Democratic theory
- 1. May 12, 2010 http://www.jonathanmpowell.com/ps101.html
- 3. The process by which the actions of government are determined Virtually every country is unique
- 5. Joseph Schumpeter (1950) “ institutional arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which the individuals acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for the people’s vote”
- 6. Dictionary.com: “ a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system”
- 7. Lebanon – Compulsory for men; optional for women (must have elementary education) Bhutan – one vote per house Leichtenstein – women’s suffrage in 1984 Saudi Arabia – local elections only, women cannot vote or run for office Qatar – Women originally rejected the right to vote, but now can
- 8. Voting is only one of many characteristics of a democracy
- 9. Certain basic principles are necessary in any definition of democracy. Free and fair elections Majority rule Freedom of expression Freedom of assembly and the right to protest Much more emphasis on liberal norms, pluralism Broad participation, equality, human rights
- 10. Direct Democracy Aka Participatory Democracy Representative Democracy Republican
- 11. δημοκρατία
- 12. Still present in US town hall meetings and in some small European nations to some extent. Images form wikipedia.org
- 13. Is this feasible on a large scale? Image form wikipedia.org
- 14. Problems : Tyranny of the Majority Complexity of Issues Availability of Information Is it worth it? V = PB – C
- 15. Delegate representation Citizens choose individuals to represent their interests This is done through elections Citizens choose politicians who share their personal beliefs, values, opinions, etc. Representatives will also act as a check against majority tyranny
- 16. Required assumptions for representative democracy to work: Voters are aware.
- 17. Required assumptions for representative democracy to work: Voters are aware. Voters are rational.
- 18. Required assumptions for representative democracy to work: Voters are aware. Voters are rational. Voters are tolerant.
- 19. Required assumptions for representative democracy to work: Voters are aware. Voters are rational. Voters are tolerant. Voters are informed.
- 21. Trustee Representation Voters should select those most able to run the government and trust that they will make the best decisions. Only elites should have any real power over government policy. Most individuals are too ignorant, unaware, or apathetic to have an informed role.
- 22. Is the United States a representative or elitist democracy? Public opinion shows that a majority of Americans believe that government serves the interests of a few elites.
- 23. Other arguments for elitism: Americans are POORLY informed Opinions are consistently inconsistent Few participate in government Few want to participate Impact of participation is minimal
- 24. Attitudes on Spending, Taxes
- 25. When it comes to specific applications of the creed, support tends to fall off.
- 26. The paradox of democracy balances the principle of majority rule against the principle of individual liberty.
- 27. Name Email address ~1 minute per question
- 28. How many stars are there in our flag?
- 29. What do the stars on the flag mean?
- 30. What do the stripes on the flag mean?
- 31. Who is the vice-president of the United States today?
- 32. Who elects the President of the United States?
- 33. What do we call a change to the Constitution?
- 34. What are the three branches of our government?
- 35. Who makes the laws in the United States?
- 36. How many members are there in the House of Representatives?
- 37. For how long is a member of the House elected?
- 38. How many members are there in the Senate?
- 39. For how long is a member of the Senate elected?
- 40. Who becomes President of the United States if the President and the vice-president should die?
- 41. How many Supreme Court Justices are there?
- 42. Who was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence?