american foundation

8/20/2019 American Foundation

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/american-foundation 1/54

AMERICAN POLITICAL FOUNDATION

American Political Culture

The Constitution

The Federal System

Ribhi I. Salhi

Professor of Political Science



Government

o A legi timate use of force within specified

geographical boundaries to control human

behavior

National Sovereignty

o Each national government has the right to

govern its people without interference from

other nations

Popular Sovereignty

o It is a distribution of political power in which all

citizens have the right to participate in the

political process.

o Because of this, people will be able to bring

government into accountability.

Political Culture

o A set of norms, values, beliefs, and attitudes of

citizens toward the political system and toward

themselves as actors in it.

General terms tounderstand

government; because

of these terms, we will

have the following

outline:



I. The Promise of DemocracyII. The Values of American Political Culture

III. The Purposes of Government

IV. Forms of Democracy

V. Forms of Governments

VI. American Political Ideology

VII. America and the Models of Democracy



I. What’s the promise of democracy ?

The promise of democracy is “PopularSovereignty”:

It is a distribution of political power in

which all citizens have the right toparticipate in the political process.

Because of this, people will be able tobring government into accountability.

How can

we

explain

that?



All citizens have the right to

participate in the decision-

making process.

include:

o

right to vote,o publicly disagree with

government decisions,

o

engage in a politicalcampaign, and

o support a political party.

All these characteristics

will lead to political

efficacy: it is the ability

of public to influence

government politics.



6

II. The Values of American Political Culture

Liberty: Personal freedom and government whose power is limited by law.Two kinds of liberty: 1. Personal Freedom

2. Economic Freedom (Laissez-faire)

Equality: All individuals should have the right to participate in political life and

society on equivalent terms. Two kinds:1. Equal of opportunity

2. Political Equality

Democracy: Implies placing powers in the hands of ordinary people.

1. popular sovereignty

2. Majority rule with minority right

3. Forms of political participation



•Hobbes: “Life without government is life in a “state of nature”

•John Lock: “Liberalism: Free Market – Protects order”

•Karl Marx: “Communism – government ownership”

MaintainingOrder

•Benefits and services available to everyone

•Roads, schools, protection…..etc.

ProvidingPublic Goods

•Welfare state

•Redistribution of incomePromotingEquality

III. The purposes of government

7



IV. Forms of Democracy

Direct Democracy: city-state democracy

Representative Democracy: western

(liberal) democracy

Limited government: A system in which the

powers of the government are restricted to

protect against tyranny.

In order to have

representative

system, we should

have certain

principles. What are

they?



These principles are:

1. Election 2. Political Parties 3. Interest Groups

Representatives are

chosen in elections,

typically by a

plurality of citizenswho vote.

Organizations that

put forward

candidates for

political office

An institution that

aggregates the

interests of like-

minded individualsand organizes to

press their common

views on

policymakers



Theocracy

(Hierocracy)

Krytocracy Kleptocracy Oligarchy Monarchy Aristocracy

Religious

Regime

Judges

Regime

Corrupt

Regime

Wealthy

Regime

Royal

Regime

Nobles

Regime

• Authoritarian: A type of regime in which only the

government itself is fully controlled by the ruler.

• Totalitarian: A type of regime in which recognizes no

formal limits on its power and seeks to eliminate other

institutions that challenge it.

V. Forms of Government

If government abuses power, we call it tyranny



Conservatism Liberalism Libertarianism Socialism

Conservative is a

defender of thestatus quo.

Right wing

Changes must

come slowly.

Liberals seek to

change thepolitical,

economic, or

social status quo

Libertarians favor

an end togovernment

intrusion in the

area of personal

liberties.

Socialists

traditionallyenvisioned a

society in which

major

businesses are

taken over by

the government

Ideology: is a consistent set of values, attitudes, and beliefs about the

appropriate role of government in society.

VI. American Political Ideology



PoliticalIdeologies

AbortionRights

OrganizedSchool

Prayer

GunControl

Supportfor the

poor

Conservative Oppose Favor Oppose Oppose

Liberal Favor Oppose Favor FavorLibertarian Favor Oppose Oppose Oppose

How American People view the following issues?



