CHAPTER ONE What Is Politics

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CHAPTER ONEWhat is Politics?CHAPTER OVERVIEWThis initial chapter introduces and defines politics and applies it toAmerica's government. In Lasswell's famous definition, politics is "theprocess of who gets what, when, and how." In other words, the text'sdefinition of politics "centers on actions among a number of peopleinvolving influence” (note the opening example of the student-professorclassroom interaction).The concepts of power (the ability to influence another's behavior), elites(those who get more than others of the values society has available),legitimacy (the acceptance of something as right), and authority (alegitimate, efficient form of power) are discussed. The means by whichdemocratic politics chooses conciliation rather than violence to maintainorder and adapt to change, as well as the fact that widespread participationthough freely-elected representatives is the cornerstone of everydemocracy, is also explored.The responsibilities of government are investigated; in particular, the needfor government as a means of controlling conflict (disputes overdistributions of a society's valued things), making rules determining whogets the valued things of society, and regulating the use of "legitimateforce." A condition of anarchy, or a society without government, is shownto be unrealistic.Political science, a discipline that studies the power-authority interactionamong people, is then distinguished from the other social sciences, such aseconomics or history, by looking at Microsoft as an arena for thesedifferent approaches. Political scientists would look at how Bill Gates andhis executives make decisions, the impact of the government's antitrust1

suit against Microsoft, how the computer giant maintains its businesspreeminence, and how/why its leaders maintain power and authority. Inshort, to quote Lasswell once again, politics "is the study of influence andthe influential."The author illustrates the life and death consequences of the political“game” with the example of the FAA's failure to regulate a door problemon the DC-10. Political considerations resulted in needed safetymodifications for cargo doors being delayed by McDonnell Douglas, theDC-10's manufacturer. The result was a cargo door blowing off on aTurkish-owned DC-10 in1974, resulting in the deaths of 346 people onboard. The author concludes this section by explaining the organization ofsubsequent chapters and the reasons why we should all ‘give a damn’about the "complex, ever changing, never ending, and serious" game ofpolitics. In short, he says,"from the moment we wake up in the morning,we are affected by someone's political choices."LEARNING OBJECTIVESAfter reading chapter 1, the student should be able to:1. Define "politics" and explain why it is so important in Americansociety. Be sure to analyze the Lasswell definitions. Also, analyzethe political significance of the "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"boxed insert, especially from the perspective of "equality."2. Explain the significance of power, authority, and political elites.Also, explain why U.S. power was "limited" regarding SaddamHussein's removal from power in 1991.3. Summarize the reasons why government is necessary, as well as itstwo key functions. Also, how and why does government in the U.S.both protect the private distribution of most of society's values andsimultaneously set limits on that private distribution? Explain howgovernment "alone" regulates the use of legitimate force.2

4. Understand how democratic politics differs from rival approaches andwhat is meant by representative democracy. Also, explain how politicsin a democracy behaves like a marketplace.5. Distinguish what political scientists study from what other disciplines-history, economics, or psychology--study. In addition, summarizehow political scientists would study Microsoft.6. Appreciate the serious and complex nature of the "political game" andunderstand how and why politics affects the individual's life in somany ways.7. Review how politics was a "life and death" affair in the case of theFAA, McDonnell Douglas, and the DC-10 cargo door catastrophe.OUTLINEI.What is Politics? -- The First Day of ClassA. Classroom example. A very familiar illustration of how peopleget and use influence. Representative of Lasswell's classicdefinition of politics as "the process of who gets what, when,and how."II.Politics and PowerA. Power Defined. Power is the ability to influence another'sbehavior. A distinction is made between the capacity for power(e.g., a large military) and the ability to apply it (e.g., theAmerican problem with Saddam Hussein in Iraq). Power isgenerally a means to other ends; a method to acquire values,such as wealth.3

