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WHAT IS WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?GOVERNMENT?

An Introduction An Introduction to Governmentto Government

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HISTORICALLY SPEAKINGHISTORICALLY SPEAKING

NATURAL FUNCTIONNATURAL FUNCTION TO ORGANIZE A SOCIETYTO ORGANIZE A SOCIETY

OTHER FUNCTIONSOTHER FUNCTIONS PROTECT PROTECT

AGENDA : COMPETITION OF AGENDA : COMPETITION OF IDEASIDEAS

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COMPETITION OF AGENDAS

ROLE OF ROLE OF GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

TYPES OF PUBLIC TYPES OF PUBLIC POLICYPOLICY

WINNING WINNING ELECTIONSELECTIONS

CONTROL CONTROL AGENDAAGENDA

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LANDSCAPES OF POWERLANDSCAPES OF POWER SOCIAL/ECONOMIC DIVIDESOCIAL/ECONOMIC DIVIDE DEMOGRAPHICS/”PICTURE”DEMOGRAPHICS/”PICTURE”

CHANGINGCHANGINGAGINGAGINGGROWING LATIN POP.GROWING LATIN POP.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

Nation’s BeginningsNation’s BeginningsWhite Male Property White Male Property Owners.Owners.

1515thth and 19 and 19thth Amendment Amendment changes everythingchanges everythingAdds demands/stress to Adds demands/stress to the system.the system.

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POWERThe Ability to Create

Change and Control the Nation’s Agenda

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LASSWELL’S DEFINITION OF POWER

WHO?WHO? Holds the Power?Holds the Power? democracy, totalitarian, autocratic, democracy, totalitarian, autocratic,

monarchymonarchy HOW?HOW? Come to Power?Come to Power?

evolutionary, divine right, revolution, evolutionary, divine right, revolution, social contractsocial contract

WHAT?WHAT? Who Benefits?Who Benefits? which group of people?which group of people? benefit of a few? or “We, the People?”benefit of a few? or “We, the People?”

ELITISM Power held by a few core groupsColonial to 1870’sWhiteMalesProperty OwnersLaissez-Faire policies

PLURALISM More Groups Enter System Voting Amendments African-Americans—15th

Amendment Women- 19th Amendment Immigrants (20 million) Labor Unions to Challenge Business Great Depression World Wars

HYPERPLURALISM Social Turmoil after World War II Civil Rights Movement Women’s Movement Vietnam/Watergate Consumers/Disabled/

Environmental/Gays/Lesbians/etc. Thousands of Agendas Competing Money

RESULTS OF HYPERPLUALISM

Money Talks Louder than anything Money gets ear of law makers who

makePUBLIC POLICY

The FEW with the MONEY get their AGENDA PASSED. Back to

ELITISM!

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SALIENCYSALIENCYGOVERNMENT GOVERNMENT LEADERS CARE LEADERS CARE

ABOUT MY ISSUESABOUT MY ISSUES

SALIENCY IS IMPORTANT SALIENCY IS IMPORTANT

When Citizens have When Citizens have saliencysaliencyThey pay attentionThey pay attentionThey vote regularlyThey vote regularly

They have ….They have ….

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EFFICACYEFFICACYMY VOTE MY VOTE MATTERSMATTERS

EFFICACY IS IMPORTANT …EFFICACY IS IMPORTANT …

Citizens with efficacyCitizens with efficacy Vote on a regular basisVote on a regular basis Believe it mattersBelieve it matters

When efficacy is lostWhen efficacy is lost Voting numbers diminishVoting numbers diminish Fewer people are making decisions for Fewer people are making decisions for

the rest of the countrythe rest of the country

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Fundamentals of Democracy

REPUBLICAN/REPUBLICAN/REPRESENTATIVEREPRESENTATIVE

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTYPOPULAR SOVEREIGNTY ““WE, THE PEOPLE”WE, THE PEOPLE”

LIBERTY VS. FREEDOMLIBERTY VS. FREEDOM INDIVIDUAL V. SOCIETYINDIVIDUAL V. SOCIETY

EQUALITYEQUALITY UNDER THE LAWUNDER THE LAW OF OPPORTUNITYOF OPPORTUNITY

MAJORITY RULEMAJORITY RULE With MINORITY RIGHTSWith MINORITY RIGHTS

THESE NEVER CHANGE!THESE NEVER CHANGE!

STRESSED OUT SYSTEM

Distrust of Government PervasiveAll Politicians LieLoyal to Special Interest Groups

Increasing Economic “GAP"