Lecture Notes: Types of Democracy in the U.S.

Introduction

• Continuation of AP Government curriculum.
• Focus: Different types of democracy.

Models of Democracy

1. Participatory Democracy

• Emphasizes broad participation in politics and civil society.
• Citizens vote on laws directly.
• Rejected by framers for practical reasons and complexity.
• Exists in local politics (e.g., town hall meetings, initiatives, and referendums).
• Initiative: Voters put a measure on the ballot.
• Referendum: Voters oppose a law passed by the legislature.

2. Elite Democracy

• Limited participation by well-educated and informed individuals.
• Specialists manage complex U.S. government.
• Prevents unwise policy decisions by the masses.
• Examples:
  • Presidential appointments to the Supreme Court.
  • Election of the president via the Electoral College.

3. Pluralist Democracy

• Middle ground between participatory and elite democracy.
• Group-based activism by non-governmental interests.
• Key: Interest groups (e.g., NRA, NAACP) influence political decision-making.
• States as interest representatives.
• Competition among interests prevents dominance by one group.

Tension Between the Three Models

Representation in Foundational Documents

• Constitution:
  • Elite model: Elected representatives.
  • Pluralist model: Compromise in law making.
  • Participatory model: Federalism (state vs. federal laws).
• Federalist 10 vs. Brutus 1:
  • Brutus: Advocated for participatory democracy, feared central government tyranny.
  • Federalist 10: Argued competition among diverse factions prevents tyranny.

Conclusion

• Unit 1, Topic 2 of AP Government.
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