POLS Reading Notes Chapter 1 There s a gap between the youth and elderly in politics Voter turnout rate is a lot lower for youths than it is for elderly Those who participate in the political process are more likely to benefit from the government programs and policies The elderly know that they have a lot at stake during elections In the 60 s and 70 s it was hard to escape politics because it would be on every channel Now it is easy because there is cable and the internet Government the institutions that make public policy decisions for a society o Consists of Congress the president the courts and federal administrative agencies o Two important questions How should we govern What should government do What governments do o Maintain a national defense o Provide public goods and services Collective goods things that everyone can use and share highways o Preserve order o Socialize the young o Collect taxes Politics the process of determining the leaders we select and the policies they pursue Politics produces authoritative decisions about public issues o who gets what when and how Political participation all the activities by which citizens attempt to influence the selection of political leaders and the policies they pursue Voting is the most popular form of political participation Single issue groups groups that are concerned with one issue that members often cast their votes on the basis of that issue only ignoring all the other issues that are presented Policymaking system process in which policy comes into being and evolves o People interests problems concerns o Linkage institutions parties elections media interest groups o Policy agenda political issues When people disagree about a problem and its solution o Policy making institutions legislature executive courts bureaucracy o Public Policy expenditures taxes laws regulations nondecesions A choice the government makes in response to a political issue 1 o People impact of policies People shape policy Policy impacts the effects that a policy has on people and on society s problems Democracy a system of selecting policy makers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the public s preferences Democratic Theory o Equality in voting one person one vote o Effective participation people must have adequate and equal opportunities to express their preferences o Enlightened understanding free press and speech No monopolies o Citizen control of agenda right to control the political agenda o Inclusion everyone is included in rights and laws Majority rule he majority s desire must be respected Minority rights a principle of traditional democratic theory It guarantees rights that do not belong to the majorities Representation the relationship between a few leaders and many followers Pluralism groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts o NRA NOW or American Council on education ACE are examples Elitism an upper class elite holds the power and makes policy regardless of the formal governmental organization Hyperpluralism a theory of American democracy contending that groups are so strong that government which in in to the many different groups is thereby weekend o Government gives in to every conceivable interest and single issue group Policy gridlock a condition that occurs when interests conflict and no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy so nothing gets done Political culture an overall set of values widely shared within a society Gross Domestic Product The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a year in a nation Chapter 2 The Constitution French and Indian War 7 years war ended in 1763 Colonists lacked direct representation o They responded by forming The First Continental Congress in 1774 o Sent delegates from each colony to Philadelphia to discuss the British Thomas Paine wrote Common sense Richard Henry Lee moved that the United States should become independent Primary author of the declaration was Thomas Jefferson 2 o It announced and justified revolution to the citizens of the colonies John Locke philosopher o Belief in natural rights Natural rights rights inherent to humans life liberty and property Consent Governed The idea that government derives its authority by sanction of the people o People must agree on who the ruler is Limited government the idea that certain restrictions should be placed on government to protect the natural rights of citizens o Restrictions on what the government can do Government had 2 responsibilities o Must provide standing laws so people know in advance whether their acts will be acceptable o The supreme power cannot take from any man any property without his consent Locke altered Jefferson s saying of life Liberty and Property to Life Liberty and Pursuit of happiness Won Independence in 1783 Articles of Confederation first constitution it failed o Central government weak o Executive branch NONE o Legislature One chamber One vote per state o Courts NONE o Regulation of commerce NONE o Taxation determined by states o National Defense could raise and maintain an army and navy o Power over states NONE AOC adopted by Continental Congress in 1777 not effective until 1781 All government power rested in the states with the AOC Constitution created a STRONG national government After the Revolution there was a shift in power and participation o Middle class could participate farmers and artisians After the war the farmers were in debt o Government listened to farmers because they were what composed the backbone of the nation o Debtors were able to pay big debts with worthless money because the government had printed so much Shay s Rebellion o Response to all the debt and the force acts o Series of armed attacks to courthouses to prevent judges from foreclosing on farms 3 o Neither state or congress was able to raise a militia to stop shays and his followers Showed that the AOC would not work They couldn t raise an army o Elites assembled a paid force to do the job o This made the dislike for the AOC stronger because a army couldn t be raised Constitution replaced the AOC Hobbes without a strong central government society would not be able to exist o Govt declined Hobbes monarchy idea and went with Lockes limited govt idea Factions parties resulted from political conflict Preservation of property was a major theme of ideas involving government Checks and balances