Problems of Democracy Chapter 1

What is Democracy?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuY-DVsU4BY

Think-Pair-Share
• What do you value? What does our society value?

American Values
• Truth
• Justice
• Equality
• Diversity
• Patriotism
• Individual Rights
• Popular Sovereignty
• Common Good

Question
• What words do you associate with democracy? Are they similar to
your values? America’s values?

Reflection
• Is there anything you would add to your list?

Problems of Democracy
Principles of Government

Think-Pair-Share
• What are some essential elements of a government?

The State
• Aristotle- one of the first students of government
• Studied the Ancient Greek city-state, the polis
• State- a political community that occupies a definite territory and
has an organized government with the power to make and enforce
laws without approval from any higher authority
• The U.S. is one of 160 in the world today
• What is a state to you?

The State
• When we declared independence,
each state did think of themselves as
their own country
• They didn’t join together until the
Constitution was written, and after that
there was still disagreement between
whether the state or federal government
should have certain powers
• What event started in part due to the
issue of states rights?

The State
• Nation- any sizable group of people
who are united by common bonds of
race, language, custom, tradition, and,
sometimes, religion
• Usually territorial boundaries of modern
states and nations are the same
• This would be known as a nation-state
• What are some examples of states and
nations that have the same boundaries?
Some that don’t‘?

Essential Features of a State
• Population!- the most obvious essential for
a state is people
• Consensus-agreement about basic beliefs
• States that share general political and social
beliefs are more stable
• Does America have political or social consensus?
• Mobility of a population also effects the
political organization of a state
• It can change the number of representatives of
an area or the political makeup
• What is an example of this just in Pennsylvania?

• Territory- the established boundaries of a state
• What are the established boundaries of the United States?
• Boundaries are often a source of conflict between states

• Sovereignty- the state has supreme and absolute authority
within its territorial boundaries
• This is the key characteristic of a state! If it doesn’t have
sovereignty it is not a state!
• With sovereignty, every state is considered equal with respect to
legal rights and duties
• In theory
• What are some ways that give states more power than others?

• Government- the institution through which the state maintains
social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions that
are binding on all people living within the state
• Does our government meet all of these requirements? Even in a
government shutdown?
• Every state has some form of government

Question
• Which of the four essential features of a state do you think is moat
important? Why?

Theories of the Origin of the State
• Evolutionary Theory- the state evolved
from the family
• The head of a primitive family was the
authority that served as the government
• Extended family members could include
hundreds of people
• Gradually, with time, this group would
require more organization

• Force Theory- government emerged
when all the people of an area were
brought under the authority of one
person or group
• Early civilizations came together to
build infrastructure and protect
their cities
• Does the word force really fit this
theory?

Question
• The evolutionary and Force Theories both seem to occur naturally.
What are the main differences between them? Could they coincide?

• Divine Right Theory- the god(s) have chosen certain people to rule
• Rulers were either descendants of god(s) or chosen by them
• In Europe during the Middle Ages, they believed anyone born into royalty
was chosen to govern
• Opposing the ruler was equivalent to opposing the god(s)

• Social Contract Theory- people would surrender
individual power to the state in order to maintain
order, the state would then agree to protect its
citizens
• Government is, therefore, a contract
• In a state of nature, no governments exists, but life
in that state is “cruel, brutish, and short”
• Thomas Hobbes was one of the first philosophers
to theorize a social contract
• You entered a “social contract” with the government
by being a citizen. How does that make you feel?
Where can you see that contract in action in your
everyday lives?

• John Locke took Hobbes theories a step further
by declaring that people were naturally
endowed with the rights to life, liberty, and
property
• People chose to enter a contract with the
government in order to preserve those rights
• If the government failed to preserve those
rights, the people had the right to rebel
• What are some examples of this?

Question
• Our society moved from believing in Divine Right to the Social
Contract theory around the time of the American Revolution. Why
do you think this happened?

Exit Slip
• Reflect on what you have learned about the different theories of
the origin of the state. Which theory do you think makes the most
sense and why?
• Where do you see these theories in action in modern day
governments? Give me at least one example.

