Chapter1

Chapter 1:
Deliberation and Citizenship in Service of
Freedom and Democracy
American Government and Politics:
Deliberation, Democracy, and Citizenship

Learning Objectives
2

 Explain the difference between a
“deliberative” democracy and one based
entirely on self-interest.
 Define democracy and describe the
various forms it can take.
 Analyze the Declaration of Independence
by identifying and describing its key
principles.
Copyright © 2014 Cengage Learning

Learning Objectives
3

 Describe how the principles of the
Declaration have influenced American
history.
 Identify the major characteristics of liberal
democracies and contrast liberal
democracies to other kinds of political
systems in the modern world.


Learning Objectives
4

 Explain the knowledge that citizens
should have to contribute to decisions
about the common good in the United
States.


Introduction
5

How to study politics:
 Politics is “who gets what, when, how”
 Government officials don’t always make
decisions based on their self-interest
 Need to consider political actions that benefit
the “public interest”


Introduction
6

How pursuit of public interest works:




Affects variety of political activities
Policymaking relies on voluntary compliance
with law
Healthy political community requires
volunteerism


Introduction
7

Citizenship and Deliberation
 Citizenship is legal status according full

membership in political community
 Civic virtues important to citizenship:





Self-restraint
Self-reliance
Civic knowledge
Civic participation and service


Introduction
8

Citizenship and Deliberation
 Deliberation is reasoning on the merits of

public policy on behalf of public interests




Patriotism
Civic culture
Civic duty

 Deliberative democracy


Introduction
9

Theories of American Democracy
 Group theory/pluralist theory
 Elite theory
 Rational choice theory


Democracy
10

Democracy (rule by
the people)

Other types of rule:
 Aristocracy

 Direct democracy

 Monarchy

 Representative
democracy

 Oligarchy
 Plutocracy
 Theocracy
 Timocracy
 Tyranny


Democracy
11

The Democratic Tradition in the United
States
 Colonists brought democratic ideals and

practices from Britain
 Mayflower Compact
 Local self government in colonies




Direct democracy not practical beyond local level
Representatives sent to colonial legislatures
Voting restricted to male property owners

Democracy
12

Why the Framers Chose Representative
Democracy
 Direct democracy impractical, dangerous
 Representative democracy allows for
deliberation
 Representative democracy includes “a
greater variety of parties or interests”
 Majority faction
 More practical over large distances

Democracy
13

Direct Democracy in Modern American
Politics





New England town meetings
Initiative
Referendum
Progressive Movement influence of late 19 th
and early 20th centuries


Democracy
14

Apply the Definition: Rule by the People
 “Government of the people, by the people, for

the people”
 Popular sovereignty
 U.S. first to embrace this concept


Preamble begins “We the people. . .”


Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address
15


Democracy
16

Free Elections and Democratic
Accountability





People are free to form political parties
Free press and media
Free elections
Elected officials accountable to people


17

Freedom and American
Democracy
Major issues
 U.S. founded on
set of beliefs about
foundations and
purpose of
government
 Declaration of
Independence
 Life, liberty and
pursuit of happiness

18

Democracy
Choosing Independence
 Lexington and Concord, April 1775
 Second Continental Congress, May 1775
 Publication of Common Sense


Paine attacks nature of monarchy and aristocracy

 1776, colonists vote for independence


19

Democracy
Expressing the American Mind: The
Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident
All men are created equal
Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness
To secure these rights, governments are instituted
among men
 Deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed
 It is the right of the people to alter it or abolish it






20

Presentation of Declaration of
Independence


21

Democracy
Concluding Oath
 Solemn oath of 56 signers
 “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm
reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we
mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our
Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”


22

Democracy
Universal Principles
 Fundamental principles of democracy and

governance do not change over time


Differs from moral relativism and cultural relativism

 Lasting direction and goal for American

politics
 Founders expected influence beyond U.S.


23

Democracy
Different Levels of Rights
 Natural rights
 Civil rights
 Political rights


24

Democracy and Freedom in the
Modern World
Liberal democracies:
 No guarantee democracies will promote
freedom
 Majorities may use power to oppress
minorities and violate rights
 Major problem: how can the majority promote
rights and interests of all?


25

Modern World
The Growth of Democratic Institutions
 End of Cold War accelerated growth of liberal

democracies

 Cold War marked by clash of communist regimes
and liberal democracies
 Communism begins decline in late 1980s, but still
totalitarian regimes

 Freedom in the World estimates
 87 nations are free
 60 nations partly free
 48 nations not free

Freedom in the World 2012
26


27

Modern World
Terrorism, Freedom,
and Democracy
 New threat: radical
Islam and terrorism
 al Qaeda and
associated groups
responsible for
thousands of deaths


28

Modern World
Public and Private Spheres
 Totalitarian ideologies reject freedom as
purpose of government and reject limits on
government
 Line between private and public spheres can
be issue in liberal democracies


29

Modern World
The Rule of Law
 Individuals must be protected from arbitrary
power
 Necessary condition for securing rights
 Without rule of law, rights can’t be secure


30

Modern World
Embracing New Goals
 Promoting social welfare has emerged as

important function
 Regulating commerce
 Promote material well-being

 New Deal programs (1930s)
 Great Society programs (1960s)
 Health care?


31

Citizenship and Deliberative
Democracy
 For democracy to function well, citizens must
be educated about rights and responsibilities
 Citizens can’t govern themselves without civic
knowledge
 Five key elements of common good:
 Justice
 Domestic tranquility
 Common defense
 General welfare
 Liberty

32

Democracy
What Americans need to know:
The

principles of self-government and just rule that
informed the creation of the American nation, decisively
influenced its history, and continue to affect its government
and politics
The rights that American government seeks to secure,
including those specified in the Declaration of
Independence, the Constitution of 1787, the Bill of Rights,
and later Amendments


33

Democracy
What Americans need to know (continued):
The

provisions, principles, and purposes of the U.S.
Constitution, including limited government, federalism,
separation of powers, and checks and balances
The nature and functioning of the major institutions of
American national government—especially the Congress,
presidency, and federal courts—and whether they
effectively meet their broad constitutional responsibilities or
display serious deficiencies


Chapter1

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