Slide 1What is “Politics”?Breaking Down the Definition of PoliticsConsensusWhat are Beliefs, Values and Interests?What is the “American Consensus”?What is Political?Political Science The Study of PoliticsNext Time: Designing GovernmentIntroduction to American and Georgia PoliticsSpring 2014What is “Politics”?Definition – Who get’s what according to the rules of the game. (Informal Definition)Formal Definition – Politics is the public resolution or management of conflicting beliefs, values, and interests within a basic consensus.Breaking Down the Definition of PoliticsPublic Resolution of ConflictWhat is a public issue and what is a private issue is a constant matter for debateAbortionReligionEven health careConsensus Politics can only occur within a basic consensus. There has to be an agreement on the rules of the game. In the absence of a consensus there is only force. International Relations (where this is no consensus):The Palestinian – Israeli Conflict Conflict of founding “myths”The Cold WarConflict over political and economic systemsCivil War: The American Civil WarConflict can break out when there is a corrosion of the domestic consensus.What are Beliefs, Values and Interests?Beliefs – Something we hold true about the facts of the world. For example that the world is round or, more to the point of this class, that government regulation of business reduces aggregate production or that government regulation of business is a necessity. These are, for the most part, empirically testable propositions.Values - Something that we hold to be right or correct or moral. These are not empirically testable propositions but are held as an article of faith. For example, we may believe that murder is wrong or that property rights should be inviolate. However, is murder always wrong? Not in the case of war or self-defense. Are property rights always to be protected? Not, it seems, in the case of taxation or when property is obtained illegally.Interests - That which we find to be to our own personal benefit. All individuals have interests, some of which compete with or conflict with others. For example, my interest in hiking in the woods may conflict with the property rights of others to own forests or cut wood.What is the “American Consensus”?What beliefs do we hold more or less universally here in the United States?Economics – Belief in the Free Market Approach to the Distribution of GoodsAlthough we do accept some limitations on the Market (although there is a lot of disagreement over what limitations are acceptable)Political – Democracy (More or Less)But of a particular kindMoral – Western Liberal Tradition (More to Come on this)The rights of man interpreted in a particular wayWhat is Political?Which of these acts is political?Examples: Jill decides to marry Harry instead of BobHarry decides to marry Bob instead of JillJill decides to vote for Harry instead of BobThe Martians invade EarthThe Supreme Court declares a law outlawing abortions unconstitutionalJill decides to have an abortionPolitical ScienceThe Study of PoliticsSociology – Distributional decisions in the Private RealmEconomics – Goods Distribution in the abstractPsychology – Decision-making and behavior at the individual levelPhilosophy – The Moral and Ethical consideration of goods distributionPolitical Science – Distributional Decisions in the Public RealmThere is an overlap between all of these disciplines and political science but in the main we will be studying American politics hereNext Time: Designing