Last Week
• Essential features of a state- there are nearly 200 states in the
world and these are the four features they all need to be
considered a state: population, territory, sovereignty, and
government
• Theories of the origin of the state- these are how some
philosophers and historians believe the state came to be:
evolutionary theory, force theory, divine right theory, and social
contract theory
• Today, we are moving on to the different purposes of government

The Purposes of Government
• Governments make binding decisions for all citizens that they are
required to obey
• Authoritative
• The government derives their authority from their legitimacy and
their ability to use force
• Legitimacy- willingness of citizens to obey them, based on consent of the
people
• Coercive force- derived from police, judicial, and military institutions,
punish offenders

• Maintaining Social Order- providing ways of resolving conflicts
among group members
• Locke says people need the government to maintain social order
because we could not live in groups without conflict left alone
• The government can require people to do things that they would not do
voluntarily
• What are some examples of this in your lives?
• The courts help to solve conflict in a just setting

• Providing Public Services- provide
essential services that make community life
possible and promote the general welfare
• Projects that the community could not do on
their own
• Public health and safety
• Legislators to pass laws
• Inspectors to check to see if you’re following it
“The legitimate
object of
government is to do
for a community of
people whatever
they need to have
done”

“Promote the General Welfare”
• In 2017, the U.S. spent $729 billion on welfare
• Or 19% of their budget
• In 2017, Canada spent $276.8 billion on welfare
• Or 15% of their budget
• France has the highest welfare spending at around
32% of their budget
• How do you feel about our government’s social
welfare system?
• Does it work or is it abused?

• Providing National Security- protect the people against the
threat of attack by other states or from internal threats such as
terrorism
• Also handles everyday relations with other states and nations
• As per the Constitution, foreign relations fall under the purview of the
federal government

• Making Economic Decisions- pass laws that determine and control
the economic environment of the nation
• Could be as simple as providing national currency, or as complex as
controlling every individual’s economic decisions
• Use economic power to distribute benefits and public services
• Stimulate economic growth and stability through controlling
inflation, encouraging trade, and regulating the development of
natural resources
• What economic decisions does the U.S. government make for you?

Scarcity
• Nations vary in their ability to provide economic opportunities or
resources
• The U.S. is the eleventh richest nation in the world. Do our economic
opportunities reflect that?
• Material scarcity is often the cause of conflict
• Where the gap between the rich and the poor is great, civil unrest or even
revolutions may occur

Question
• Within these four purposes, there are a lot of decisions that need
to be made by a government. Do you believe they generally make
your life better or worse? Why?
• Maintain Social Order
• Provide Public Services
• Provide National Security
• Making Economic Decisions

Create a State Project!
• This project is due February 22th by 3:00 p.m.! No late work!

POPULATION AND
TERRITORY
The population of my state is 10.3 million
My state takes up 546 million acres of land
It shares borders with the Arctic and Pacific Oceans as
well as Canada

PURPOSES OF
GOVERNMENT
My state maintains the social order by providing a
court system to help resolve conflicts. It also
provides its citizens with a voice so that they feel
as though they are part of the nation.
My state provides public services such as the Food
and Medication Administration which inspects
food and medicine before allowing its citizens to
consume them. They also pass laws that regulate
transportation to keep people safe as they travel
through the nation.

PURPOSES OF
GOVERNMENT
My state provides national security by funding military services such
as the Army and the Navy. In addition, they provide funds for law
enforcement such as the FBI and United Marshal Service.
When it comes to making economic decisions, my state regulates
trade, collects taxes, and prints currency.

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
The government of Marthania is a federal system.
This is because it divides the power between
different levels of government: Federal, state, and
local. Within the Constitution, each of the different
levels holds different powers. In my state, the
federal government has supreme power.
This system works best for my government as I think
it is important that every citizen has a voice. With a
division of power, it is easier for people to feel as
though they have a say in what is going on, even if it
is just at the local level.

