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1.3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY

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AMERICAN GOVERNMENTMR. HOOD18 SEPTEMBER 2013

1.3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY

AMERICAN GOVERNMENTMR. HOOD`S NOTES18 SEPTEMBER 2013

WHY IT MATTERS

DEMOCRACY INSISTS ON THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE OF EACH AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL. THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM IS A NATUAL COUNTERPART TO DEMOCRACY – FOR IT, TOO, IS BUILT ON THE CONCEPT OF INDIVIDUALISM.

OBJECTIVE 1UNDERSTAND THE FOUNDATIONS OF

DEMOCRACY

DEMOCRACY IS NOT

I N E V I T A B L E

IT WILL EXIST ONLY IF THE PEOPLE WANT

IT TO

THE AMERICAN CONCEPT OF

DEMOCRACY…

…RESTS ON THESE

BASIC NOTIONS

(1) WORTH OF THE INDIVIDUAL

(2) EQUALITY OF ALL PERSONS

(3) MAJORITY RULE, MINORITY RIGHTS

(4) NECESSITY OF COMPROMISE

(5) INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM

OBJECTIVE 2ANALYZE THE

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN DEMOCRACY AND THE

FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM

AMERICAN COMMITMENT TO FREEDOM IS DEEP-

ROOTED

EVIDENT IN THE NATION`S ECONOMIC

SYSTEM

THE FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM

FREE ENTERPRISE IS BASED ON FOUR FUNDAMENTAL

FACTORS

(1) PRIVATE OWNERSHIP

(2) INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE

(3) PROFIT

(4) COMPETITION

FREE ENTERPRISE IS OFTEN CALLED

CAPITALISM

DOES NOT RELY OF G O V E R N M E

N T

DECISIONS ARE MADE BY THE

MARKET

LAW OF SUPPLY + DEMAND

GOODS ARE PLENTIFUL, PRICES DROP

GOODS ARE SCARCE, PRICES RISE

DEMOCRACY IS A

POLITICAL SYSTEM

FREE ENTERPRISE IS AN

ECONOMIC SYSTEM

HOWEVER, BOTH BASED ON CONCEPT OF INDIVIDUAL

FREEDOM

BASIS OF AMERICAN

GOVERNMENT IS A FREE MARKET

HOWEVER, GOVERNMENT PLAYS ROLE IN AMERICAN

ECONOMY

PRIVATE ENTERPRISE EXISTS WITH GOVERNMENT

REGULATION

THIS IS CALLED A MIXED ECONOMY

SERVES TWO PURPOSES:

TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC

+ PRESERVE PRIVATE ENTERPRISE

OBJECTIVE 3IDENTIFY THE ROLE OF

THE INTERNET IN A DEMOCRACY

AT LEAST 180 MILLION

AMERICANS HAVE INTERNET ACCESS

CYBERSPACE HAS BECOME MAJOR

MARKETPLACE

DEMOCRACY DEMANDS PEOPLE ARE WIDELY

INFORMED

SO INTERNET AND GOVERNMENT ARE MADE

FOR ONE ANOTHER

PARTICIPATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IS

EASIER THAN EVER

BUT THERE IS LOTS OF FALSE INFORMATION ON THE

INTERNET

SOME ARGUE ELECTIONS SHOULD BE

HELD ONLINE

BUT NO WAY TO GUARANTEE

ABSOLUTE INTEGRITY OF VOTING SYSTEM