Introducing government in america Essay

A. Defining res existencea1. majority rule is a get on withnt of leaseing nominate _or_ system of regime puddlers and of organizing presidency so that form _or_ system of administration reflects citizens preferences.B. Traditional Democratic Theory1. equating in voting2. Effective companionship3. Enlightened interpreting4. Citizen disc everyplace of the order of business5. Inclusion6. Democracies must practice bulk rule and concern minority rights. 7. The kin surrounded by the few leaders and the many adjacent is wiz of bureau.C. Three Contemporary Theories of the Statesn Democracy1. Pluralist theory states that groups with dual-lane pursuals influence public form _or_ system of government by pressing their concerns through nonionic efforts. 2. Elite and chassis theory contends that societies atomic number 18 divided on class lines, and that an upper-class elite pulls the strings of professorshipial term. 3. Hyperpluralism contends that many groups be so square that goernment is unable to act.D. Challenges to Democracy1. Increased technological Expertise2. modified Participation in Government3. Escalating Campaign cost4. Diverse semi organisational Interests (policy gridlock)E. American Political Culture and Democracy1. Political conclusion consists of the boilersuit get up of de boundaryine widely shared within a society.2. conversancy3. Egalitarianism4. Individualism5. Laissez-faire6. PopulismF. A Culture War? (Is America polarized into rival semipolitical camps with different political cultures?)G. Preview Questions further close to DemocracyVI. The Scope of Government in America (pp. 2326)A. How Active Is American Government?B. Preview Questions about the Scope of GovernmentVII. Summary (p. 26) acquire OBJECTIVESAfter studying Chapter 1, you should be able to1. Describe what government is and what governments do.2. sympathise how political relation is the struggle over who gets what, when, and how. 3. Ident ify the big features of the policymaking system and beg off how public policies are the choices that government get throughsand declines to dealin response to political issues.4. Understand the nature of democratic government and handed-down democratic theory, and the lynchpin questions concerning democracy.5. Distinguish among the ternion contemporary theories of American democracy and politics (pluralist, elite and class, and hyperpluralist) and identify some(a) of their strengths and weaknesses.6. Understand the nature of American political culture and identify the elements of the American creed.7. Understand the nature of the scope of government in America and the line questions concerning the scope of government.The following exercises will help you edge these objectives verifiable 1Describe what government is and what governments do.1. Define the term government.The institutions that make authoritative decisions for any given society.2. What are the two fundamental q uestions about governing that serve as themes throughout the textbook?1. How should we govern?2. What should government do?3. itemisation the five functions that all issue governments perform. 1. Maintain a national exoneration2. Provide public services3. Preserve allege4. Socialize the young5. Collect taxesObjective 2Understand that politics is the struggle over who gets what, when, and how. 1. Define the term politics.Determines whom we select as our governmental leaders and what policies these leaderspursue.2. Give events of the who, what, when, and how of politics. 1. Who Voters, candidates, groups, and parties2. What New taxes, medical care for the fourth-year3. When When hoi polloi speak up4. How Voting, supporting, compromising, lobbyingObjective 3Identify the important features of the policy system and explain how public policies are the choices that government makes, and declines to make, in response to political issues. 1. Draw a diagram of how a policy system work s.Political issues get on policy agenda Policymakers make policy Policies affect multitude people Linkage institutions Policy order of business Policymaking institutions Policy People2. slant four key linkage institutions in a democratic society. 1. Parties2. Interest groups3. Media4. Elections3. Define the term policy agenda.The issues that tear the serious attention of public officials and some different people actually heterogeneous in politics at in given point in time.4. How does a governments policy agenda change?Responds much to societal failures than successes. For showcase, when jobs are scarce and business returnivity is falling, economic problems refer a high position in the agenda.5. List the four major policymaking institutions in the United States. 1. Congress2. The Presidency3. The Courts4. Bureaucracies6. Define the term policy impacts.The effects a policy has on people and problems. Impacts are study to see how well a policy has met its goal and at what cost.Objective 4Understand the nature of democratic government, traditional democratic theory, and the key questions concerning democracy.1. Define the term democracy as use in this text.A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to the publics preferences.2. List the five cornerstones of an ideal democracy.1. Equality in voting2. Effective battle3. Enlightened understanding4. Citizen control of the agenda5. Inclusion3. Explain the principles of majority rule and minority rights. When choosing among alternatives, the will of over half the voters should be followed, only if restraints protecting the minoritys rights.Objective 5Distinguish among the three contemporary theories of American democracy and politics (pluralist, elite and class, and hyperpluralist) and identify some of their strengths and weaknesses.1. Complete the following table comparing pluralist, elite and class, and hyperpluralist theories according to who holds the magnate and how policy is do.Theory Who Holds Power How Policy is MadePluralist Groups with shared interests air pressure their concernsthrough create efforts Elite and Class Upper -class They can afford to finance election campaigns and control key institutions Hyperpluralist Groups Groups