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POLITICS: WHO GETS WHAT AND HOWBy Michael Miguel
Academy of Our Lady of Guam
AP American Government and Politics
WHAT IS AT STAKE?
Is young people’s political involvement really such a big deal, or is concern about keeping the republic just an idiosyncrasy of long deceased founders and hyperactive political science professors? What is really at stake for American democracy in the issue of youthful engagement in the political system?
WHAT IS POLITICS?
Election 2012: Obama vs. Romney
Politics: Determining without recourse to violence, who gets power and resources in society and how they got them
Power vs. Authority
“We are political animals and we are destined to remain” – Aristotle
WHY GOVERNMENT?
Provides order: Rules and Institutions
Provides Public Goods
Promotes Equality
Politics is a process in which resources are gained a/o lost
Government is a system or organization for exercising authority over a body of people
FunctionsPolitics in Government
“Life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” - Thomas Hobbes, 17th Century English Philosopher
DIMENSIONS OF POLITICS AND ECONOMICS
Pure Capitalist Economy
Regulated Capitalism
Social Democracy Socialism
Capitalism Socialism
THE TENSION BETWEEN ORDER AND FREEDOM
1984 – Brave New World
Soviet Union North Korea Martial Law
Anarchy Garden of Eden Lord of the Flies Post Saddam Iraq Post Katrina “State of Nature”
How can government provide complete order?
How can government provide complete freedom?
CHART More
Government Control of
the economy(substantive guarantees
)
Less Government Control of
the economy
(procedural guarantees
)Socialism
Complete government ownership and control Ex. China,
North Korea, Cuba,
Former Soviet Union
Social Democracy
Mostly private ownership but extensive government control Ex. Sweden Norway
Regulated Capitalism
Private ownership and some government controlEx. Britain,
U.S.
Laissez-Faire
Capitalism
Private ownership and no government control
Ex. None
POLITICAL SYSTEMS AND THE CONCEPT OF CITIZENSHIP
Monarchy Theocracy Fascist Oligarchy Totalitarian Authoritarian
capitalism
Anarchy Democracy
Authoritarian SystemsNon-Authoritarian Systems
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT…WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?
True Democracy – All people have a say in elections
“The problem with a government of the people, for the people, and people is….have you seen some of these people?” – Maine
THEORIES OF DEMOCRACY
Elite Democracy
Pluralist Democracy
Participatory Democracy
Advanced Industrial Democracy
Communist Democracy
Elections merely symbolic
Not as much about individual participation as it is about membership in groups that participate in government
Individuals have the right to control all circumstances of their lives
Personal freedom w/i a free market economy
Embracing personal freedom and a collectively owned economy
CHART: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEMS
More government control of the economy
More government control over individual lives and the social order
Less government control of the economy
Less government control over individual lives and the social orderCommunist Democracy
Totalitarian System
Advanced Industrial Democracy
Authoritarian Capitalism
Government allows market economy but highly regulates individual behavior
Personal freedom within a free-market economy (although usually with some government regulations)
Marx’s hope for a system embracing personal freedom and a collectively owned economy
Government controls all economy and individual behavior (Former SU, North Korea, China)
ORIGINS OF DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
500-600 BCE 1/10th of population
defined as citizens Parallels to
American Democracy
Restricted participation to political affairs
600-1500 AD Participation very
limited Dominated by
Monarchies, Divine Right of the Kong
The Ancient Greek Experience
Politics in the Middle Ages
ORIGINS OF DEMOCRACY IN AMERICA
1500-1700 More participation
than in Middle Ages Individual spirituality
and connection to God
Calvinist ideals Martin Luther
Church seen as unnecessary – paves way for new ideas
Focus on human reason
Thomas Hobbes John Locke
The Protestant Reformation
Enlightenment
SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY
Freedom and rights existed before Government
Thomas Jefferson (based on John Locke’s principles)
We, as citizens, enter into an agreement with the government allowing it to create rules that set boundaries for our behavior and protect our life, liberty, and property.
If the gov’t goes too far w/ that power, we as citizens can dissolve that government.
DEMOCRACY AND CITIZENSHIP IN AMERICA
Founders rejected idea of a pure democracy
Opted instead for a Republic
Safe than direct representation
Very low expectation for the average American citizen
Republican Virtue no longer common after independence
Hoped representatives would be wiser than the average American
Dangers in DemocracyMadison’s vision of citizenship
WHO RULES WHEN THE PEOPLE DISAGREE?
Rule of the majority Elections How can we protect
minority rights? Tyranny of the
majority
There isn’t “the public” Many minority groups
of people – melting pot “The Public” as groups
Racial Religious Ethnic Gender Professional Regional Urban Rural
Majoritarian Model Pluralist Model
WHO SHOULD MAKE DECISIONS?
Apathetic majority? Passionate minority? Why let the majority decide?
It does not care It does not have expertise
Pluralism – no one group in control
A CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVE
Orderly Freedom Land was plentiful; not scarce Fall of Mankind State of Nature By God’s Grace, still some order Romans 13: 1, 4
RECAP
2 Tensions in American government Order vs. Freedom Majority Rule vs. Minority Rights Majortitarian Model vs. Pluralist Democracy