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1.3 Political Power
1.2 Political Power
Any study of government is fundamentally about
political power, who has it, and how they exercise it!
• Authoritarianism: concentration of power in the hands of one person or an elite group
• Democracy: means “rule by the people”
• Dictatorship• Oligarchy• Monarchy• Totalitarianism
• Direct democracy
• Representative democracy = Republic
Types of Government
1.3 Political Power
• Seeks “total” control over its peopleo The state is supreme over the individualo Closed societieso Poor Economies
• Militarism / Armed Aggression
• Heavy use of propaganda
• Establishment of a “police state”o KGB, GESTAPO, STASI, Etc. o Prisons (Gulags)
1.3 Political Power
1.3 Political Power
1.3 Political Power -
Democracy• Direct democracy
• ATHENS (Greek city-state)
• Representative democracy = Republic
• Most modern democracies… U.S.
• Does the U.S. have any instruments of direct democracy?
o Referendumso Initiatives (Calif.= propositions)o Recall elections
• Currently, these exist only on the state level of government
Government & Citizenship Timpanogos High School
1.2g Political Power -
Democracy
• Can citizens govern?o Uneducated, uninformed citizenso Plato…………. Philosopher Kings
• What if the majority is “mean”o Tyranny of the Majority
Government & Citizenship Timpanogos High School
1.2h Political Power -
Democracy
The “Killing Fields”
Teams - Discussion
• Do you believe Democracy is the best form of government?
• What if a substantial majority of citizens pass a law through a ballot initiative that adversely affects another group of citizens?
• Should the federal courts be able to overturn a law passed by that same majority?
Impromptu Debate
• Proposition: The United States should adopt a direct democracy on a national scaleo For practical purposes, it would be necessary
to limit voting to the big issues only: Abortion, Gay Marriage, Gun Control, etc.
• For or Against the Proposition?
Impromptu Debate• Proposition No.1: The federal minimum
wage should be increased to $11/hr.
• Proposition No.2: In order to vote, each citizen must take an pass a testo Based on the U.S. Citizenship test