This document provides an overview of key concepts in politics and political science. It defines politics as "who gets what, when and how" and as a struggle for power and decision-making. Political scientists study power as it relates to political communities like parties, legislatures, and countries. Power is defined as the ability to influence or impose one's will on others. The document also distinguishes between politics, which is concerned with the distribution of power and resources, and government, which is the system for exercising authority, as well as between politics and economics. It outlines different forms of government like democracy, monarchy, and totalitarianism.

1. POL 140
Fall 2014

3.  Politics: “Who gets what, when and how”
(Lasswell)
 Politics: Struggle for power; emphasis on
decision-making
 Political scientists study power as it relates
to the political community
 Political party, legislature, city, region, country

4.  Power:
 Ability to influence others or impose will on them
 How To Know if You Have Power:
 Get someone to do something they would not do
 Prevent someone from doing something they
would do
 Influence how people think
▪ Examples: Campaign Commercials

7. POLITICS
 Process or activity through
which power and resources
are gained and lost
GOVERNMENT
 System or organization for
exercising authority over a
body of people

9.  Determine how we try to get the things that we
want in politics
 Peaceful, democratic elections
 Violent revolutions
 Rules can provide how a nation will be governed
 Rule by the elite (Aristocracy)
 Rule by the wealthy (Plutocracy)
 Rule by royalty (Monarchy)
 Rule by the people (Democracy)

10.  Organizations where governmental power is exercised
 Constitution lays foundation for main institutions of U.S.
government
 Legislative, Executive, Judicial, Bureaucracy
 Different arrangements in other countries:
 Parliament
 Ruler
 Council
 Thought out by founders of each country to create
prosperous political environment

12. POLITICS
 Concerned with
distribution of power
and resources in society
ECONOMICS
 Concerned with production
and distribution of societal
goods

14.  Means of production (land, labor, etc.)
are privately owned
 Decisions about how much to produce, etc.
are left to individuals
▪ Reliance on supply and demand
 Government interference is small

15. LAISSEZ-FAIRE
 “Let people do as they wish”
 Government has no
economic role
REGULATED
 Allows government to step
in and regulate economy to
safeguard individual rights

16. SOCIALISM
 Economic decisions made
by politicians using their
judgment on projected
societal needs
SOCIAL DEMOCRACY
 Middle ground between
capitalism and socialism
 Equality brought through
gradual democratization
rather than Socialist
revolution

18.  State has ultimate power
 Various Forms:
 Monarchy—Rule by Individual
 Theocracy—Rule by God
 Fascist—Rule by State
 Totalitarian System
▪ Authoritarian Govt. and Socialist Economy

19.  Anarchy
 Democracy
 Elite Democracy
▪ Government run by elites in various fields
 Pluralist Democracy
▪ Emphasis on group membership
 Participatory Democracy
▪ Individuals have right to participate in government