VII. America and the Models of Democracy

13

Majoritarian Pluralist Elite

Mass public controls

government

Relies on majority rule

Strong political parties

Centralized government

Groups’ Politics

collection of

organized interest

to advance certain

ends through

democratic and

free competition

Organized and

influential minorities

that dominate the

political process

Wealth is matter

American Democracy is more Pluralist Than Majoritarian



The Constitution

On September 17, 1787, forty-one of the fifty-five

delegates who attended the Constitutional

Convention assembled to sign the document.

Junius Brutus Stearns’s famous painting captures

the scene with George Washington holding the

Constitution.



Independence/

The Article of

Confederation /

1st Constitution

National Convention

55 Delegates

Shays

Rebellion

1776 1787May –

September

1787

Virginia Plan

New Jersey Plan

Great Compromise = Bicameral System

Federalists Vs. Antifederalists

March 1789

Constitution

takes effect



Federalists: The name given

to one who was in favor of the

adoption of the U.S.

Constitution and the creation

of a federal union with a strongcentral government.

• Property owners,merchants, creditors

• Preferred government

by elite

• Their leaders: Hamilton,

Madison, Washington

Antifederalists: An individual

who opposed the ratification of

the new Constitution in 1787.

They were opposed to a strong

central government.

• Small Farmers, Shopkeepers,

and debtors• Favored strong state

government

• Protection for individual rights

• Their leaders: Patrick Henry,

George Mason, & George

Clinton



The Virginia Plan:

Edmund Randolph-Seats in thenational legislature to be

apportioned on the basis of

population. It was supported by

large states

The New Jersey Plan:

William Paterson – equalpresentation . It was supported by

small states.

Great Compromise



Great Compromise

Roger Sherman – Connecticutdelegate proposed the following:

1.House of Representatives

seats to be apportioned by

population.

2.Senate Representation to be

equal for each state.



The Three-Fifth

Compromise held that

three of every five

slaves would be countedfor the purpose of

apportioning seats in the

House ofRepresentatives.



Madisonian Model

Separation of

Powers

The Presidency/Article II

(The Executive Branch)

Congress

Article I(The

Legislative

Branch)

The Court

Article III

(The

Judicial

Branch)Checks & Balances

The Constitution

Thomas Hobbes: Contract Theory

Charles D Montesquieu: The Spirits of Laws

John Locke: Two treatises of Government

Inspiration

Enumerated Powers: Articles I, II, III

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgh1jDv9b5w&feature=related





22

Article I

Legislative Powers

Article II

PresidentialPowers

Article III JudiciaryPowers

Article IV InterstateRelationships

Article V Amendmentsof the Constitution

Article VI TheSupreme Law of Land

Article VII Ratificationof the Constitution

The Constitution



Separation of Powers:

The division of government power across the

judicial, executive, and Legislative branches.

Checks and Balances: A system in which each branch of government

has some powers over the others

How can we explain this?



24Copyright ©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. GOVT7 | CH3

Figure

2 5 Checks and Balances among the

Branches of Government



A) The Article of Confederation:1. Weak Central Government2. Legislative dominance-no

executive branch

3. Execution of laws left to

individual states.

B) Americans experienced critical

conditions:

1. Weak international standing2. Internal Unrest-Shays Rebellion

3. The inability of Congress to

enforce its policies



Increased the power of

the central government –

How?

1. Powerful federal

government

The new constitution

sought to curb democracy

– How?

1. Checks & Balances

2. Electoral College

Constitutional Limits –

How?

1. Separation of Powers

2. Federalism

3. The Bill of Rights

The Constitution Vs. The Article of Confederation

Delaware was

the first state to

ratify theConstitution in

December of

1787.




Figure

2 6 Process of Amending the Constitution



Did You Know That?

Rhode Island

did not send anydelegates to the

Constitutional

Convention

Some of the framers

were foreign born:

Peirce Butler, ThomasFitzsimons, James

McHenry, Robert Morris,

and William Paterson

born in Ireland while Alexander Hamilton born

in British West Indies.



Charles Beard – 1913

American Constitution

was not formed

democratically.Why?



They were fifty-five delegates; they did

not represent the whole Society; theywere member of upper class:

• 33 were members of the legal profession.

• 3 members were physicians.

• Almost 50% were college graduates.• 7 members were former chief executives

of their respective states.

