chapter 1: introducing government in america

Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman

Chapter 1: Introducing Government in America

• Government• Politics• The Policymaking System• Democracy• The Scope of Government in America• Summary


GovernmentLO 1.1: Describe the key functions of government and explain why they matter.

• Government makes public policies made for society.

• Governments must perform five basic functions.• Maintain a national defense.• Provide public services.• Preserve order.• Socialize the young.• Collect taxes.

To Learning Objectives

LO 1.1



PoliticsLO 1.2: Define the various aspects of politics.

• Politics is the process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies they pursue.

• Harold Lasswell defines politics as the struggle over who gets what, when, and how.



The Policymaking SystemLO 1.3: Assess how citizens can have an impact on public policy and how policies can impact people.

• People Shape Policy• Policies Impact People


LO 1.3



The Policymaking System

• People Shape Policy• People have interests, problems, and

concerns.• The four linkage institutions are political

parties, elections, mass media, and interest groups.

LO 1.3




• People Shape Policy (cont.)• Policy agenda is the issues that attract the

serious attention of public officials.• The four policymaking institutions are the

legislative branch, executive branch, judicial branch, and the bureaucracy.

LO 1.3




• Policies Impact People• Public policy is a choice that government

makes in response to a political issue.• Policy impacts are the effects a policy has

on people and problems.

LO 1.3


LO 1.3



DemocracyLO 1.4: List the key principles of democracy, theories regarding how it works in practice, and challenges it faces today.

• Traditional Democratic Theory• Three Contemporary Theories of

American Democracy• Challenges to Democracy• American Political Culture and

Democracy• A Culture War?• Preview Questions about Democracy


LO 1.4



Democracy

• Traditional Democratic Theory• Democracy is a system in which policy

represents and responds to the public’s preferences.

• Five components of Traditional Democratic Theory are equality in voting, effective participation, enlightened understanding, citizen control of the agenda, and inclusion.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• Three Contemporary Theories of American Democracy• Pluralist Theory is a theory of government

and policies emphasizing that politics is mainly a competition among groups, each one pressing for its own preferred policies.

• Groups must bargain and compromise to get policies.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• Three Contemporary Theories of American Democracy (cont.)• Elite and Class Theory contends that

societies are divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite will rule.

• Policies benefit those with money and power.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• Three Contemporary Theories of American Democracy (cont.)• Hyperpluralism is a theory of government

and politics contending that groups are so strong that government is weakened.

• Confusing and contradictory policies result from politicians trying to placate every group.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• Challenges to Democracy• Increased complexity of issues make it

harder for citizens to make decisions.• Limited participation in government,

especially voting.• Escalating campaign costs stop people

from running for office.• Diverse political interests result into policy

gridlock.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• American Political Culture and Democracy• Political culture is an overall set of values

widely shared within a society.• Five elements of American political culture

are liberty, egalitarianism, individualism, laissez-faire, and populism.

LO 1.4


LO 1.4



Democracy

• A Culture War?• James Q. Wilson believes that America is a

more polarized nation today than at any time in living memory.

• Other scholars believe that there is relatively little evidence of a so-called culture war going on among ordinary American citizens.

LO 1.4



Democracy

• Preview Questions about Democracy• Are people knowledgeable about matters

of public policy?• If there are choices, do the media help

citizens understand them?• Is Congress representative of American

society, and is it capable of reacting to changing times?

LO 1.4



The Scope of Government in AmericaLO 1.5: Explain the debate in America over the proper scope of government.

• How Active Is American Government?

• Preview Questions about the Scope of Government



The Scope of Government in America

• How Active Is American Government?• Spends $3.8 trillion yearly.• Employs 2.8 million civilians and 1.4 million

in the military.• It owns one-third of the land in the United

States.• It occupies 2.6 billion square feet of office

space.

LO 1.5



The Scope of Government in America

• Preview Questions about the Scope of Government• What role did the Constitution’s authors

foresee for the federal government?• Does the public favor a large, active

government?• Is Congress too responsive to the

demands of the public and organized interests?

LO 1.5



Photo Credits

page 2: Chuck Kennedy/Getty; 3T: AP Photo; 3TC: Getty Images; 3TB: Jewel Samad/Getty Images; 3B: Joseph Sohm/Corbis; 5: Colorblend Images/Getty Images; 7: AFP/Getty Images; 8: AP Photo;9: AP Photo; 10: AFP Getty Images; 12 AFP Getty Images; 14: Chris Wildt/www.cartoonstock.com; 16: Alex Wong/Getty Images; 18: Joseph Sohm/Corbis; 20: Robert Trippett/Sipa; 21: David Horsey; 23: Jewel Sammad/Getty Images


Text Credits

U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Surveys. Data can be found at http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/historical/index.html.

chapter 1: introducing government in america

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