Cengage Advantage Books: American Government and Politics Today, Brief Ed. 2012-2013 Chapter One: The Democratic Republic Government 100-75: Modern Government in the American Context Dr. David May 1 Politics and Government Politics is the struggle over power and influence within organizations or informal groups that can grant benefits and privileges. Politics occurs in many areas of life: church, schools, social groups even families. Government is an institution that performs certain functions for society. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 2 2 Why Is Government Necessary? The Need for Security Afghanistan Limiting Government Power Liberty Authority and Legitimacy Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 3 3 Democracy and Other Forms of Government Types of Government Totalitarian Authoritarian Aristocracy Theocracy Oligarchy Democracy Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 4 4 Democracy and Other Forms of Government Direct Democracy Based on consent of the people. Examples of Direct Democracy in the U.S. Initiative Referendum Recall Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 5 5 Dangers of Direct Democracy The Founders believed in government based on the consent of the people but were highly distrustful of anything that might look like “mob rule.” The Founders created institutions to filter the will of the people through elected officials. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 6 6 A Democratic Republic A republic in which representatives elected by the people make and enforce laws and policy Based on popular sovereignty United States is considered a democratic republic Gave rise to the term representative democracy. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 7 7 A Democratic Republic Principles of Democratic Government Universal suffrage Majority rule but with minority rights Free and competitive elections Constitutional Democracy Limited government Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 8 8 What Type of Democracy Do We Have? Theories of American Government Majoritarianism Elite Theory Pluralism Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 9 9 Fundamental Values of American Democracy Political culture is a patterned set of values and way of thinking about government and politics. Political socialization is the process by which political beliefs and values are transmitted to immigrants and children. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 10 10 Fundamental Values of American Democracy Liberty versus Order Civil liberties and the Bill of Rights When Americans are fearful or vulnerable, government officials emphasize national security over civil liberties. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 11 11 Fundamental Values of American Democracy Equality versus Liberty Equal opportunity Economic equality Property rights and capitalism Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning 12 12 Fundamental Values of American Democracy The Proper Size of Government Big government in times of crisis Big government and the Gre ...

1. Cengage Advantage Books: American Government and Politics
Today, Brief Ed. 2012-2013
Chapter One:
The Democratic Republic
Government 100-75: Modern Government in the American
Context
Dr. David May
1
Politics and Government
Politics is the struggle over power and influence within
organizations or informal groups that can grant benefits and
privileges.
Politics occurs in many areas of life: church, schools, social
groups even families.
Government is an institution that performs certain functions for
society.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
2

2. 2
Why Is Government Necessary?
The Need for Security
Afghanistan
Limiting Government Power
Liberty
Authority and Legitimacy
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
3
3
Democracy and Other Forms of Government
Types of Government
Totalitarian
Authoritarian
Aristocracy
Theocracy
Oligarchy
Democracy
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
4

3. 4
Democracy and Other Forms of Government
Direct Democracy
Based on consent of the people.
Examples of Direct Democracy in the U.S.
Initiative
Referendum
Recall
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
5
5
Dangers of Direct Democracy
The Founders believed in government based on the consent of
the people but were highly distrustful of anything that might
look like “mob rule.”
The Founders created institutions to filter the will of the people
through elected officials.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning

4. 6
6
A Democratic Republic
A republic in which representatives elected by the people make
and enforce laws and policy
Based on popular sovereignty
United States is considered a democratic republic
Gave rise to the term representative democracy.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
7
7
A Democratic Republic
Principles of Democratic Government
Universal suffrage
Majority rule but with minority rights
Free and competitive elections
Constitutional Democracy
Limited government

5. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
8
8
What Type of Democracy
Do We Have?
Theories of American Government
Majoritarianism
Elite Theory
Pluralism
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
9
9
Fundamental Values of American Democracy
Political culture is a patterned set of values and way of
thinking about government and politics.
Political socialization is the process by which political beliefs
and values are transmitted to immigrants and children.

6. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
10
10
Fundamental Values of American Democracy
Liberty versus Order
Civil liberties and the Bill of Rights
When Americans are fearful or vulnerable, government
officials emphasize national security over civil liberties.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
11
11
Fundamental Values of American Democracy
Equality versus Liberty
Equal opportunity
Economic equality
Property rights and capitalism
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
12

7. 12
Fundamental Values of American Democracy
The Proper Size of Government
Big government in times of crisis
Big government and the Great Recession
The limits of big government
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
13
13
Political Ideologies
Conservatism
Places high value on the principles of order and liberty
Advocates limited governmental role in helping individuals
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
14

8. 14
Political Ideologies
Liberalism
Advocacy of government action to improve the welfare of
individuals
Support for civil rights and tolerance for social and political
change
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
15
15
The Traditional Political Spectrum
Socialism
Favors strong support for social and economic equality
Traditionally socialists envisioned a society in which major
businesses were taken over by government or by employee
cooperatives.
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
16

9. 16
The Traditional Political Spectrum
Libertarianism
Philosophy of skepticism towards most government activities
Strongly support property rights
Oppose regulation of the economy and redistribution of income
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
17
17
The Traditional Political Spectrum
Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
18
18
A Four Cornered Ideological Grid

10. Copyright 2012 Cengage Learning
19
19