are so strong that government is weakened2. List the major challenges facing American democracy.1. Increased Technical Expertise2. Limited Participation in Government3. Escalating Campaign Costs4. Diverse Political InterestsObjective 6Understand the nature of American political culture and identify the elements of the American creed.1. What is political culture and wherefore is it crucial to understanding American government?An overall set of look ons widely shared within a society. It is crucial to understanding American government because Americans are so diverse in terms of ancestries, religions, and heritages. A set of shared beliefs and values unites Americans.2. List and gi ve an example of the five elements of the American creed according to Seymour Martin Lipset.1. acquaintance2. Egalitarianism3. Individualism4. Laissez faire5. Populism3. List three ways in which America might be experiencing a crisis of cultural values.1. A loss over time of traditional values, such(prenominal) as the importance of religion and family life 2. An unfavorable comparison with the citizens of a nonher(prenominal) countries in terms of values such as patriotism or support for incorrupt principles 3. The role of society into opposed groups with irreconcilable moral differencesObjective 7Understand the nature of the scope of government in America and the key questions concerning the scope of government.1. Make a list of items that exposit the scope of American government. Owns 1/3 of the land I the U.S., owns and operates over 400,000 nonmilitaryvehicles, employs over 2.2 cardinal people, etc2. What is gross domestic product and how does the term illustrate the scop e of American government?The sum total of the value of all the goods and services produced in a nation. tax income domestic product illustrates the scope of American government because it non only spends large sums of specie but also employs large numbers of people. About 18 million Americans work for our government.KEY TERMSIdentify and describeGovernment The institutions that make authoritative decisions for any given society public goods Services the government provides that can be shared by everyone and cannot be denied to anyone politics Determines whom we select as our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders pursue political participation The ways in which people get involved in politics single-issue groups Groups so concerned with one issue that atoms cast their votes on the fundament of that issue only, ignoring the politicians stand on everything else policymaking system Reveals the way our government responds to the priorities of its people linkage institutions The political bring through which peoples concerns give-up the ghost political issues on the policy agenda. In the US, linkage institutions include elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media. policy agenda The issues that attract the serious attention of public officials and other people actively involved in politics at any given time political issue The result of people disagreeing about a problem or about the public policy needed to fix it policymaking institutions Congress, the presidency, and the courts public policy Every decision the government makespolicy impacts The effects that a policy has on people and on societys problems democracy A means of selecting policymakers and organizing government so that policy reflects citizens preferences majority rule In choosing among alternatives, the will of over half the voters should be followed minority rights Rights the majority cannot infringe onrepresentation The descent between the few l eaders and the many citizens pluralist theory States that groups with shared interests influence public policy by pressing their concerns through organized efforts elite and class theory Contends that our society, like all societies, is divided along class lines and that an upper-class elite pulls the strings of government hyperpluralism Groups are so strong that government is weakened, as influence of many groups cripples governments ability to make policy policy gridlock Each policy merger finds its way blocked by others political culture The overall set of values widely shared within American society Gross domestic product The total value of all goods and services produced p.a. by the United StatesName that term1. Something in which any member of society can share without diminishing the supply to any other member of society.____Public Goods__________2. It consists of subjects and problems getting the attention of government officials and their associates.________________ _________3. This is a choice that government makes in response to an issue on its agenda. ____Policy Agenda_________4. This arises when people disagree about a problem or about public policy choices made to combat a problem._____Political Issue________5. Political parties, elections, and interest groups are the main ones in the United States._____Linkage Institutions___6. The effects a policy has on people and on societys problems. _____Policy Impacts_______7. The most fundamental aspect of democratic theory._____Majority Rule_______8. match to this theory of American government, many groups are so strong and many that the government is unable to act._____Hyperpluralism______9. This problem is magnified when voters choose a president from one partyand congressional majorities from the other party.____Policy Gridlock_______10. A key calculate that holds American democracy together.