• 6 members were owners of large

plantations

• 6 members were importantbusinesspersons.



WHAT DO YOU THINK?

1. Do you think it is good that the Constitution is sodifficult to change?

2. What ideas and interest informed the Federalists

and Antifederalists respectively?

3. What lasting effects did the Antifederalists have

on American Politics?



American Federalism



The United State of America has a federal

government system

What are the systems of government?

What is the meaning of federalism?

How many unit of government in the U.S?

American Federalism

The Phases of Federalism



Unitary System Federal System Confederal System

National Government

Localities,

Provinces,

Territories

Power Power

National Government

State Governments

National Government

Power

State Governments

Britain, France,

Spain, Italy, Egypt

U.S, Russia, Germany

Nigeria, India, Brazil,

Canada, Mexico, Switzerland

US 1776

European Union



Unitary System

• Centralization of

power• Localities do nothaveindependenceauthority

• Examples:Britain, France,Spain

Federal System

• Decentralization

of power• System ofsharing powersbetween thecentralgovernment and

localities

• Examples: theU.S, Canada,Mexico, &Germany

Confederal System

• Weak central

government

• Examples: TheU.S 1776 &European Union

• Why is United State a federal system?

• How many governmental unit in the system?



Federal Government

(National Law)

StateGovernment

Local

Government Local Government

State Government

(Police Power)

Local

Government(Home Rule)

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Comity Clause

Interstate Extradition

Commerce Clause

Interstate Compact

The 10th Amendment is States’ Reserved Powers

The 11th Amendment is State Immunity

Article IV

Regulates

interstate

relationships



The Powers of the National Government

Article 1. Section 8/ Enumerated Powers:

Collect Taxes.

Coin Money.

International Recognition.

Declare War

Regulate Commerce (Commerce Clause)



Continue/ The Powers of National Government

Implied Powers:

These powers are not specifically expressed

but are implied through interpretation of the

delegated powers in “necessary and proper

clause” (Elastic Clause).



Inherent Powers:

They are not specified in the Constitution.

Allowing executives to take all required action to defend the

nation.

Lincoln during the Civil War used them by calling additional

troops and using fund to war



According to Article VI, Clause 2.

The constitutional provision that makes the

Constitution and federal laws superior to all

conflicting state and local laws.



According to the 10th Amendment “The Reserved

Powers” . These Powers not delegated to the

National Government or prohibited or denied to the

states.

Examples:

• set up time, place, date for elections

• Regulate commerce within state• Establish local governments



The Powers of State Government

Police Powers:state can enforce certain

norms, regulations, and laws to

manage their citizens’ affairs likeproperty, professional groups, and

family matters.



Local Government & The Constitution

Home Rule:

Home rule is set of rules for localities

• It has no status in the Constitution.

• States government establish localgovernment and grant them local powers.



Concurrent PowersPowers held jointly by the national and state

government.

Both can share responsibilities for particular policy areas:

• Establishing Courts• Transportation System

• Charter Banks & Corporations

• Spend money for general welfare

• Make & enforce laws• Taking private property for public purposes with just

compensation



Prohibited Powers1. The national government is prohibited

from taxing exports

2. The State governments are prohibited

from conduction foreign policy and from

coining money.



Section I - “Fall faith and Credit Clause” :It requires states to recognize and honor one

another’s laws and court decision.

Section 2 – “Comity Clause”It requires states not to discriminate against one

another’s citizens.

Section 2 – “Interstate Extradition”

It requires states to return a fugitive criminal tothe jurisdiction of the accusing state

I l li i



Inter-localities

Interstates Compact:

Set of regulations between localities of

different states to provide public services.

Example: transportation system between

NW Indiana & City of Chicago



The Addition of New States

Residents of the territory petition Congress for

admission to statehood.

Congress passes an enabling act allowing the

residents to draft a constitution and hold a

referendum to approve it. The president must

approve the resolution.

When the proposed state constitution is

approved by a majority vote in both houses ofCongress and signed by the president, the

territory becomes a state on equal footing with

all other states.




Figure

3 2 Constitutional Division of Powers



FIGURE 3.1 VERSIONS OF FEDERALISM




1789 1930s 1960s 1980s




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDAwQaL22K8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rj9JqFtx0t0&feature=related

The Development of Federalism

american foundation

Documents