Post on 30-Dec-2015
transcript
Form a more perfect union Establish Justice Insure Domestic Tranquility Provide for the Common Defense Promote General Welfare Secure Blessings of Liberty
“A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good…For the American idea, though it is shared by all of us, is realized in each one of us.” Barbara Jordan
1. Who Participates Autocratic vs. Democratic
2. Selecting the Executive 3. Geographic Distribution of Power
Autocracy- “self-rule” one ruler who arbitrarily rules and controls the people’s lives in the name of the people Monarchy-Denmark Dictatorship-former Iraq Totalitarian- Peoples’ Republic of China,
former Soviet Union
Oligarchy-rule by few Junta- rule by military (former Chile,
Thailand, Pakistan) Aristocracy- rule by landed classes (former
Mexico) Theocracy- rule by religious officials (Iran,
Vatican)
An ideal democracy should have Equality in voting Effective participation Enlightened understanding Citizen control of agenda Inclusion
(also majority rule with minority rights)
Pluralist Theory: politics is defined by competition between groups pressing for its own policies and then finding compromise to serve the public interest “nation of joiners” de Tocqueville Group membership may be declining
Elite and Class Theory: society is divided along class lines and the upper class elite will always rule We are not home to the market place that Adam Smith
wrote about Hyperpluralism: a perverted pluralism, groups are
so strong and so many that government is weakened If a group loses in Congress, they have the Courts Politicians try to placate every group leading to muddled
public policy
PARLIAMENTARY-EXECUTIVE IS PART OF LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND CHOSEN BY ITS MAJORITY PARTY
PRESIDENTIAL-EXECUTIVE CHOSEN AT LARGE BY VOTERS
More cooperation between the executive and the legislature-questions with the Prime Minister once a week
More accountability for the executive-legislature can ask for vote of no confidence
Cabinet officials play an active role in enactment of legislation
President not as representative as the Prime Minister
Allows one party to go unchecked
Instability
Unitary System People
Big Governmen
t
Local Governmen
t
Local Governmen
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The Big Government makes policies for the local governments as well as handle national affairs: examples France, Britain, China, Egypt
Confederal: The people establish the local governments which give to the national government (power that is extremely limited) (Articles of Confederation, Confederate States of America)
Federal: Power is constitutionally divided between levels of government, and their legitimacy comes from the people
Marxism/Leninism: central control of economy-total equality and security
Socialism: government control of economy-economic equality, political liberty
Liberalism: active government to achieve economic and social equality-political liberty, economic security, equal opportunity
Conservative: protect capitalism, political liberty, economic liberty, social order
Libertarianism: least government is best government
Issue Locke: Second Treatise on Government
Hobbes: Leviathan
Human nature and natural law
Man is by nature a social animal and they have an ability to know right and wrong and what is theirs and someone else’s
Man is not by nature a social animal, society only exists through the state and property only exists through the state
The State of Nature
Men were honest, and while insecure it was peaceful, good and pleasant
No society, man lives in continual fear of death; life is solitary, poor, short
The Social Contract
We give up our right to ourselves exact retribution for crimes in return for impartial justice
If you shut up and do as your told, you have right not to be killed
Violation of Social Contract
If a ruler seeks absolute power, he is in a state of war with citizens and they have a right to kill the ruler
No right to rebel; ruler’s define good and evil
Role of the State
The only role of the state is to ensure that justice is being done
Whatever the state does is just by definition
Adapted from www.jim.com/hobbes.htm