These notes are based on Chapter One of The American Democracy by Thomas E Patterson and class lecture notes Political Thinking reflective thinking focused on deciding what can reasonably be believed and then using this information to make political judgments defined by the process through which conclusions are made Responsible citizenship makes democracy the best form of government Authoritarian governments suppress individuality forcing people to think and act in prescribed ways or risk punishment Democracy liberates the individual and provides the opportunity for personal development Frees individuals to make choices Can develop habit of political thinking Can devise cockeyed visions of reality A major barrier to political thinking is the citizens lack of effort Citizens don t trust the government because they keep information from us However people need to realize that information is withheld for safety We get either too much information or not enough Press and media mostly slant information to work in their favor not give the full truth it narrows and distorts people s thinking rather than expanding it Political Science the systematic study of government and politics descriptive and analytical attempts to depict and explain politics Various frameworks are used including Rational choice theory institutional analysis historical reasoning behavioral studies legal reasoning and cultural analysis Analytical Tools that increase one s ability to think politically Reliable information about how the U S political system operates Systematic generalizations about major tendencies in American Politics Terms and concepts that precisely describe key aspects of politics Political Culture the widely shared and deep seated political beliefs of a particular people beliefs derive from the country s traditions and help define the relationship of citizens to their government and to each other America s beliefs are the foundation of their national identity America s political culture is unique because all ancestors all emigrated here from other countries There are different traditions and beliefs creating diversity Colonists overturned the European way of governing The American Revolution was the first successful large scale rebellion in human history driven largely by the desire to create a radically different form of society Core Values Government s role is to serve the people as opposed to people serving it Unalienable rights natural rights freedoms that belong to each and every citizen and that cannot lawfully be taken away by government America s core political ideals are liberty individualism equality and self government Liberty the principles that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the freedom and well being of others Individualism a commitment to personal initiative and self sufficiency Idea that people should accumulate the material advantages necessary for their well being Equality the notion that individuals are equal in their moral worth and are entitled to equal treatment under the law Self government the principle that the people are the ultimate source and proper beneficiary of governing authority in practice a government based on majority rule People have a voice in their governing body Ways we ve failed to meet these ideals Slavery equality only applied to white men when created Don t ask don t tell Women s suffrage Public education higher education trying to meet value The Civil War brought an end to slavery but not racial oppression Equality was never an American birthright In 1882 Congress suspended Chinese immigration on the assumption that the Chinese were inferior people 1923 Calvin Coolidge asked Congress for a permanent ban on Chinese immigration California legislation prohibited Japanese from purchasing property in the state 1965 discrimination against Asians was eliminated from U S immigration laws 1848 men and women are created equal America s determination to build a more equal society is seen in its public education system early 1800s USA pioneered the idea of a free public education for children not just for the wealthy Politics the process through which a society settles its conflicts Power the ability of persons groups or institutions to influence political developments Totalitarianism is the most extreme form of Authoritarian government Democratic a governing system of majority rule through elections empowers majorities majoritarianism groups pluralism and officials authority Constitutional a governing system based on rule of law including legal protections for individuals empowers individuals by enabling them to claim their rights in court legal action Free Market an economic system that centers on the transactions between private parties empowers business firms corporate power and wealthy elitism Democracy a form of government in which the people govern either directly or through elected representatives Oligarchy control rests with a single individual such as top ranking military officers or a few wealthy families Autocracy control rests with a single individual such as a king or dictator Majoritarianism the idea that the majority prevails not only in elections but also in policy determination Pluralism A theory of American politics that holds that society s interests are substantially represented through power exercised by groups Party Polarization or partisan polarization the condition in which opinions and actions in response to political issues and situations divides substantially along political party lines Bipartisanship cooperation between the parties New Deal Policies by President Franklin Roosevelt gave federal government a larger role in economic security ex Social security and economic regulation ex Oversight of stock market Authority the recognized right of officials to exercise power as a result of the positions they hold System of checks and balances was issued to guard against oppressive majorities It divides authority among the legislative executive and judicial branches Constitutionalism the idea that there are lawful limits on the power of government Legal Action the use of courts of law as a means by which individuals protect their rights and settle their conflicts ordinary citizens exercise power Gideon vs Wainwright Gideon was too poor to afford a lawyer and was convicted He wrote a letter to Supreme Court in 1962 their decision requires Courts to provide poor