Upload
roderick-bradley
View
222
Download
6
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The American Democracy The American Democracy 10th ed.10th ed.
Thomas E. PattersonThomas E. Patterson
PowerPoint PresentationPowerPoint Presentation
byby
Diane Feibel, Ed.D.Diane Feibel, Ed.D.
Political Thinking: Political Thinking: Becoming a Responsible Becoming a Responsible
CitizenCitizen
Chapter 1Chapter 1
Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically
Political thinking Political thinking Involves the careful gathering and sifting of Involves the careful gathering and sifting of
information to form a knowledgeable view about a information to form a knowledgeable view about a political issuepolitical issue
Important for responsible citizenshipImportant for responsible citizenship
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 44
Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically
Barriers to political thinkingBarriers to political thinkingMain barrier: unwillingness of citizens to make the Main barrier: unwillingness of citizens to make the
effort to self-informeffort to self-informChanges in media consumption: more people Changes in media consumption: more people
consume biased cable television and Internet blogsconsume biased cable television and Internet blogs““Spin” by political leaders and government entitiesSpin” by political leaders and government entitiesResearch shows faulty perceptions becoming more Research shows faulty perceptions becoming more
prevalentprevalent
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 55
Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically
What political science can contribute to What political science can contribute to political thinkingpolitical thinkingPolitical science: the systematic study of Political science: the systematic study of
government and politicsgovernment and politicsA descriptive and analytical discipline; can A descriptive and analytical discipline; can
increase ability to think politicallyincrease ability to think politically
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 66
Learning to Think PoliticallyLearning to Think Politically
What political science can contribute to What political science can contribute to political thinkingpolitical thinkingPolitical science can provide deeper analysisPolitical science can provide deeper analysisShows that America’s culture of individualism Shows that America’s culture of individualism
was important obstacle to whole-scale healthcare was important obstacle to whole-scale healthcare reformreform
Individualistic culture has roots in colonial Individualistic culture has roots in colonial wilderness societywilderness society
Polls shows continued strength of individualismPolls shows continued strength of individualism
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 77
Social Welfare Spending in the United States Social Welfare Spending in the United States and Selected European Democraciesand Selected European Democracies
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 88
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
Politics: the means by which society settles its Politics: the means by which society settles its conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits conflicts and allocates the resulting benefits and costsand costs
Power: the ability of persons, groups, or Power: the ability of persons, groups, or institutions to influence political developmentsinstitutions to influence political developments
Authoritarian and totalitarian governments: Authoritarian and totalitarian governments: nondemocratic, repressive regime typesnondemocratic, repressive regime types
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 99
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
A democratic systemA democratic systemSystem in which the people govern, by direct or System in which the people govern, by direct or
representative meansrepresentative meansIn practice, In practice, majority rule through the free and open majority rule through the free and open
election of representativeselection of representativesMajoritarianism: the majority effectively Majoritarianism: the majority effectively
determines what government doesdetermines what government does
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1010
America’s Governing Systems America’s Governing Systems and Related Sources of Powerand Related Sources of Power
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1111
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
A democratic systemA democratic systemPluralism:Pluralism: the preference of the special interest the preference of the special interest
that largely determines what government doesthat largely determines what government doesAuthority: the recognized right of officials to Authority: the recognized right of officials to
exercise power exercise power
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1212
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
A constitutional systemA constitutional systemThe Constitution: elaborate checks and balances, The Constitution: elaborate checks and balances,
Bill of RightsBill of RightsConstitutionalism: Constitutionalism: idea that there are lawful idea that there are lawful
restrictions on government’s powerrestrictions on government’s powerRestraints on majority powerRestraints on majority powerJudicial action channel through which ordinary Judicial action channel through which ordinary
citizens can exercise powercitizens can exercise power
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1313
Lawyers per Million PersonsLawyers per Million Persons
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1414
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
A free market systemA free market systemOperates mainly on private transactionsOperates mainly on private transactionsSome government intervention through regulatory, Some government intervention through regulatory,
taxing, and spending policiestaxing, and spending policiesTax rate much lower in U.S. than in European Tax rate much lower in U.S. than in European
countriescountriesCorporate power: influence firms have over Corporate power: influence firms have over
policymakerspolicymakersElitism: power exercised by the influential fewElitism: power exercised by the influential few
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1515
Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics and Power in America
Who does govern?Who does govern?Defining characteristic of American politics: Defining characteristic of American politics:
widespread sharing of powerwidespread sharing of powerWomen and minorities initially excluded; their Women and minorities initially excluded; their
power will steadily grow over timepower will steadily grow over time
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1616
The Text’s OrganizationThe Text’s Organization
The constitutional systemThe constitutional systemThe political role of citizens and The political role of citizens and
intermediariesintermediariesGoverning officials, the elective institutions, Governing officials, the elective institutions,
and their appointive bodiesand their appointive bodiesFocus on public policies throughout bookFocus on public policies throughout bookFocus on difficulty of governing effectively, Focus on difficulty of governing effectively,
and how important it is to tryand how important it is to try
© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved.© 2011, The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1717