B. Elites--Groups that wield power. ‘The elite’ is defined as thatgroup which has most of the resources (both material andnonmaterial) that society values. The unequal distribution ofwealth in America is used as an example and is supported withstatistics. For example, the top 1 percent of the population owns33 percent of the wealth. Elites may differ according to thevalue considered (wealth, respect, etc.), but generally possessionof one value leads to control of other values.C. Authority: Legitimate Power. Authority is defined as legitimatepower--it includes not only legal obligations, but alsopsychological and moral ones. Most people feel they shouldobey an authority; therefore, the need for force is minimized,making authority an efficient form of power. See “Guess Who’sComing to Dinner?”III.The Need for GovernmentA. Why Government? Government is necessary to settle inevitableconflicts over the distribution of valued things. Governmentitself often becomes a potential threat, and its enormous powermust be controlled. The American system of constitutional,representative, democratic government recognizes this need tolimit government. Democracy chooses conciliation rather thanviolence, i.e., no group is viewed as having a monopoly on thetruth.B. What is Government? Government does three things:1. It makes the rules determining who gets the things valuedby society. This may mean the theoretical noninterferenceof the Constitution in the private economy; or the actualuse of government power to limit the private distribution ofwealth, by such devices as income taxes and welfare; ordirect government intervention in disputes among citizens.2. Representative democracy allows people to effectivelyparticipate in governing through elected representatives.4

3.An essential part of democracy is tolerating differingopinions and interests and seeking compromises amongcompeting demands.Government alone regulates the use of legitimate force, byemploying, allowing, or preventing it. Government doesnot monopolize the use of legitimate force, but it alone setslimits to its use.IV. The Study of PoliticsA. Political Science as a Discipline. Politics is grouped with theother social sciences as the study of interactions among people,but it is distinguished by its primary interest in the concepts ofpower and authority. A case study of the "society" of Microsoftis used to illustrate these differences.B. Political Science and Microsoft. An economist, psychologist,and historian would all ask different questions about thecomputer software giant, Microsoft (questions could overlap).The political scientist would focus on the central question-who is getting what, when, and how?C. Why Give a Damn About Politics? Apathy is also a politicalposition because it affects who gets what, and when and how. Atragic air accident with personal consequences, attributed to thenegligence of a government agency, illustrates the effects ofpolitical decisions. Also, see “Who Needs Government?”V.What is This Book About?A brief outline of the chapters is given and the analogy of politics toa game is discussed. Politics is a game in form, but not in intent. It isdeadly serious, played for high and varied stakes, and is highlycomplex, involving several overlapping games, in which variousgroups contend for power to gain their values and protect theirinterests.5

KEY CHAPTER TERMS AND IDENTIFICATIONSPoliticsHarold Lasswell's definitions of politics"who gets what, when, and how"powerSaddam Hussein/Iraq in 1991authority as "legitimate power"a "capacity for power"political elites/distribution of wealthanarchypolitical conflictdemocracyrepresentative democracyBernard Crick's definition of democratic politicsfree electionsTutsis of RwandaSupreme Court and the 2000 electiongovernmentvalues"regulation of legitimate force"social sciences--history, economics, sociology, psychologypolitical scientists/Microsoft and Bill Gates"the study of influence and the influential"Senator Ernest Hollings and "Who Needs Government"?The FAA, McDonnell Douglas, and the DC-10the "game" of politics"arenas" of politicspolitics as a "spectator sport"TEACHING SUGGESTIONS1. Discuss how a political scientist might outline a study of theoperations of a large university. What decisions would he/sheexamine? What would be some of the objectives of the study? How6

would it differ from other disciplines’ approaches?2. Ask the class to speculate on whether "pure democracy" would workin America. Imagine if Americans had a device attached to their TVsets and could key in a "Yes" or "No" response to polls on an issueposed by local or national leaders. Would this be a good idea or not?Discuss.3. Ask students whether politics has been a "spectator sport" for most oftheir lives. Assuming it has been, discuss why this has been the caseand what factors may change this political attitude in the future.4. Discuss whether the obvious inequality of income in America isdangerous to democracy. In what ways is this inequality an inevitablepart of capitalism? Should this inequality be reduced through activeintervention by the federal government--why or why not?SUGGESTED RESEARCH ASSIGNMENTS1. Which elites in your community wield the greatest power? Looking ata recent local decision--zoning, education, or regulation--examine whocontacted local decision-makers and what influenced the policyoutcome.2. It may be interesting to have students write a short paper explaininghow they and/or their families have been affected by governmentagencies at the local, state, or federal levels. How did they react?Include whether these "government contacts" were positive ornegative.3. As a follow-up research project, have a team of students investigatethe final outcome of the government's suit against Microsoft. What didthis outcome reveal about the power of government versus the powerof a giant corporation?7