TYPE OF GOVERNMENT
Marthania is a democracy. That means it is
ruled by the people. This is the government
type I chose because I think it would be unfair
for only one person or a small group of people
to have all of the power that comes with being a
government. I believe that the sovereignty of a
nation lies with the people because they are the
ones who enter a contract with the government.
Specifically, my state uses an indirect or
representative democracy which means that the
people elected representatives that get to vote
on legislature and conduct government.

CONSTITUTION
One of the main goals of my state’s Constitution
is checks and balances. This means that the
government is split into different branches that
have the power to make sure that the others are
not abusing their power. One way this works is
through a presidential or congressional veto.
Another principle that falls under my
Constitution is the idea of limited government.
Our Constitution specifically lists the powers
that belong to the federal government so that
the citizens know that they are not being totally
controlled by their government.

CONSTITUTION
Popular sovereignty is another major principle in my state’s
Constitution. This repeats what I have said earlier that I believe
people are the main players in my state. Because they entered into a
contract with the government, it is essential that they are the source
of the government’s power.

ECONOMIC THEORY
My state follows the economic theory of capitalism,
because, in my opinion, it is the only theory that works
in our world today. It is important to have both private
and public sectors when it comes to industry and the
economy.
I believe that having the freedom of choice when it
comes to one’s economic opportunities makes the most
sense in a society in which the power lies with the
people. Having a free market, or the freedom to make
economic decisions in the marketplace, is something the
people of my state value.

Government Systems
• Unitary System- gives all key powers to
the national or central government
• Does not necessarily mean that you can
only have one level of government
• It just means that the central government
creates and controls state, provincial, or other
local governments
• Gives those levels of government limited
sovereignty
• France would be an example of this

Government Systems
• Federal System- divides the powers of
government between the national
government and state or provincial
governments
• Each level of government has sovereignty in
some areas
• The United States in an example of this
• We started as a confederacy, or loose union of
independent states
• That did not provide an effective national
government
• The Constitution made the national government
supreme

Constitutions and Government
• Constitution- a plan that provides the rules for a government
• Sets out ideals that the people bound by the constitution believe in and
share
• Establishes the basic structure of government and defines the
government’s powers and duties
• Provides the supreme law for the country
• The United States’ Constitution is the oldest written constitution
still serving a nation today
• Written in 1787
• Should we modernize our Constitution?

• While all countries have some plan for organizing and operating
their government, they don’t all have constitutional governments
• Constitutional Government- a government in which a constitution has
authority to place clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who
govern

• Incomplete Guides
• No constitution by itself can possibly spell out all the
laws, customs, and ideas that grow up around the
document itself
• Although some try. The Indian Constitution has hundreds of
articles
• How could this harm or benefit India as a nation?
• A constitution does not always reflect the actual
practice of a government in a country
• The PRC has a constitution that includes basic rights,
freedoms, and duties of citizens, but they also maintain an
extensive police force to spy on their citizens

• A Statement of Goals
• Sets forth the goals and purposes to be served by the government
• Usually called the preamble
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g

The Preamble
• We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more
perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility,
provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare,
and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of
America.
• What does “We the People” mean in this context? How has it
changed?
• What promises are made in the Preamble to the American people?

• A Framework for Government
• Describes the relationship between national and state
governments
• Describe the procedure for amending the constitution
• Split into articles
• The U.S. Constitution has 7 articles containing 21 sections

• The Highest Law
• Supreme law of the land usually accepted as
superior and morally binding
• Who determines that it is the supreme law of the
land?
• Constitutional Law- the interpretation and
application of the constitution
• Concerns defining the extent and limits of
government power and the rights of citizens
• Our judicial system is responsible for the
interpretation of laws

Yesterday
• We talked about the Constitution in class yesterday. Remind me of
the purpose of the Constitution?
• This information will be useful to you when we move to our next
chapter dealing with the U.S. Constitution

Major Types of Government
• Who governs the state?
• The answer to this question will determine which of the three
major groups of government a state falls into
• Autocracy- rule by one person
• Oligarchy- rule by a few persons
• Democracy- rule by many persons

