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Chapter 1: People, Politics,
and Participation
American Democracy Now, 3/e
Why Should You Study American
Democracy Now?
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Politics practiced today is not the same as
your parents’ brand of politics!
What’s changed?
Technology: communication & information
World events: September 11, 2001,
Afghanistan & Iraq Wars
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How Technology Has Changed
Politics
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High speed computers, internet, micro-targeting
& cellular technology
Information sources: Facebook, Twitter, Internetbased news sites
Campaigns: email, instant & text messaging,
social networking sites
Computers used to conduct elections & for
government services
Opportunities & challenges
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The Political Context Now
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9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq
1970s-2000- Increased cynicism, lower trust &
efficacy, low voter turnout
2000 study of undergraduates: 2/3s did not trust
government to do right thing most of time
(reflecting wider public views)
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The Political Context Now: Effect of
9/11
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Increased trust in government
Upsurge in patriotism
Increased voluntarism
Optimism for future
But this faded as Iraq war/economy soured
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The Political Context Now
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Trust in government has declined
But increased voter turnout among young in
2004 & 2008 & other forms of participationinternet & consumer power
Wider individual & communal benefits of civic
engagement: knowledge, communication,
accountability, efficacy
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Civic Engagement: Acting on Your
Views
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Civic engagement: Individual & collective actions
designed to identify & address issues of public
concern (e.g. volunteering, group involvement,
campaigning)
Political engagement: Citizen actions intended to
solve problems through political means
We focus on political engagement in this course
Get involved!
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People, Politics, and Participation
Where Do You Stand?
I’m pretty interested in following local politics.
a. Agree
b. Disagree
Source: “Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987–2007,” http://peoplepress.org/reports/pdf/312.pdf, p. 49.
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What Government Does
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The key functions of government include:
To protect their sovereign territory and their
citizenry and to provide national defense
To preserve order and stability
To establish and maintain a legal system
To provide services
To raise and spend money
To socialize new generations
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Types of Government
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Monarchy
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Oligarchy
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Usually single ruler, usually king or queen with
absolute authority over authority. However, most
modern monarchies are constitutional monarchies
Elite few holds power
Democracy
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Supreme power of governance in hands of citizens.
Most modern democracies are republics or
representative democracies
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Types of Government
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Totalitarian
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Authoritarian
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Government control every aspects of their citizens’
lives e.g. North Korea
Government holds strong powers, but they are
checked by other forces in society e.g. China &
Cuba
Constitutionalism
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Government that is structured by law, and in which
the power of government is limited
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The Origins of American Democracy
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Ancient Greeks developed concept of a
democracy
Citizens decided public issues in city-states
based on majority rule
But women and slaves not counted as citizens
American democracy traces some of its roots to
Judeo-Christian tradition and English common
law & Protestant Reformation
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Democracy’s Origins in Popular Protest: The
Influence of the Reformation and the
Enlightenment
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Divine Right of Kings: Jacques-Benigne Bossuet
Protestant Reformation challenged basic tenets
of Catholicism
Puritans asserted their right to communicate
directly with God through prayer
The Mayflower Compact: an example of a social
contract
Enlightenment: emphasis on individuality,
reason and scientific endeavor
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The Modern Political Philosophy of Hobbes and
Locke
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Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan (1651)
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Social contract between absolute sovereign and
people. Sovereign provides protection while people
relinquish rights
John Locke, Two Treatises on Civil Government
(1689)
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Social contract. Government required to protect
people’s natural rights in return for popular
acceptance of governmental authority. Right of
rebellion in absence of such protection.
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The Creation of the United States as an
Experiment in Representative Democracy
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Logic behind rejection of divine right of kings:
people could govern themselves
Direct democracy: all citizens discuss and
decide policy through majority rule
Indirect democracy (representative democracy):
a system in which citizens elect representatives
who decide policies on behalf of their
constituents
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Political Culture & American Values
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Political Culture: the people’s collective beliefs
and attitudes about government and the
political process
Liberty
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Freedom from government interference in our lives
and freedom to pursue happiness
Equality
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Notions of equality have evolved over time.
The struggle for equality continues today.
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Political Culture & American Values
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Capitalism
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Consent of the Governed
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An economic system in which the means of
producing wealth are privately owned and operated
to produce profits.
Pure and regulated capitalism
Property ownership
Government’s power derives from consent of
people
Individual, Family, and Community
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The Changing Face of American Democracy
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A Population That Is Growing—and on the Move
An Aging Population
A Changing Complexion: Race and Ethnicity in the
United States Today
Changing Households: American Families Today
Why the Changing Population Matters for Politics and
Government
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The Aging U.S. Population, 2000-2050
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Population by Race Since 1990
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Where Hispanics Live
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Ideology: A Prism for Viewing American
Democracy
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Liberalism
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Associated with the ideas of liberty and political
equality; it advocates change in the social, political,
and economic realms to better protect the wellbeing of individuals and to produce equality in
society
Classic liberalism & modern liberalism
Conservatism
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Recognizes the importance of preserving tradition
Emphasis on individual initiative, rule of law, limited
government authority and free market
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Ideology: A Prism for Viewing American
Democracy
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Other Ideologies on a Traditional Spectrum:
Socialism and Libertarianism
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Socialism: an ideology that stresses economic
equality, theoretically achieved when government or
workers own means of production
Libertarianism: government should take a “handsoff” approach in most matters
A Three-Dimensional Political Compass
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Multidimensional scale measures people’s opinions
on role of government in economy on one axis and
their beliefs about personal freedom on second axis
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The Traditional Ideological Spectrum
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People, Politics, and Participation
Where Do You Stand?
Should the government care for those who
can’t care for themselves?
a. Yes, it should.
b. No, it shouldn’t.
Source: “Trends in Political Values and Core Attitudes: 1987–2007,” http://peoplepress.org/reports/pdf/312.pdf.
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