Thomas E. Patterson

By Diane Feibel, Ed.D.

Chapter 1

3© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved.

Learning to Think PoliticallyPolitical thinking:

Involves the careful gathering and sifting of information to form a knowledgeable view about a political issue

Important for responsible citizenship

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 4

Learning to Think PoliticallyBarriers to political thinking

Main barrier: unwillingness of citizens to make the effort to self-inform

Changes in media consumption: more people consume biased cable television and Internet blogs

“Spin” by political leaders and government entitiesResearch shows faulty perceptions becoming more

prevalent

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 5

Learning to Think PoliticallyWhat political science can contribute to political thinking

Political science: the systematic study of government and politics

A descriptive and analytical discipline; can increase ability to think politically

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 6

Learning to Think PoliticallyWhat political science can contribute to political thinking

Political science can provide deeper analysisShows that America’s culture of individualism

was important obstacle to whole-scale healthcare reformIndividualistic culture has roots in colonial wilderness

societyPolls shows continued strength of individualism

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 7

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsPolitical culture:

Derived from a country’s traditions Defines the relationship between citizens and governmentAmerica’s core ideals are rooted in the European heritage of

the first white settlers

© 2014, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 8

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsCore political values:

LibertyIndividualismEqualitySelf-government

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 9

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsCore political values

Liberty Individuals should be free to act as they choose Unsettled land fostered freedom through migration Many fled Europe to escape religious persecution

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 10

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsCore political values

Individualism The individual is paramount; government is secondary Government’s role is to serve the people Tocqueville: Americans’ chief aim is to “remain their own

masters”

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 11

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsCore political values

Equality European aristocratic privilege versus American equal treatment

under the law Perplexing ideal in the early years of the nation: Some were free

while others were enslaved Differing opinions on the meaning of equality persist

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 12

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsCore political values

Self-government American colonials had substantial self-determination Vision of a self governing nation with powers “…from the

consent of the governed”

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 13

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsThe limits and power of America’s ideals

America’s cultural beliefs are idealisticFailures to meet the high ideals:

Slavery Post-slavery “Jim Crow” era Racial immigration and property restrictions

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 14

Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring BeliefsThe limits and power of America’s ideals

Reaching to meet the high ideals: Abolition and suffrage movements Emancipation Civil rights movement Public education Higher education

© 2014, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 15

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 16

Politics and Power in AmericaPolitics: the means by which society settles its conflicts

and allocates the resulting benefits and costsPower: the ability of persons, groups, or institutions to

influence political developmentsAuthoritarian and totalitarian governments:

nondemocratic, repressive regime types

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 17

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 18

Politics and Power in AmericaA democratic system

System in which the people govern, by direct or representative means

In practice, majority rule through the free and open election of representatives

Majoritarianism: the majority effectively determines what government does

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 19

Politics and Power in AmericaA democratic system

Pluralism: the preference of the special interest that largely determines what government does

Authority: the recognized right of officials to exercise power

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 20

Politics and Power in AmericaA constitutional system

The Constitution: elaborate checks and balances, Bill of Rights

Constitutionalism: idea that there are lawful restrictions on government’s power

Restraints on majority powerJudicial action channel through which ordinary citizens can

exercise power

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 21

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 22

Politics and Power in AmericaA free market system

Operates mainly on private transactionsSome government intervention through regulatory, taxing,

and spending policiesTax rate much lower in U.S. than in European countriesCorporate power: influence firms have over policymakersElitism: power exercised by the influential few

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 23

Politics and Power in AmericaWho does govern?

Defining characteristic of American politics: widespread sharing of power

Women and minorities initially excluded; their power will steadily grow over time

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 24

The Text’s OrganizationThe constitutional systemThe political role of citizens and intermediariesGoverning officials, the elective institutions, and their

appointive bodiesFocus on public policies throughout bookFocus on difficulty of governing effectively, and how

important it is to try

© 2015, McGraw-Hill Education. All Rights Reserved. 25