Overview
This lecture introduces the concept of American government, explores civic engagement, types of government, theories on who governs, and how citizens participate in democracy.
The Role and Definition of Government
- Government is the organization through which a society allocates authority and resources to achieve collective goals and provide public benefits.
- Typical government goals include economic prosperity, national security, and citizen well-being.
- Politics refers to the process of gaining and exercising control within government to set and achieve goals, especially resource distribution.
- The U.S. government is a representative democracy (republic) where citizens elect representatives to make decisions.
Economic and Political Systems
- Capitalism is an economic system with private property and minimal government intervention, ideally promoting competition and individualism.
- Socialism features government ownership of key industries, aiming to redistribute wealth through social programs.
- The U.S. combines representative democracy with a capitalist economic system.
Goods Provided and Regulated by Government
- Private goods are provided by the market and require payment (e.g., food, clothing).
- Public goods are provided by government, available to all without charge (e.g., national defense, public schools).
- Toll goods are hybrid goods accessible to those who can pay (e.g., private schools).
- Common goods are of limited supply and require government regulation to prevent overuse (e.g., fisheries, clean air).
Types of Government
- Representative democracy: people elect representatives to make decisions (U.S. model).
- Direct democracy: citizens participate directly in decision-making (e.g., ancient Athens, referenda).
- Monarchy: power held by one ruler, sometimes absolute or constitutional.
- Oligarchy: power held by a small, elite group.
- Totalitarianism: government controls all aspects of life, citizens have few rights.
Theories: Who Governs?
- Elite Theory: government controlled by a small, wealthy, and well-educated elite.
- Pluralist Theory: power is distributed among many competing groups; public policy arises through competition and compromise.
- Trade-offs: government policy results from ongoing compromises among competing interests.
Civic Engagement in Democracy
- Civic engagement connects citizens to government and ensures government reflects the people's will.
- Examples: voting, attending meetings, joining interest groups, campaigning, protesting, volunteering.
- Active engagement helps achieve collective goals and keeps government accountable.
Factors Affecting Political Participation
- Civic engagement has changed: decline in small group social capital but rise in online and large group activity.
- Participation depends on age, wealth, education, and connection to political issues.
- Young Americans often participate less in traditional politics, sometimes due to partisanship or lack of relevant issues.
- Strong preferences, more likely among the wealthy and educated, increase political participation.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Government — the organization that enforces laws and provides services for society.
- Politics — the process of making decisions about resource allocation and policies.
- Civic Engagement — participation by citizens in the political process.
- Capitalism — economic system emphasizing private ownership and free markets.
- Socialism — economic system with government ownership and redistribution.
- Representative Democracy — citizens elect others to make laws and policies.
- Direct Democracy — citizens vote directly on laws and policies.
- Elite Theory — view that a small elite controls government.
- Pluralist Theory — view that many groups compete to influence government.
- Latent Preferences — weak, changeable opinions on political issues.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review key terms and concepts listed above.
- Consider how civic engagement can be increased in your community.
- Choose one organization to explore for potential civic involvement (e.g., Common Cause, Friends of the Earth).