Understanding Understanding GovernmentGovernmentWhat is government?What is government?Why is it necessary?Why is it necessary?How does it work?How does it work?

What is Government?What is Government?

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Types of Government: Types of Government:

Governments are defined based on Governments are defined based on who who governs and governs and how muchhow much

governmental control is permitted. governmental control is permitted.

AutocracyAutocracy

• Government run by Government run by a single persona single person

• Dictatorships, Dictatorships, monarchies, etc. monarchies, etc. are examples of are examples of autocracies autocracies

OligarchyOligarchy

• Governed by a Governed by a small group, small group, usually wealthy usually wealthy merchants, merchants, landowners, or landowners, or military officersmilitary officers

DemocracyDemocracy

• More people More people participate in participate in government, government, and the and the populace has populace has some some influence over influence over decision decision makingmaking

Two Types of Democracy:Two Types of Democracy:

• ““Direct” Democracy:Direct” Democracy:– All (or at least most) citizens hold office All (or at least most) citizens hold office

or participate directly in making policyor participate directly in making policy– Aristotle called “the rule of the many”Aristotle called “the rule of the many”– Many states use direct democracy Many states use direct democracy

through initiatives & referendums through initiatives & referendums (policy choices that appear on a ballot)(policy choices that appear on a ballot)

Two Types of DemocracyTwo Types of Democracy

• Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy– Leaders are chosen by the people to Leaders are chosen by the people to

make policy choicesmake policy choices– Used by most democracies today Used by most democracies today

(including U.S.)(including U.S.)– Favored by the Founding FathersFavored by the Founding Fathers

Issues Concerning Issues Concerning Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy

• Communication must be free and Communication must be free and untainteduntainted

• Competition (elections) must be Competition (elections) must be presentpresent

• Must decide which offices are Must decide which offices are elected/appointedelected/appointed

• Who pays for campaigns?Who pays for campaigns?

Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy

PROPRO CONCONImpractical for the people to Impractical for the people to decide on all public issuesdecide on all public issues

The people don’t get to make The people don’t get to make decisions about policydecisions about policy

Representatives act as mediators Representatives act as mediators of public opinion, looking out for of public opinion, looking out for public goodpublic good

Does not necessarily reflect the Does not necessarily reflect the “will of the people”“will of the people”

Government proceeds slowly, Government proceeds slowly, prevents government from doing prevents government from doing great harm (Prevents tyranny)great harm (Prevents tyranny)

Proceeds slowly, often results in Proceeds slowly, often results in “gridlock”. Citizens complain that “gridlock”. Citizens complain that government can’t get anything government can’t get anything donedone

Governmental Control Governmental Control • Governments that are Governments that are limitedlimited in what they can do are called in what they can do are called

constitutionalconstitutional . . These governments are controlled by both These governments are controlled by both Substantive (what they can do) and Procedural (how they can Substantive (what they can do) and Procedural (how they can do it) limitations.do it) limitations.

• Governments that have no legal limits, but are kept in check Governments that have no legal limits, but are kept in check by forces they cannot control (an organized church, by forces they cannot control (an organized church, autonomous territories, organized labor/business groups) are autonomous territories, organized labor/business groups) are called called authoritarianauthoritarian..

• Finally, governments that lack any legal limitations and seek Finally, governments that lack any legal limitations and seek to eliminate any challenges to their authority are called to eliminate any challenges to their authority are called totalitariantotalitarian. These governments typically attempt to . These governments typically attempt to dominate or control every sphere of political, economic, and dominate or control every sphere of political, economic, and social life.social life.

Why is government Why is government necessary?necessary?

It depends on who you It depends on who you ask…..ask…..According to Thomas According to Thomas

Hobbes (1588-Hobbes (1588-1679), government 1679), government is necessary is necessary because without it, because without it, we would all kill we would all kill each other and each other and steal everyone steal everyone else’s stuff.else’s stuff.