____Political Culture________11. The total value of all goods and services produced annually by the U nited States. __Gross Domestic Product____MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONSCircle the purify answer1. Which of the following statements is unfeigned?a. There is no relationship between political knowledge and age. b. In the mid-1960s, at that place was virtually no relationship between political knowledge and age now, in the early ordinal century, political knowledge maturations with age.c. In the mid-1960s, there was virtually no relationship between political knowledge and age now, in the early twenty-first century, political knowledge decreases with age.d. Today, in the early twenty-first century, there is virtually no relationship between political knowledge and age in the mid-1960s, political knowledge increased with age.e. Today, in the early twenty-first century, there is virtually no relationship between political knowledge and age in the mid-1960s, political knowledge decreased with age.2. Political scientists argue that high(prenominal) levels of political knowledge a. fost er tolerance.b. foster intolerance.c. promote partisanship.d. promote bipartisanship.e. increase wealth.3. Despite their differences, all governmentsa. provide public services.b. maintain a national defense.c. collect taxes.d. either of the suprae. C only4. Which of the following is an example of a public good?a. Librariesb. Parksc. College educationd. All of the abovee. Both a and b5. Single-issue groupsa. aid effective policymaking for the public interest.b. are concerned with a wide range of problems.c. gift very belittled influence on voters or politicians.d. tend to have a cut interest and to dislike compromise. e. view politics as a vocation, rather than as an avocation.6. Which of the following is NOT a component of the policymaking system? a. Peopleb. Linkage institutionsc. Policy agendad. Criminal justice institutionse. Policymaking institutions7. Which of the following is true(a) of the policymaking system? a. Linkage institutions transmit peoples interests to gover nment. b. Media investigate social problems and inform people about them. c. Elections enable Americans to make their opinions heard by choosing their public officials.d. People, linkage institutions, media, and elections all help to shape the policy agenda?e. All of the above8. In a democratic society, parties, elections, interest groups, and the media are all examples of ____ between the preferences of citizens and the governments policy agenda. a. cross-pollinationb. inputs and outputsc. ideological bridged. obstaclese. linkage institutions9. Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels publisheda. The Communist Manifestob. A Theory of Democracyc. The Federalist Papersd. Poor Richards Almanace. War and Peace10. Which of the following is NOT a type of public policy?a. Congressional lawb. Regulationc. Court decisiond. Budgetary choicese. Mandate11. The principle of one person, one vote, is an expression of the principle of a. equality in voting.b. effective participation.c. learn understandin g.d. inclusion.e. citizen control of the agenda.12. The principle of traditional democracy theory guaranteeing rights to those who do not belong to majorities and allows that they might join majorities through persuasion and reasoned consideration is called the principle ofa. majority rule.b. minority rights.c. representation.d. pluralism.e. enlightened understanding.13. Pluralistsa. believe that the public interest will prevail through bargaining and compromise. b. depend on fragmented, decentralized, and discharge power in the policy process. c. oppose the principle of majority rule.d. contest through a system of minority rule for influence. e. All of the above14. Who referred to the U.S. as a nation of joiners?a. Thomas Jeffersonb. Alexis de Tocquevillec. Robert Putnamd. Ronald Reagane. George H. W. Bush15. Increased expert expertise poses a potential challenge to democracy because a. it is difficult to have an informed nontechnical public debate on technical issues.b. it goe s against the tenets of pluralist political theory. c. it violates the notion of one man, one vote.d. elected officials find it hard to understand technical experts. e. interest groups have a difficult time securing technical expertise.16. A condition that occurs when no coalition is strong enough to form a majority and establish policy isa. PAC.b. policy gridlock.c. policy failure.d. policy impact.e. hyperpluralist policy.17. The overall set of values widely shared within a society is called the societys a. political culture.b. public opinion.c. media influence.d. linkage institutions.e. commonplace culture.18. Americas bountiful frontier provides a partial score for which element of the American creed?a. Egalitarianismb. Populismc. Individualismd. Opportunisme. Liberty19. Which of the following is NOT a possible way that Americans may be experiencing a crisis of culture values, according to Wayne Baker?a. A loss of traditional values, such as religion and family life b. An unfav orable comparison with citizens of other countries in terms of patriotism and/or support for moral principlesc. The division of society into opposed groups with irreconcilable moral differences d. A decline in citizens commitment to equal opportunitye. None of the above20. Which of the following statements is TRUE?a. When expenditures grow, tax revenues must grow to pay the additional costs. b. When taxes do not grow as fast as spending, a budget shortage results. c. In 2009, the federal deficit was much than than $400 billion.d. The national debt is more than $9 trillion.e. All of the aboveTRUE FALSE QUESTIONSCircle the pay answer1. The voter turnout rate among young Americans is consistently higher than among older Americans. T / F2. Emergent communication technologies and the proliferation of television channels make it easier to avoid information about politics. T / F3. All governments protect national sovereignty, frequently by maintaining a national defense and armed force s. T / F4. The daily recitation of the Pledge of allegiance in public schools is a tool of political socialization used to instill national values among the young. T / F5. The courts are an example of a linkage institution. T / F6. The policy agenda responds more to societal failures than it responds to societal successes. T / F7. Most people near the world believe that democracy is the best form of government. T / F8. Over one-third of the nations wealth is held by just 1 percent of the population. T / F9. The tax burden on Americans is small compared to other democratic nations. T / F10. Lincolns famous phrase, government of the people, for the people, and by the people, is a classic expression of laissez-faire. T / F