Slideshow prepared for a series of lectures on Democratic Theory and American Political Culture for PS 101 American Government (Fall 2007) at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Lecturer.

1. Democratic Theory A Christopher Rice digital file

2. “ DON’T NEED ELECTION” “ It seems to me that Vice President Al Gore is out of control. He is prepared to spend more than $40 million on a campaign that the American people don’t want. The polls clearly show that the people want Texas Gov. George W. Bush for the next president. Why would Gore put the country through all of the political ads and commercials when the people have spoken through the polls? I think Congress should take the message the American people have sent to them and appoint Bush as president. Then they could get back to issues that are important, like Social Security and health care. I know some people might say that we must have elections because the law says so, but this could put the business of the American people on hold for some time. Is that what we want? I say it’s time to appoint Bush and put this behind us.” – Randy Martin, Lexington. Lexington Herald-Leader (2000)

3. Demos + Kratia = “Rule by the People”

4. 3 Flavors of Democracy

5. Revisionist (Elite) Democracy Representative Democracy Direct (Participatory) Democracy

6. New England Town Meetings

7. Iowa Caucuses

8. Athens (Greece, not Fayette Co.)

9. ENLIGHTENMENT

10. HOW? (cc) 2006 by Flickr user tony.eckersley

11. More Informed (cc) 2006 by Flickr user Mathias L.

12. Sense of Responsibility Photo (cc) 2005 by Flickr user monkeyc.net

13. Political Tolerance Photos (cc) 2007 by flickr user That Other Paper (Austin, TX)

14. Mo’ Democracy Mo’ Problems

15. Scale

16. Leisure

17. Representative Democracy

18. “ Rule by the Few, Controlled by the Many”

19. Delegate Representation

20. 3 Fundamental Principles

21. Principle #1: Popular Sovereignty

22. How do we know it when we see it? (cc) 2007 by Flickr user Eduardo Cruz

23. 6

24. Policies reflect what the people want (cc) 2007 by Flickr user Cesar R

25. People participate in the political process

26. High quality info and debate available (The Jon Stewart Principle)

27. Majority Rules Photo (cc)2006 by Flickr user jjn1

28. Government Leaders Selected in Competitive Elections

29. Elections Are Free and Fair

30. Principle #2: Political Equality

31. 1 Person = 1 Vote

32. Assumes equal moral agency and reason

33. Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems “ That’s more like it…”

34. It’s a Distribution Problem…

35. Principle #3: Political Liberty

36. Political Liberty Basic freedoms in the formation and expression of the popular will & its translation into policy.

37. First Amendment Freedoms

38. Without Political Liberty, the other principles can’t function!

39. Why does your generation hate America?

40. Politically Tolerant Politically Active Informed (Delegate Representation) Rational Fairly Sophisticated Assumptions

41. Problems

42. Scale / Population

43. Complexity of Issues

44. Are High Quality Info & Debate Available?

45. Are people really rational and competent?

46. Majority Tyranny?

47. Revisionist (Elite) Democracy

48. Instability due to unrealistic assumptions

49. Downgrading role of masses Upgrading role of elites

50. Hedging on government responsiveness

51. The masses are asses

52. Irrational

53. Politically Intolerant

54. Low participation among the masses

55. Trustee Representation Delegate Representation

56. Limiting the impact of universal participation…

57. Constitutional Barriers

58. Apathy is A -O K !

59. Increased participation costs

60. The American Creed

62. Values of the American Creed

63. Individualism a commitment to personal initiative, self-sufficiency and material accumulation

64. Unity & Diversity

65. Unity the principle that Americans are one people and form an indivisible union

66. Diversity the idea that individual and group differences should be respected AND that these differences are themselves a sort of strength

67. E pluribus unum

68. Commitment to rule of law under a constitution

69. Aka, The Constitutional Strand

70. Commitment to rule of law under a constitution The idea that fundamental law should serve as a restraint on human behavior

71. America’s Core Political Ideals

72. Liberty the belief that individuals should be free to act and think as they choose, provided they do not infringe unreasonably on the freedom and well-being of others.

73. Equality the belief that all individuals are equal in their moral worth and are entitled to equal treatment under the law

74. Self-government the belief that the people are the ultimate source of governing authority and must have a voice in how they are governed

75. Fundamental ideas behind the “Core Values”

76. 17 th Century Protestantism

77. Primacy of the individual conscience

78. Close connection between the spirit of liberty and the spirit of religion

79. Role of the congregation as voluntary association

80. Importance of democracy within the church and its implications

81. 18 th Century Enlightenment Ideas (John Locke)

82. Equality as a basis for organizing society

83. Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

84. Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

85. Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

86. Principal Elements of the American Creed Source of political power is the people All governments are limited by the law and the people Local government is to be preferred to national government The majority is wiser than the minority

87. Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

88. Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

89. Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

90. Equality of Opportunity NOT Equality of Result

91. Principal Elements of the American Creed The individual has sacred rights The Less Government the Better Competitive Individualism Free Enterprise

94. Private consumption over public provision Private over public initiatives

96. ?

97. The American Creed is NOT an ideology

98. Liberty vs. Equality

99. Problems

100. Nearly unanimous support when it is painted in broad strokes. Support falls off when we get into specifics.

101. Consensus is broadest among those most active in the system and who benefit from it the most

102. Populism Hostility of the common person to power and the powerful

104. 2 Flavors

105. liberal populism

107. conservative populism