• In an autocracy, a single individual has sole
power and authority
• One of the oldest and most common forms
of government
• Why do you think this is?
• Historically, power is gained through
inheritance or use of military or police power

Forms of Autocracy
• Totalitarian Dictatorship- the ideas of a single leader
or group of leaders are glorified
• Seek control over all aspects of social and economic life
• Government is not responsible for the people and the
people have no power to change their government
• Monarchy- a king, queen, or emperor exercise the
supreme power of the government
• Usually an inherited position
• Absolute Monarchy- a monarch has complete and
unlimited power to rule their people
• Constitutional Monarchy- monarchs share governmental
powers with elected legislatures, or serve mainly as the
ceremonial leaders of their governments

Question
• Both absolute monarchy and totalitarian dictatorship are forms of
autocracy. What are the fundamental differences between them?

• In an oligarchy, a small group holds power
• Their power is derived from wealth, military
power, social position, or a combination
thereof
• Sometimes hold elections to give the
appearance of control by the people
• Only put forward one candidate
• Control election results
• Some also have an elected legislature or
national assembly
• Only approve policies and decisions already
made by the oligarchs

• In a democracy, the government is ruled by the people
• Demos- the people, and kratia- rule
• The people hold sovereign power
• A republic is a form of democracy
where voters hold sovereign power
• Requires citizen participation
• Not every democracy is a republic
“Government
of the people,
by the people,
and for the
people”

Question
• What is the difference between a democracy and a republic?
• “In both a republic and a democracy, citizens are empowered to
participate in a representational political system. They elect people to
represent and protect their interests in how the government functions.
• In a republic, an official set of fundamental laws, like the U.S.
Constitution and Bill of Rights, prohibits the government from limiting
or taking away certain “inalienable” rights of the people, even if that
government was freely chosen by a majority of the people.
• In a pure democracy, the voting majority has almost limitless power over
the minority.”

Types of Democracy
• Can be a direct or indirect democracy
• Direct Democracy- the people govern themselves by voting on
issues individually as citizens
• This only works in very small societies where
citizens can meet and discuss regularly
• Indirect or representative democracy- the people elect
representatives and give them the responsibility and power to
make laws and conduct government
• Most efficient way to ensure the rights of individual citizens that are part
of a larger group are represented

Exit Slip
• Which type of government do you think is the most efficient?
• Which would you prefer to live in?
• Your responses must be at least three full sentences. I will be
grading them!

History of Democracy
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8opqrE2jSmA

Characteristics of Democracy
• Individual Liberty
• All people are as free as possible to develop their own capabilities
• Promotes equal opportunity to develop their talents to the
furthest extent possible

• Majority Rule with Minority Rights
• People usually accept decisions made by the
majority of voters in a free election
• Laws are enacted if voted on by the majority
of lawmakers
• How could (or has) the majority rule effect the
stability of our nation?
• Minority rights are still protected under the
Constitution
• In theory, but not always in practice

• During times of stress, such as wars, it is difficult to maintain
minority rights
• The majority would rather protect themselves
• Can you think of any historical examples of this happening?

Endo v. United States
• During WWII, over 100,000 Japanese-Americans were forced into
relocation camps
• This deprived them of their basic liberties
• This practice was held up in court 3 times
• Mitsuye Endo brought another case to
the court in 1944 challenging the War
Relocation board’s right to detain a loyal
American citizen
• Endo v. United States
• Endo won

• Free Elections
• All genuine democracies have free and open elections

What Makes an Election Free and Open?
• Everyone’s vote carries the same weight
• All candidates have the right to express their views freely, giving
voters access to competing ideas
• Citizens are free to help candidates or support issues
• Legal requirements of voting are kept to a minimum
• Helps to prevent discrimination
• How has this been challenged recently?
• Citizens may vote by secret ballot without
coercion or fear of punishment
“One
person,
one vote”

• Competing Political Parties
• Political Party- a group of individuals with broad common interests
who organize to nominate candidates for office, win elections,
conduct government, and determine public policy
• In the U.S. right now, we have a two-party system
• There are other parties, but the Democrats and Republicans hold the most
power
• Having candidates with differing view-
points gives the people a choice and
makes elections more meaningful

