examples include dictatorships & monarchies Non-Authoritarian Systems exercise power over individuals lives to some extent to make collective living possible but allow considerable freedom. People in these systems are referred to as citizens because they retain rights the government cannot take away. Possible examples include democracies and republics. Anarchy systems are not organized government systems. Although people in these systems may theoretically have the most freedom in comparison to other government systems, there is a lack of security, protection, and rule of law that is necessary for collective living. Comparing Systems of Government More Govt. Control More Individual Freedom Authoritaria Non- Anarchy n Authoritarian The American System of Government Why do we refer to ourselves as a democracy? No where in the Declaration of Independence nor in the Constitution are we referred to as a democracy. The Founding Fathers never referred to our government as a “democracy” instead, they established a republic (see Article 4 sect. 4 of the Constitution). A republic does two major things; it limits what government can do by means of a contract (constitution) and it filters public opinion through representatives that make the final decisions. The Founding Fathers thought of a democracy as a direct democracy, meaning a system of government in which the majority rules and government is not limited, but could do anything it wants as long as a majority of people agree (tyranny of the majority / mob rule). Think of it like this… just because a majority of people believe something to be true, does not make it so. Over time, we have come to use the terms democracy and republic interchangeably. However, democracy implies majority rule and it is imperative that students of American government understand that our system of government does not seek to promote majority rule, but instead limit government and use representatives to run government. Today, the term republic is hardly used to describe the American system of government. Instead, many scholars refer to our system as a representative democracy which implies that power comes from the people but representatives, rather than the people, make decisions on our behalf. A Word From Your Professor “Let’s look at economic systems. FIRST, let’s look at the TWO major economic systems. Socialism and Capitalism. NEXT, we will break down these economic systems more specifically, by looking at communism, socialism, regulated capitalism, and laissez-faire capitalism.” – Professor Armor Comparing Economic Systems Like political systems, economic systems are evaluated based on how much control the government exercises over the market. Socialism is based on government planning and limitations on private control of resources. It seeks to achieve equitable distribution in which no one has too much or too little and everyone is given a job. It operates off government regulation of people working according to their ability and are paid according to their need (see pg. 9). Capitalism is based on individual initiative and favors market mechanisms to determine what is produced (supply & demand) rather than government planning. It rewards hard work, initiative, individual responsibility, risk, and voluntary exchange of goods and services. The primary role of government is to protect a person’s private Adam Smith – property. This system can have negative consequences for those who economist and moral are not willing to work hard and make responsible decisions (see pg. philosopher. 1723- 8). 1790 Comparing Economic Systems Systems of government are closely related to economic systems: (see pg. 8). Communism is a political and economic system in which, in theory, government promotes common ownership of all property, means of production, and materials to prevent the exploitation of workers while creating an equal society; in practice, most communist governments have used force to maintain control. Socialism is a political and economic system in which government uses its authority to promote social and economic equality, providing everyone with basic services and equal opportunities and requiring citizens with more wealth to contribute more. Regulated Capitalism is a political and economic system in which the market determines what’s produced and the government steps in to regulate the economy to promote overall health of the economy and prevent the market from experiencing wild ups and downs. Regulation is also meant to protect consumers from abuse or mistreatment from businesses and corporation. Laissez-Faire Capitalism is an economic system that strictly operates separate from the government and solely relies on the market. Laissez-faire means to be left alone. Thus, the government is to leave the economy alone and not interfere and let the market work out any problems on its own by means of supply and demand as well as profit. Comparing Systems of Government More Govt. Control More Individual Freedom Communism Socialism Regulated Laissez-Faire Capitalism Capitalism Political Culture Political culture is the prevailing political attitudes and beliefs within a society or region. American political culture values more individual control over how to live their own lives (non-authoritarian government) and how material goods should be distributed (capitalism). What is the American Dream? The freedom to pursue one’s happiness without any guarantee of success. Knowing there is just as much of a risk to fail as much as the freedom to succeed beyond one's wildest dreams. Values of American Political Culture Limited government means the power of government should be restricted to allow for maximum individual freedom. It embodies the idea that government is a necessary evil, and that government cannot really be trusted to be too involved in our lives and that its functions should be restricted to what individuals cannot do for themselves (like national security or building interstate highways). Government is restricted by a Constitution and a Bill of Rights. Individualism – emphasis on individual rights rather than the collective whole. Individual rights are prioritized NOT the collective will of the majority (see pg. 12). Freedom – idea of individual independence from government. Freedom from government NOT dependence on government. Equality – equality before the law; political fairness requires minimal government intervention. Equality of opportunity NOT equality of outcome. A Word From Your Professor “In this lesson we have covered types of government systems, types of economic systems, and political culture. As we move into our last topic (ideology) consider all the concepts we have looked at so-far and think about how that plays a role in the American political ideological divide. For example, consider how conservatives and liberals differ on what types of government and economic systems they prefer. Additionally, what does each value in our political culture?” – Professor Armor The American Ideological Divide Conservativism embodies the traditional values of American political culture. Thus, government should be limited, especially in the market, and its primary purpose is protecting traditional natural rights of individuals. Government is not for purposes of eliminating the innate inequalities a free society produces. They see citizens as individuals responsible for their own failure or success. Social conservatives would seek to use government to maintain traditional norms. Liberalism embodies pushing the limits of traditional values of American political culture. Thus, government should not be restricted to only protecting individual liberty but rather empowered to meet the collective needs of individuals. Government is to remove obstacles that prevent individuals from living freely such as poverty, discrimination, disease, lack of education, etc. They see citizens as member of groups, some of whom are often not treated equitably by society. In general, liberalism seeks to use government to help render inequalities even if such inequalities are the result of poor individual decisions. Social liberals would seek to use government to carry out progressive changes in the social fabric. Conclusion