Political Science American Government

Political Science American Government Why is it important to study American politics and government? - We become informed voters, to understand their Constitutional rights, to know their responsibilities under the law and to think about how processes can be improved to benefit society. What concept will we use this semester to evaluate the U.S. form of government? What does it mean? - Democracy- a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives. What is the prevailing theory for how significant political change in U.S. public policy occurs? - Economy and social change. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems. Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. According to Greenberg/Page and Hudson, what are the three common elements (Hudson) or benchmarks (Greenberg/Page) of a democratic form of government? Describe each in 1-2 sentences. - Individualism, Populism, Religion Individualism- being independent and self-reliant. Populism- support for the concerns of ordinary people. Religion- Beliefs and customs learned, To follow What are the four models of democracy developed by Hudson? Why are they important? - Protective Democracy- A government that protect individual liberties and their money. Developmental Democracy- A government that is focused on the collective good of the population. Pluralist Democracy- A government that is collected by the people to decide what is best for the population. Participatory Democracy- A government where the people have a right to fight for what they want. What do Greenberg/Page, Hudson, and Dahl say about the prospects for democracy in the United States? - Workplace democracy, advocates of workplace democracy- means allowing employees to have a strong voice in the direction and decisions within your organization. It has become increasingly popular in the early 21st century as businesses have encouraged participative management and emphasized employees as major assets. Describe three non-democratic forms of govenrment - 1- Oligarchy- Gov't run by few wealthy people 2- Monarchy- This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and rules for life or until abdication. 3- Theocracy- a form of government in which official policy is governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or is pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religion or religious group. 4- Aristocracy- a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule; this is usually contrasted with democracy, in which all citizens are able to rule. How prevalent is democracy around the world? - World's largest Democracy: India Democracy in decline around the world, Many countries have republics of some kind, a form of democracy so their government runs smoothly and there's even power distributed What does Robert Dahl think are the major challenges to democracy? - Contemporary Politics: the tension between economic liberty and equality; and the question of how the people rule in complex modern society, especially in the era of communication technology and globalization. In what ways are John Locke's philosophical ideas reflected in the Declaration of Independence? - The Declaration of Independence reflects John Locke's social contract by withdrawing their obligation to obey the monarchy, by grouping colonists to change leadership because they believed the monarchy failed to protect their rights. What is the purpose of and message conveyed in the Declaration of Independence? - The main purpose of America's Declaration of Independence was to explain to foreign nations why the colonies had chosen to separate themselves from Great Britain. The Revolutionary War had already begun, and several major battles had already taken place. What forms of government was created by the Articles of Confederation? What were its major features or characteristics? - The Articles of Confederation were put into effect in March of 1781, just a few months before the victory at Yorktown. The Articles linked the 13 states together to deal with common problems, but in practice they did little more than provide a legal basis for the limited authority that the Continental Congress was already exercising. The Congress still had no courts, no power to levy taxes, no