Loyal Opposition
• Political parties that are out of power serve as loyal opposition
• They criticize the policies and actions of the party in power, which
helps make those in power more responsible to the people

The Soil of Democracy
• Active Citizen Participation
• Democracy requires citizens who are willing to participate in civic
life
• Inform themselves about the issues
• Vote in elections
• Serve on juries
• Work for candidates
• Run for government office

• A Favorable Economy
• Democracy works better in countries with a large
middle class
• Free Enterprise- the opportunity to control one’s
own economic decisions provides a base for
making independent political decisions
• If you don’t have control of your economic life, you
likely aren’t free to make political decisions
• Can you think of any examples of this in our society?

• Widespread Education
• Democracy is more likely to succeed in countries
with an educated public
• In America, Thomas Jefferson promoted a free,
public education so that the populous would be
educated when making political decisions
• The number one obstacle to making the U.S. a
democracy was the thought that uneducated
citizens would be able to make decisions for the
country as a whole

• Strong Civil Society
• Civil Society- complex network of voluntary associations,
economic groups, religious organizations, and many
other kinds of groups that exist independently of
government
• They often have an impact on our government but are not a
part of it
• Can you think of any examples?
• Give citizens a way to make their views known to
government officials and the public
• Allow citizens to take responsibility for protecting their
rights

• A Social Consensus
• Where most people can accept democratic values such as
individual liberties and equality for all, democracy will flourish
• General agreement about the purposes and limits of government
• The heritage and common bond between early Americans provided a
consensus in political and social values

Economic Theories
• Economics- the study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly
unlimited wants through the use of limited resources
• The government steps in to regulate the economy to help decide
how the limited resources should be used
• All economic systems must make three major decisions
• What and how much should be produced
• How goods and services should be produced
• Who gets the goods and services that are produced
Limited
Resources
-Unlimited
needs
____________
???

Economic Theories- Capitalism
• The government assumes that society will be best served by any
productive economic activity that free individuals choose
• Characteristics:
• Private ownership and control of property and economic resources
• Free enterprise
• Competition among businesses
• Freedom of choice
• Possibility of profits

Economic Theories- Capitalism
• Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations (1776)
provided the philosophy behind capitalism
• Laissez-Faire economics- “to let alone,” the
government’s role is limited to ensuring free
competition in the marketplace
• The Founding Fathers followed his ideas
• Today, America’s economy would be described
as a mixed-market economy
• Free enterprise is combined with and supported by
government decisions in the marketplace
• Keeps competition free and fair

Economic Theories- Socialism
• The government owns the basic means of production, determines
the use of resources, distributes the products and wages, and
provides social services such as education, healthcare, and welfare
• Goals:
• Distribution of wealth and economic opportunities equally among people
• Society’s control, through its government, of all major decisions about
production
• Public ownership of most land, of factories, and of other means of
production

Economic Theories- Socialism
• Democratic Socialism- the people have basic human
rights and have some control over government
officials through free elections and multiparty
systems, but the government owns the basic means
of production and makes most economic decisions
• Those who reject socialism often argue that it
promotes big government
• Socialism would increase the power of the government. I
that something you would be willing to accept for the
benefits of socialism?

Economic Theories- Communism
• One class would evolve, property would all be
held in common, and there would be no need
for government
• Karl Marx outlined his ideas in The Communist
Manifesto (co-written with Friedrich Engels)
• The proletariat, or those who work to produce the
goods, would rise up and overthrow the
bourgeoisie, or those who own the means of
production
• Natural collapse of the capitalist system
• The Soviet Union is the best example of
communism in recent history. Why did it fail?

Economic Theories- Discussion
• Do you agree with American capitalism?
• Which economic theory do you favor? Why?
• How do you think socialism would effect our nation?

Problems of Democracy Chapter 1

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (18)

Similar to Problems of Democracy Chapter 1

Similar to Problems of Democracy Chapter 1 (20)

More from KimberlyNickle

More from KimberlyNickle (9)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Problems of Democracy Chapter 1