basic concepts of democracy “no government demands so much from the citizen as democracy, and none...
TRANSCRIPT
Basic Concepts of Democracy
“No government demands so much from the citizen as Democracy, and none gives so much
back”
What does our democratic government demand from you?
What do you get in return?
September 16, 2013September 16, 2013
Objectives: Students should be able Objectives: Students should be able to identify the concepts of to identify the concepts of democracy and the early forms of democracy and the early forms of governmental influence.governmental influence.
Question: What does equality mean? Question: What does equality mean? Give an example. Give an example.
Agenda: Notes/finish and turn in Agenda: Notes/finish and turn in packetpacket
Worth of the Individual
• WHAT? • Puts the individual first, every
individual is important. Respect other individuals at all times
• For example: • Laws aimed at limiting
abortion, laws geared to special need students
• Exception: Sometimes a few individuals make sacrifices for the majority
Worth of the IndividualWorth of the Individual
Balance between Balance between individual freedom individual freedom and needs of all and needs of all the people in the people in society society
Declaration of Declaration of Independence Independence
Universal Universal Declaration of Declaration of Human RightsHuman Rights
Equality of All Persons
• WHAT: • Democracy provides the
equality of opportunity and equality before the law. No person can be held back for any reason based on race, gender, religion etc.
• For example: • Every person should have an
equal chance for success and should be treated the same under the law
Equality of All Persons Equality of All Persons Equality of Equality of
opportunityopportunity and and equality equality under the under the lawlaw
What is “equality What is “equality of opportunity?” of opportunity?”
Why does the text Why does the text dismiss the idea of dismiss the idea of “material equality” “material equality” so quickly? so quickly?
Do ”worldly goods” Do ”worldly goods” sometimes help sometimes help “opportunity?” “opportunity?”
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
• WHAT: • The will of the people and
not the few determines public policy
• The majority must recognize the voice/rights of the minority- must listen to the a
minority’s argument, criticism, objections and suggestions
Majority Rule, Minority Majority Rule, Minority RightsRights
Majority rule Majority rule restrained by restrained by minority rightsminority rights
EXEX: public : public breastfeeding/civil breastfeeding/civil unions are unions are “minority rights.” “minority rights.”
Why do Why do democracies democracies protect the rights protect the rights of the minority? of the minority?
How are minority rights How are minority rights protected in a “majority rules” protected in a “majority rules”
system? system? CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE VOTING VOTING
RIGHTS ACT OF 1965RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 AS A CASE AS A CASE STUDYSTUDY
How are minority rights How are minority rights protected in “majority protected in “majority rule” system?rule” system?
1) Public Pressure/Civil 1) Public Pressure/Civil Disobedience Disobedience
Branches of government: Branches of government: Legislative Branch (Congress)Legislative Branch (Congress)
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Executive (President)The Executive (President) Lyndon Johnson with MLK, after Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965
Why was the Voting Rights Act Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 necessary? of 1965 necessary?
Southern post- Reconstruction (> Southern post- Reconstruction (> 1877)1877)
governments devised loopholes to governments devised loopholes to keep African-Americans from voting: keep African-Americans from voting:
• Literacy tests /constitutional Literacy tests /constitutional teststests
• Poll taxesPoll taxes
It all began with Freedom It all began with Freedom Summer 1964Summer 1964
Northern white liberals joined Northern white liberals joined southern blacks to register black southern blacks to register black voters.voters.
It was difficult and dangerous and It was difficult and dangerous and people lost their lives to register people lost their lives to register
black votersblack voters SchwernerSchwerner Chaney Chaney GoodmanGoodman
Edgar Ray Killen: convicted Edgar Ray Killen: convicted years later years later
An example of the An example of the failurefailure to to protect minority rightsprotect minority rights
1943: Internment camp Heart Mountain, WY
Necessity of Compromise
• WHAT: • In a democracy we make
decisions through compromise to satisfy the largest number of people
• Compromise is blending different views
• Each sides gives and takes to find a position that most can accept
• Compromise is important since there are many sides/angels to an issue
Necessity of CompromiseNecessity of Compromise
Our Our representatives representatives must compromise must compromise to get legislation to get legislation passedpassed
EX: Civil Rights Act of EX: Civil Rights Act of 1964 /Voting Rights 1964 /Voting Rights Act of 1965Act of 1965
Describe a recent Describe a recent failure at failure at compromise in compromise in CongressCongress
President Johnson “working the phones”
Individual Freedom
• WHAT: • Democracy can thrive only
in an atmosphere of individual freedom, but cannot provide complete freedom
• Each person must be as free to do as he/she pleases as far as freedom of all will allow
Individual FreedomIndividual Freedom
NotNot absolute absolute but balanced but balanced with rights of with rights of the majority the majority
EX: EX: Tinker v Tinker v Des MoinesDes Moines (1969)(1969)
Economic Freedom: Economic Freedom: The Free Enterprise SystemThe Free Enterprise System
Private Private ownership of land ownership of land and businessand business
Success or failure Success or failure determined by determined by competitioncompetition in the in the marketplacemarketplace
In reality, heavily In reality, heavily regulatedregulated by the by the government and government and much of the market much of the market is controlled by big is controlled by big businessbusiness
Final 5Final 5
What is an example of an individual What is an example of an individual freedom/right?freedom/right?