Govt+Lesson+1+-+Freedom%2C+Order%2C+or+Equality.ppt
- 1. American Government Lesson #1 Freedom, Order, and Equality?
- 2. Key Terms for Lesson #1: Freedom, Order and Equality • The Four Purposes of Government • The Two Dilemmas of Government • Sovereignty • Autocracy • Republic • Social Contract • Oligarchy • Democracy • Characteristics of Democracy • What’s Needed for Democracy to Flourish/Grow
- 3. Which is Better? • Live under a government that fiercely protects individual freedom…. or • Live under a government that infringes on freedom while fiercely guarding against threats to physical and economic security?
- 4. Which is Better? • Let all citizens keep the same share of their income… or • Tax wealthier people at a higher rate to fund programs for poorer people?
- 5. Good government involves making difficult choices!
- 6. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- 7. The Purposes of Government
- 8. The Purposes of Government 1. Maintain Social Order • Establish rule of law to protect life and property – Hobbes’ Leviathan: Life without government is life in a “state of nature”. – Locke: Basic objective of government is to protect life, liberty, property. – The “Social Contract” John Locke
- 9. The Purposes of Government 2. Provide Public Services • Benefits and services that benefit all citizens, but are not likely to be produced voluntarily by individuals – Schools – First Responders – Roads – Sanitation – Parks 9
- 10. The Purposes of Government 3. Provide National Security • To protect the nation’s citizens against attack by other states or from threats such as terrorism. • Additionally, handling relations with other nations.
- 11. The Purposes of Government 4. Make Economic Decisions • Pass laws that shape the economic environment of a nation. – Establish currency – Fiscal Policy – Monetary Policy – Trade Policy
- 12. The Purposes of Government • Economic equality ▫ Welfare • Social equality ▫ Policies that advance social equality may clash with social values 5. Promote Equality
- 13. Values Pursued by Government 13
- 14. The Concepts of Freedom, Order, and Equality • Freedom is used in two major senses: – Freedom of: : the absence of constraints on behavior - freedom to do something (liberty). – Freedom from: : immunity from fear and want; the fight against exploitation and oppression (equality). – Roosevelt’s Four Freedoms
- 15. The Concepts of Freedom, Order, and Equality • Order is also used in two ways: – The narrow sense refers to preserving life and protecting property – Social Order (the broader sense) refers to the established patterns of authority in society and to traditional modes of behavior Los Angeles, March 1991 Tiananmen Square, 5 June 1989
- 16. The Concepts of Freedom, Order, and Equality • Equality is used in two different senses, to support different causes: – Equality of opportunity: : Each person has the same chance to succeed in life – Equality of outcome: The redistribution of wealth and status so that economic and social equality are actually achieved • Which one is more important? – Political Equality – Social Equality
- 17. Two Dilemmas of Government • The Original Dilemma: Freedom versus Order • The Modern Dilemma: Freedom versus Equality Freedom Order Equality original dilem m a M o d e r n d i l e m m a
- 18. Theories of the Origin of Government • Evolutionary Theory • Evolved from the family • Force Theory • A person or group claims power • Devine Right Theory • A Supreme being (a God) chose the leaders
- 19. Sovereignty • The state (nation) has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries. It has complete independent, and complete power to make laws, shape foreign policy and determine its own course of action. • In theory, no state has the right to interfere with the internal affairs of another state.
- 21. Types of Government Anarchy Lack of government Ancient Greece: “Without Rulers” Parts of Countries: Somalia Afghanistan Congo Sri Lanka
- 22. Types of Government Autocracy System of government by one person with absolute power Inheritance or ruthless use of police power
- 23. Types of Government Autocracy (cont’d) Absolute Monarchy Inheritance No restrictions on power Saudi Arabia, Brunei, Oman Constitutional Monarchy Same as above, but formal restrictions limit power Often restricting to ceremonial status Elected officials actually rule England, Spain, Denmark
- 25. Types of Government Autocracy (cont’d) Dictatorship Ruler with total power over a country….usually seized power by force (coup, revolution, etc.) Keeps power by force Restricts opposition No restrictions on power of the dictator
- 27. Types of Government Oligarchy • System in which a small group holds power • Derive power from wealth, military, social, combo Aristocracy Rule by the elite Usually determined by social status or wealth Theocracy Rule by religious leaders/divinely blessed to rule No separation of church and state Iran, Sudan, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Vatican City
- 30. Democracy System of government in which, in theory, the people rule, either directly or indirectly “The people hold sovereign power”….Lincoln Greek: demos = people, kratia = rule Types of Government
- 31. Democracy Participatory/Direct Democracy People govern themselves by voting on issues individually as citizens Small societies, town halls, Initiative, Referendum Representative Democracy The people elect representatives and give them the power to make laws and conduct government Legislatures, Parliaments, Congress, Councils Types of Government
- 32. Is There a Problem with the Idea of Democracy??