4. Ask students to interpret Senator Holling's story about the iratetaxpayer in the "Who Needs Government?" boxed insert. Then, havethose same students interview friends, family members, or relativesabout whether taxes paid to government are used appropriately or not.Findings could be presented in the form of a paper or class panelreport.8

CHAPTER TWOThe Constitution: Rules of the GameCHAPTER OVERVIEWThis chapter discusses the “official rules” of the political game as theyexist in the United States Constitution. The Constitution outlines thegovernment’s structure (the three branches of the federal government),restrictions on how the game can be played, legal protections for thelosers, and the “arenas” in which play goes on (federalism). The chapteralso explains the events surrounding the creation of the Constitution, theprinciples behind the document, how it evolved over time, and whyconstitutional rules continue to influence American political life.LEARNING OBJECTIVESAfter reading chapter 2, the student should be able to:1. Describe the political events that led up to the ratification of theArticles of Confederation, as well as the strengths/weaknesses of thoseArticles.2. Explain why the Constitution was “a product of a series ofcompromises” and what, specifically, the contents of thosecompromises were.16

3. Summarize the important motives (Beard’s thesis) and political ideasof the Framers.4. Describe the ratification struggle, noting the differences between theFederalists and Anti-Federalists and the issue of adding a Bill ofRights.5. List and explain the significance of the four major constitutionalprinciples--separation of powers/checks and balances, federalism,limited government, and judicial review.6. Explain the process of amending the Constitution.7. Elaborate on the reasons for the Constitution’s durability, such as thestability of American society and the document’s vagueness.8. Explain the political relevance of and modern changes in federalism.OUTLINEI.The Constitution in the Game AnalogyIntroduction--A dialogue illustrating how students may detach theConstitution and the politicians who wrote it from the currentperception of our national leaders. The Framers are viewed as“patriots,” while, today, elected officials are “crooks.” TheConstitution contains the official rules of the American political gameand establishes three major players: the president, Congress, and theSupreme Court.II.Background to the Constitution17

A. Introduction--Three sources for the Framers:1. The English legal heritage, which limited the authority ofgovernment, illustrated by the Magna Carta and thewritings of John Locke.2. American models of colonial and state governments, whichcontained elements of the ideas of limited government, theconsent of the community (Mayflower Compact), theseparation of powers, the dominance of the legislature, andregular elections.3. The experience with the Articles of Confederation (ratifiedin March of 1781), the failure of which underlined the needfor a stronger central government that could impose taxesand have direct authority over individual citizens.B.The Articles of Confederation (1781-1789)1. Shortcomings of the Articles included a weak “league offriendship” among the states, the requirement of unanimousapproval by all thirteen states for amendments, noexecutive branch, no national system of courts, and nocongressional power to impose taxes.2. Strengths included the power to declare war, conductforeign policy, coin money, manage a postal system, andoversee an army composed of state militias. A highly“democratic” feature was compulsory rotation in office.Other accomplishments included the start of a nationalbureaucracy and the passage of the Northwest Ordinance.3. By 1787, the Confederation faced severe financialdifficulties (devalued currency, trade wars among thestates), foreign threats to American soil from the British,French, and Spanish, and the fear of mob rule and economicdisruption (1786: Shays’ Rebellion).18

