Lesson 1 Fall 2024 PDF

Lesson 1 How to Use the Book: Lessons do not derive from the book; they derive from the professor. Thus, lessons will have additional information not found in the book and vise-versa. Information from the book will enhance content from the lesson. When you see a page number associated with a slide...

Lesson 1 How to Use the Book: Lessons do not derive from the book; they derive from the professor. Thus, lessons will have additional information not found in the book and vise-versa. Information from the book will enhance content from the lesson. When you see a page number associated with a slide, that means you are encouraged to read that page (in full) because it relates to, or provides additional information related to what we are discussing in the lesson. Relation Between Government and Authority Government exercises authority over a body of people (see pg. 8). Authority ____________________is power that people consider to be legitimate. If people lose faith in their government, they put rebellion themselves in a state of___________________________. 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 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 could include monarchies or totalitarian governments (see pg. 13). Non-Authoritarian ___________________________________________ Systems exercise power over individuals lives to some extent to make collective living possible but allow for considerable freedom. People in these systems are referred to as citizens because they engage in making government decisions either directly or indirectly. Possible examples could include types of democracies (see pg. 12 & 13). Anarchy ____________________________________________ is no organized government system. 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? Declaration of Independence No where in the ___________________________________nor Constitution in the_________________________________ 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). The American System of Government The Founding Fathers thought of democracy as direct democracy a____________________________________________, 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/good/right, does not make it so. 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 American System of Government Today the terms republic and democracy are used interchangeably. majority-rule Nevertheless, democracy implies __________________________ 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 (see pg. 12-13). ​ Today, the term republic is hardly used to describe the American system of government. Instead, many scholars refer to our system as representative democracy a _______________________________________________________ which implies that power comes from the people but representatives, rather than the people, make decisions on our behalf. ​  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 Adam Smith – government planning. It rewards hard work, initiative, individual responsibility, risk, economist and moral and voluntary exchange of goods and services. The primary role of government is philosopher. 1723- to protect a person’s private property. This system can have negative 1790 consequences for those who are not willing to work hard and make responsible decisions (see pg. 8). Comparing Economic Systems Let’s get more specific! What’s the difference between socialism and communism? Both exercise “government” control over the market, but communism does so by giving full control to a ruler, or a small group of leaders to make economic decisions, whereas socialism is inherently democratic where the majority of people have a say in economic decisions (which is why its repetitive to say “democratic socialism”). 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. The government, either one person or a small group of rulers, make economic decisions. Socialism _____________________________________ is a political and economic system in which government (by means of democratic vote by the populace) 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 (see pg. 9). Comparing Economic Systems Let’s get more specific! What’s the difference between regulated capitalism and laissez-faire capitalism? Both allow for the market, supply and demand, to determine what is produced and who receives those products and services. 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 Economic Systems More Govt. Control More Individual Freedom Laissez-Faire Communism Socialism Regulated Capitalism Capitalism  Political Culture 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. ____________________________________ is the Political Culture prevailing political attitudes and beliefs within a society or region. American political culture values more __________________________________ control individual over how to live their own lives (____________________________________) and how non-authoritarian government material goods should be distributed (_____________________________________). capitalism 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. Values of American Political Culture Limited government embodies the following values. __________________________________________ – emphasis Individualism on individual rights rather than the collective whole. Individual rights are prioritized NOT the collective will of the majority (see pg. 12). ___________________________________________– idea of Freedom 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. The American Ideological Divide ___________________________refers to the beliefs and ideals that help to shape Ideology political opinion and eventually policy. The American ideological divide is conservatism and liberalism. 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 ____________________________and _________________________systems government they prefer. Additionally, what does each value in economic our____________________________________________________? political culture  The American Ideological Divide Conservatism ____________________________________________ 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. The term “conservative” means traditional. Thus, when using the term conservative to describe political ideology, we are looking at the traditional interpretation of American political culture. For example, conservatives believe freedom means being self-reliant, and not depending on the government for basic needs.  The American Ideological Divide 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 members 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. The term “liberal” means progressive/change. Thus, when using the term liberal to describe political ideology, we are looking at challenging the traditional interpretation of American political culture. For example, liberals believe freedom can only be reached if the government intervenes to provide basic needs for society, even if it leads to full dependence on the government.