The State of NatureThe State of Nature

• Hobbes defined a Hobbes defined a period without period without government as the government as the “state of nature”“state of nature”

• Life in the state of Life in the state of nature is “nasty, nature is “nasty, brutish, and short”brutish, and short”

• As such, people create As such, people create Social Contracts Social Contracts (governments) to (governments) to maintain ordermaintain order

But that’s not all….But that’s not all….

John Locke (1632-1704) took Hobbes’ ideas John Locke (1632-1704) took Hobbes’ ideas a step further, claiming that government a step further, claiming that government was necessary to was necessary to protectprotect propertyproperty..

And finally…And finally…

• Philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) went even Philosopher David Hume (1711-1776) went even further, arguing that government was necessary in further, arguing that government was necessary in order to order to provide public goodsprovide public goods. .

• Hume believed that only government could solve Hume believed that only government could solve the “free-rider problem” the “free-rider problem”

• The “free-rider problem” arises when some The “free-rider problem” arises when some individuals realize they can enjoy the benefits of a individuals realize they can enjoy the benefits of a good without putting forth any of the work. good without putting forth any of the work.

• Governments have the coercive power to solve the Governments have the coercive power to solve the “free-rider problem” (Usually through taxation)“free-rider problem” (Usually through taxation)

• Examples of Examples of public goodspublic goods include National include National Defense, create legal tender, and build bridges, etc. Defense, create legal tender, and build bridges, etc.

How is power distributed?How is power distributed?

Power and AuthorityPower and Authority

• Power:Power:– The ability to get another to act in accord with The ability to get another to act in accord with

one’s intentionsone’s intentions– Some power is Some power is overtovert while some is more while some is more subtlesubtle

• Authority:Authority:– Authority is the legal right to use powerAuthority is the legal right to use power– We accept decisions from the government if We accept decisions from the government if

we believe they come from those who have the we believe they come from those who have the right to make them (legitimacy)right to make them (legitimacy)

– The Constitution is recognized as the source of The Constitution is recognized as the source of legitimacy in the United Stateslegitimacy in the United States

Distribution of Political Distribution of Political PowerPower

• Policy reflects the Policy reflects the views of those people views of those people who who participate participate activelyactively in policy in policy making (the “political making (the “political elite”)elite”)

• Political elites are Political elites are identifiable groups identifiable groups that possess a that possess a disproportionate share disproportionate share of powerof power

Theories of Political PowerTheories of Political Power

• Marxist TheoryMarxist Theory

• Nongovernmental Elite TheoryNongovernmental Elite Theory

• Bureaucratic TheoryBureaucratic Theory

• Pluralist TheoryPluralist Theory

Marxist TheoryMarxist Theory

• Government is a reflection Government is a reflection of economic forcesof economic forces

• All societies are divided All societies are divided into economic classesinto economic classes

• The class dominating the The class dominating the economy also controls the economy also controls the governmentgovernment

• The government The government represents the richrepresents the rich

Nongovernmental Elitist Nongovernmental Elitist TheoryTheory

• An elite group makes most of the An elite group makes most of the major government decisionsmajor government decisions

• Corporate leaders, military officers, Corporate leaders, military officers, key political leaders dominate policy key political leaders dominate policy

• Actions are coordinated to serve the Actions are coordinated to serve the interests of the eliteinterests of the elite

Bureaucratic TheoryBureaucratic Theory

• True political power belongs to the True political power belongs to the bureaucrats (those who operate bureaucrats (those who operate government agencies)government agencies)

• All government institutions have fallen All government institutions have fallen under the control of vast bureaucraciesunder the control of vast bureaucracies

• Bureaucrats possess the expertise and Bureaucrats possess the expertise and specialized skills that are essential to specialized skills that are essential to the management of contemporary the management of contemporary affairs affairs

Pluralist TheoryPluralist Theory

• No single elite has a monopoly on No single elite has a monopoly on powerpower

• Resources such as money, prestige, Resources such as money, prestige, expertise, and access to the media are expertise, and access to the media are too widely distributedtoo widely distributed

• While not distributed equally, While not distributed equally, resources are sufficiently divided resources are sufficiently divided among various groups to assure an among various groups to assure an opportunity for everyone to participateopportunity for everyone to participate

What about American What about American Government?Government?