C.The Constitutional Convention (May 25 to September 17,1787)1. The Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia, in strictsecrecy. The delegates changed their original charge from arevision of the Articles to the creation of a new government.2. The Constitution was a product of compromises concerningthe representation of large and small states in Congress (theGreat Compromise, whereby representation in the Housewas determined by a state’s population, while equalrepresentation in the Senate was accorded to all states);regulation of commerce (no tax on exports); and slaves beingcounted as three-fifths of a person (the slave trade was notbanned until 1808).D. The Framers (55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention)1. The Framers were politically experienced, well-educatednationalists, and, generally, members of the conservativepropertied elite. They were wealthy planters, merchants,and lawyers. And many of them owned slaves. Smallfarmers, common workers, and “liberals” in the elite werenot represented. Also, leaders who represented the poorermajority, such as Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry, didnot attend the convention.2. Convention debates were not between the “haves” and the“have-nots,” but rather among the “haves” from differentregions.E.Motives Behind the Constitution1. Charles Beard argued, in 1913, that the delegates weremainly concerned with creating a central governmentcommitted to honoring previous debts and protecting theirown property holdings, and that the delegates did not favordemocracy.19

F.2. Critics of Beard have asserted that the delegates had variedmotives, such as promoting economic development andraising a federal army that could protect the states fromforeign aggressors.3. The Framers’ public interest of nation-building coincidedwith their private interest of protecting their property.Federalists Versus Anti-Federalists--Ratification and the Bill ofRights1. The Federalists favored a strong central government to curbthe power of the common people and of the states. TheAnti-Federalists favored a weaker central government inorder to tip the balance of power toward the states. Theydesired a rigid system of separation of powers and effectivechecks and balances. The Constitution was the result ofcompromises between these two positions.2. Conventions in nine states had to approve the Constitution.The Federalist Papers, authored by James Madison,Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, stressed the advantagesof national union and undoubtedly helped the ratificationprocess, especially in the state of New York.3. The Anti-Federalists insisted (successfully) on the additionof a Bill of Rights to the Constitution, arguing that theserights were sacred and universal for present and futuregenerations of Americans.4. Note the boxed insert, "Is the Constitution AntiDemocratic?", in which the late Thurgood Marshallobserves that the Constitution excluded women andminorities. To Marshall, it was the Civil War that "createdvirtually a new Constitution using the FourteenthAmendment to ensure the rights of all Americans."III. Four Major Constitutional Principles20

A. Introduction. The Constitution establishes the structure ofgovernment, distributes certain powers, and puts restraints onthe government. In short, the Constitution both grants and limitsgovernmental power.B.Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances. Theseprinciples place the powers of government in the care ofseparate parts and then mix together some of the powers toensure the relative independence of the three branches(legislative, executive, judicial). Although never explicitlydescribed in the Constitution, this philosophic principle was putinto practice by the colonial governments. But while thebranches of government are separate, in practice they share theoverall power of government.Examples of checks and balances include the presidential veto,Senate confirmation of presidential nominations, and the courtsruling a law unconstitutional. Also, note Madison's observation(see boxed insert) that "if men were angels, no governmentwould be necessary."C. Federalism. This idea calls for authority to be distributedbetween a central government and the governments of the states.This leads to an inherent contradiction: Can the centralgovernment be supreme and state governments be independent?This contradiction was resolved historically—by arms duringthe Civil War—in favor of the federal government. As thecountry grew in size and population, the need to solve problems(e.g., the environment and corporate regulation) moved beyondthe capacities of the states. The nationalization of politicalissues led, in part, to the nationalization of solutions in areas likepublic education, a responsibility originally reserved to thestates.21

Modern federalism appears far different from the originalconcept. Most nonmilitary services provided by government aresupplied by local and state governments, in complex overlappingrelationships with the federal government. The debate overmodern federalism has resulted in liberals and conservativesbattling over whether programs administered on a local level arecloser to people’s lives and more efficiently managed. By 1996,President Clinton and the Republican Congress worked togetherto shift more responsibility to local governments and reducedthe f

What is Politics? CHAPTER OVERVIEW This initial chapter introduces and defines politics and applies it to America's government. In Lasswell's famous definition, politics is "the process of who gets what, when, and how." In other words, the text's definition of politics "centers on actions among a number of people

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