Studying Texas Politics and Government

A Framework

Pulls together facts and places them in context

Explains the history of Texas politics and government

Results An appreciation for Texas’s political past A comprehension of contemporary politics and

government An understanding of change

Components of the Framework Conceptions of Politics and Government Central Role of Ideas: The American Creed Analyzing Politics

Individualism Liberty Equality

Analyzing Government Constitutionalism democracy

Analyzing Political Change

Politics and Government

Politics involves “the authoritative allocation of values for a society.”

Government consists of those institutions and process for making public policy Public policy is any government decision Institutions include the structures of government

that make the decisions Processes include the way decisions are made

American Creed

America was built on a set of ideas These ideas have been strongly supported

since the late 18th century The ideas perform two functions:

Provide a national identity Limit government

Five ideas: Individualism

Most important and source for other ideas Confirms the worth of each individual Grants a person the right to pursue life,

liberty and property free from social constraints

Allows person to act in accordance with his/her own conscience

Five Ideas: Liberty

Different from individualism Freedom from government Disagreement over how much liberty a

person should have Conflict between liberty and social order

Five Ideas: Equality

Greatest problem for Americans Three meanings

Political equality Economic equality Social equality

Five Ideas: Constitutionalism

Places limits on government Contract among members of the political

community Provides the structure of government Distributes the powers of government

Five Ideas: Democracy

Rule by the people Procedures for making decisions

How government decisions are made Who participates in government decisions How much weight is assigned to each

participant’s preferences

Conditions of Democracy: Fiskin Political equality

Each person’s preferences given equal consideration, and each person has an equal opportunity to formulate his or her preferences

Nontyranny Public policy must not infringe on the fundamental

rights of any member of society.

Conditions of Democracy

Participation A significant percentage of the population is

engaged in politics and government. Deliberation

There is a meaningful discussion of political issues so that each person can make an informed choice on issues and candidate.

Forms of Democracy & Conditions Majoritarian democracy

Majority rules Values majority rule; formal political equality Direct or indirect Protection of minority may present a problem

Forms of Democracy & Conditions Pluralist democracy

Interest-group democracy Values protection of minority rights; representative

government in diverse society; deliberation

Institutions & Forms of Democracy Majoritarian Democracy

Unification of authority; centralized politics Institutions: executive and political parties Separation of powers: undesirable Judicial review: undesirable

Institutions & Forms of Democracy Pluralist Democracy

Separation of authority; decentralized politics Institutions: legislature and interest groups Separation of powers: desirable Judicial review: necessary

Non-democratic Alternative

Elitism Power is concentrated and held by those who

control the economy. The conditions of democracy are not met. Decisions made by the elite flow down to the

masses, who do not influence those decisions. Most politicians are merely intermediaries

between the elites and the masses.

Political Change

IvI Gap Attempt to create institutions that reflect all

five ideas Impossible since the ideas are often in

conflict Creates a cognitive dissonance: discrepancy

between what we believe (five ideas) and what we do (institutions)

Factors Influencing Responses

Strength in belief in the ideal Strong Weak

Clarity of perception of the gap Clear Unclear

Responses to the IvI Gap

Moralism

(eliminate gap)

Hypocrisy

(deny gap)

Cynicism

(tolerate gap)

Complacency

(ignore gap)

Perception of the Gap

Clear Unclear

Strong

Strength of Belief in Ideal

Weak

Historical Responses to the IvI Gap Moralism: 1965 – 1975, reaction to U.S. involvement

in Vietnam, Civil Rights Movement, Voting Rights, Women’s Movement

Cynicism: 1975 – 1980, removal of a president, war continued, improvement in many areas, gap was not eliminated.

Complacency: 1980s + Hypocrisy: 1961- 1965, Kennedy’s inaugural

address, Peace Corps,

Factors Associated with Periods of Moralism (Creedal Passion)

Economic growth followed by downturn Disparities in wealth in society Large number of young people in society Leadership—people who point out that

America has not achieved the ideal