Chapter One
The Foundations of American
Government
What is Politics?
? The struggle or process that people engage
in to decide which members of society get
certain benefits or privileges and which
members of society are excluded from
benefits or privileges
What is Government?
? An institution,or ongoing organization with
a life over and above the lives of the
individuals who are part of it at any given
moment in time
? The institution within which decisions are
made that resolve conflicts or allocate
benefits and privileges
Why Do We Need Government?
? Security
? Order
Types of Government
? Totalitarian regime – rule by a small group or an
individual dictator
? Authoritarianism – only the government (not social and
economic institutions) are fully controlled by the ruler
? Oligarchy – rule by a few elites,who make decisions to
benefit their own group
? Aristocracy – initially rule by the best suited,which meant
the wealthy,later it meant titled nobility
? Democracy – political power is vested in the people
? Direct democracy – when citizens vote directly on laws
What Kind of Democracy Do We
Have?
? Majoritarianism – the political theory that,in a
democracy,the government should do what the
majority of the people want
? Elite theory – the idea that society is ruled by a
small group who exercise power in their self-
interest
? Pluralism – a theory that views politics as conflict
among interest groups,where decisions are made
through bargaining and compromise
Fundamental Values
? Liberty versus Order
? Economic equality versus the Right to
Property
Ideology
? A closely linked set of beliefs about the
goal of politics and the most desirable
political order
– Liberalism advocates government action to
improve the welfare of individuals,support for
civil rights and tolerance for social change
– Conservatism advocates a limited role for the
government in helping individuals and support
for traditional values and lifestyles
Table 1-1,The Traditional
Political Spectrum
Socialism Liberalism Conservatism Libertarianism
How much
power
should the
government
have over
the
economy?
Active
government
control of
major
economic
sectors,
Positive
government
action in the
economy,
Positive government
action to support
capitalism,
Almost no regulation
of the economy,
What
should the
government
promote?
Economic
equality,
community,
Economic
security,equal
opportunity,
social liberty,
Economic liberty,
morality,social
order,
Total economic and
social liberty,
Figure 1-1,A Four-Cornered
Ideological Grid
Hot Links to Selected Internet
Resources,
? Book’s Companion Site,
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com/schmidtbrie
f2004
? Wadsworth’s Political Science Site,
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com
? Government Resources on the Web,
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/govweb.html
? Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy,
http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP
The Foundations of American
Government
What is Politics?
? The struggle or process that people engage
in to decide which members of society get
certain benefits or privileges and which
members of society are excluded from
benefits or privileges
What is Government?
? An institution,or ongoing organization with
a life over and above the lives of the
individuals who are part of it at any given
moment in time
? The institution within which decisions are
made that resolve conflicts or allocate
benefits and privileges
Why Do We Need Government?
? Security
? Order
Types of Government
? Totalitarian regime – rule by a small group or an
individual dictator
? Authoritarianism – only the government (not social and
economic institutions) are fully controlled by the ruler
? Oligarchy – rule by a few elites,who make decisions to
benefit their own group
? Aristocracy – initially rule by the best suited,which meant
the wealthy,later it meant titled nobility
? Democracy – political power is vested in the people
? Direct democracy – when citizens vote directly on laws
What Kind of Democracy Do We
Have?
? Majoritarianism – the political theory that,in a
democracy,the government should do what the
majority of the people want
? Elite theory – the idea that society is ruled by a
small group who exercise power in their self-
interest
? Pluralism – a theory that views politics as conflict
among interest groups,where decisions are made
through bargaining and compromise
Fundamental Values
? Liberty versus Order
? Economic equality versus the Right to
Property
Ideology
? A closely linked set of beliefs about the
goal of politics and the most desirable
political order
– Liberalism advocates government action to
improve the welfare of individuals,support for
civil rights and tolerance for social change
– Conservatism advocates a limited role for the
government in helping individuals and support
for traditional values and lifestyles
Table 1-1,The Traditional
Political Spectrum
Socialism Liberalism Conservatism Libertarianism
How much
power
should the
government
have over
the
economy?
Active
government
control of
major
economic
sectors,
Positive
government
action in the
economy,
Positive government
action to support
capitalism,
Almost no regulation
of the economy,
What
should the
government
promote?
Economic
equality,
community,
Economic
security,equal
opportunity,
social liberty,
Economic liberty,
morality,social
order,
Total economic and
social liberty,
Figure 1-1,A Four-Cornered
Ideological Grid
Hot Links to Selected Internet
Resources,
? Book’s Companion Site,
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com/schmidtbrie
f2004
? Wadsworth’s Political Science Site,
http://politicalscience.wadsworth.com
? Government Resources on the Web,
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/govweb.html
? Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy,
http://www.puaf.umd.edu/IPPP