- 33. “Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” --Benjamin Franklin
- 34. Democracy Republic Voters hold sovereign power Elected representatives exercise that power….people are ultimate source of governmental power Requires citizens participation!!!! Republic = Representative Democracy = Constitutional Republic Types of Government
- 35. Individual Liberty Majority Rule with Minority Rights Free Elections Competing Political Parties Also………..for Democracy to flourish/grow: Active citizen participation! A favorable economy Widespread education Strong civil society A social consensus Characteristics of Democracy
- 36. Questions •Is the United States a Democracy? – Low Public Participation – Majority Rule? – Judicial Branch •Do you view the United States as a majoritarian, elitist, or pluralistic democracy or none-of-the- above?
- 39. The Majoritarian Model • Government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people • Features: – Popular election – Referendums & initiatives – Recalls • Weaknesses?
- 40. The Pluralist Model • Government by the people is taken to mean government by people operating through competing interest groups • Features – Interest groups – Decentralized structure • Weaknesses?
- 41. Key Terms for Lesson #1: Freedom, Order and Equality • The Four Purposes of Government • The Two Dilemmas of Government • Sovereignty • Autocracy • Republic • Social Contract • Oligarch • Democracy • Characteristics of Democracy • What’s Needed for Democracy to Flourish/Grow
Editor's Notes
- #7: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hobbes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke
- #14: http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/fdr-first-inaug.htm http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/fdrthefourfreedoms.htm Starts at 32:00 and goes for 1 min, 40 secs
- #15: The narrow sense refers to preserving life and protecting property Social Order (the broader sense) refers to the established patterns of authority in society and to traditional modes of behavior http://dialoginternational.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/gay_marriage.jpg
- #18: People hold different opinions about the merits of government policies Self interest, beliefs, values Ideology is defined as a consistent set of values and beliefs about the proper purpose and scope of government Ideologies exist on a continuum Totalitarianism is the belief that government should have unlimited power and control all sectors of society and individual behavior, such as in business, labor, education, sports and the arts. (“1984, Brazil”) Socialism is a theory of government that believes the scope of government extends to ownership or control of the basic industries that produce goods and services. Socialism allows for more private ownership of productive capacity than Communism. “Communism was between these previous two” Capitalism is an ideology that supports free enterprise and private business operating without government regulation. Libertarianism is an ideology that opposes all government action except what is necessary to protect life and property. Anarchism is an ideology that opposes all government, in any form and values freedom above all else. Feel that government exploits the poor and others NOTE the narrow middle for US WHAT ARE YOU?
- #19: Not about spending on public goods, but about purpose of government Liberals: Want generous government support of social programs Support government activism but oppose government regulation of abortion Are more tolerant of alternative lifestyles and would use coercive power to support equality Conservatives: Maintain the social order Want smaller government budgets and fewer government programs Oppose government activism but support the traditional pattern of social relations – support wiretapping Want government coercive power to maintain social order Other American Political Ideologies Libertarians value freedom more than order or equality. They favor minimal government intervention in both the economic and social spheres. Communitarians believe government should be used to promote moral values and to help the disadvantaged. They favor government that promotes both order and equality Not dedicated to big government EWHAT ARE YOU? Another way to visualize these ideologies
- #20: E > F > O O and E > F F > O and/or E O > F > E WHAT ARE YOU? Any thought that you may be “misplaced? Now let’s look at democracies
- #43: The Encyclopedia of Associations is a comprehensive source of detailed information on over 159,000 nonprofit membership organizations worldwide