Four Facts of American Four Facts of American Government:Government:

1.1. The National The National Government is Government is HUGEHUGE

2.2. People turn to People turn to government to government to solve problemssolve problems

3.3. Perfection cannot Perfection cannot be achievedbe achieved

4.4. Government is Government is complexcomplex

Four Facts of American Four Facts of American Government:Government:

1. Government is 1. Government is BIGBIG– American government American government

has increased in scope, has increased in scope, size and influence size and influence since 1930since 1930

– The national The national government today is government today is an enormous an enormous institution with institution with programs and policies programs and policies reaching into every reaching into every corner of American lifecorner of American life

Four Facts of American Four Facts of American Government:Government:

2.2. People turn to government to solve People turn to government to solve problems.problems.

- Majority of Americans support an Majority of Americans support an “active” national government“active” national government

- More than half of voters believe it is More than half of voters believe it is important for the government to important for the government to provide more services, even if it provide more services, even if it requires more spending requires more spending

Four Facts of American Four Facts of American Government:Government:

3.3. Perfection is Perfection is unattainable unattainable

- different actors - different actors have different have different outlooks and outlooks and interestsinterests

- Political life - Political life requires compromise requires compromise and cooperation and cooperation among those with among those with competing goalscompeting goals

Four Facts of American Four Facts of American Government:Government:

4.4. Government politics and policy are Government politics and policy are COMPLEXCOMPLEX

- - policy requires coordination with many policy requires coordination with many different levels of government and non-different levels of government and non-governmental agenciesgovernmental agencies

- the “government” is actually a complex - the “government” is actually a complex arrangement of institutions and arrangement of institutions and processes that are frequently disjointed processes that are frequently disjointed and often work against each otherand often work against each other

Change Over TimeChange Over Time

• Perceptions of American government Perceptions of American government have changed dramatically have changed dramatically throughout history (and continue to throughout history (and continue to change)change)

• What government does today is What government does today is heavily affected by what it did heavily affected by what it did yesterdayyesterday

Changes in Domestic PolicyChanges in Domestic Policy

• 1920s – Small federal (national) 1920s – Small federal (national) government, plays a minimal role in government, plays a minimal role in people’s livespeople’s lives

• 1930s – 1970s government expands as 1930s – 1970s government expands as people look to government to solve people look to government to solve economic and social problems (creation of economic and social problems (creation of a “safety net” for all Americans)a “safety net” for all Americans)

• 1980s trend reverses as spending for 1980s trend reverses as spending for social programs decreases, taxes are cut, social programs decreases, taxes are cut, (Reagan Revolution)(Reagan Revolution)

• Today: ????Today: ????

Changes in Foreign PolicyChanges in Foreign Policy

• Founding – policy was a direct response to Founding – policy was a direct response to British/French actionBritish/French action

• 1840s-1890s – imperialism, expansion of 1840s-1890s – imperialism, expansion of influence throughout the worldinfluence throughout the world

• 1890s -1940s – Isolationism prevalent until 1890s -1940s – Isolationism prevalent until WWIIWWII

• 1950s – Today – Global Superpower, 1950s – Today – Global Superpower, embraces role as international leaderembraces role as international leader

ReviewReview

• What is government?What is government?– Government is defined by the number of Government is defined by the number of

people who are in control, and the limits people who are in control, and the limits placed on the government itselfplaced on the government itself

• Why is government necessary?Why is government necessary?– To maintain orderTo maintain order– To protect propertyTo protect property– To provide public goodsTo provide public goods