Basic Concepts of Democracy

“No government demands so much from the citizen as Democracy, and none gives so much

back”

What does our democratic government demand from you?

What do you get in return?

September 16, 2013September 16, 2013

Objectives: Students should be able Objectives: Students should be able to identify the concepts of to identify the concepts of democracy and the early forms of democracy and the early forms of governmental influence.governmental influence.

Question: What does equality mean? Question: What does equality mean? Give an example. Give an example.

Agenda: Notes/finish and turn in Agenda: Notes/finish and turn in packetpacket

Worth of the Individual

• WHAT? • Puts the individual first, every

individual is important. Respect other individuals at all times

• For example: • Laws aimed at limiting

abortion, laws geared to special need students

• Exception: Sometimes a few individuals make sacrifices for the majority

Worth of the IndividualWorth of the Individual

Balance between Balance between individual freedom individual freedom and needs of all and needs of all the people in the people in society society

Declaration of Declaration of Independence Independence

Universal Universal Declaration of Declaration of Human RightsHuman Rights

Equality of All Persons

• WHAT: • Democracy provides the

equality of opportunity and equality before the law. No person can be held back for any reason based on race, gender, religion etc.

• For example: • Every person should have an

equal chance for success and should be treated the same under the law

Equality of All Persons Equality of All Persons Equality of Equality of

opportunityopportunity and and equality equality under the under the lawlaw

What is “equality What is “equality of opportunity?” of opportunity?”

Why does the text Why does the text dismiss the idea of dismiss the idea of “material equality” “material equality” so quickly? so quickly?

Do ”worldly goods” Do ”worldly goods” sometimes help sometimes help “opportunity?” “opportunity?”

Majority Rule, Minority Rights

• WHAT: • The will of the people and

not the few determines public policy

• The majority must recognize the voice/rights of the minority- must listen to the a

minority’s argument, criticism, objections and suggestions

Majority Rule, Minority Majority Rule, Minority RightsRights

Majority rule Majority rule restrained by restrained by minority rightsminority rights

EXEX: public : public breastfeeding/civil breastfeeding/civil unions are unions are “minority rights.” “minority rights.”

Why do Why do democracies democracies protect the rights protect the rights of the minority? of the minority?

How are minority rights How are minority rights protected in a “majority rules” protected in a “majority rules”

system? system? CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE VOTING VOTING

RIGHTS ACT OF 1965RIGHTS ACT OF 1965 AS A CASE AS A CASE STUDYSTUDY

How are minority rights How are minority rights protected in “majority protected in “majority rule” system?rule” system?

1) Public Pressure/Civil 1) Public Pressure/Civil Disobedience Disobedience

Branches of government: Branches of government: Legislative Branch (Congress)Legislative Branch (Congress)

Voting Rights Act of 1965

The Executive (President)The Executive (President) Lyndon Johnson with MLK, after Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965

Why was the Voting Rights Act Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 necessary? of 1965 necessary?

Southern post- Reconstruction (> Southern post- Reconstruction (> 1877)1877)

governments devised loopholes to governments devised loopholes to keep African-Americans from voting: keep African-Americans from voting:

• Literacy tests /constitutional Literacy tests /constitutional teststests

• Poll taxesPoll taxes

It all began with Freedom It all began with Freedom Summer 1964Summer 1964

Northern white liberals joined Northern white liberals joined southern blacks to register black southern blacks to register black voters.voters.

It was difficult and dangerous and It was difficult and dangerous and people lost their lives to register people lost their lives to register

black votersblack voters SchwernerSchwerner Chaney Chaney GoodmanGoodman

Edgar Ray Killen: convicted Edgar Ray Killen: convicted years later years later

An example of the An example of the failurefailure to to protect minority rightsprotect minority rights

1943: Internment camp Heart Mountain, WY

Necessity of Compromise

• WHAT: • In a democracy we make

decisions through compromise to satisfy the largest number of people

• Compromise is blending different views

• Each sides gives and takes to find a position that most can accept

• Compromise is important since there are many sides/angels to an issue

Necessity of CompromiseNecessity of Compromise

Our Our representatives representatives must compromise must compromise to get legislation to get legislation passedpassed

EX: Civil Rights Act of EX: Civil Rights Act of 1964 /Voting Rights 1964 /Voting Rights Act of 1965Act of 1965

Describe a recent Describe a recent failure at failure at compromise in compromise in CongressCongress

President Johnson “working the phones”

Individual Freedom

• WHAT: • Democracy can thrive only

in an atmosphere of individual freedom, but cannot provide complete freedom

• Each person must be as free to do as he/she pleases as far as freedom of all will allow

Individual FreedomIndividual Freedom

NotNot absolute absolute but balanced but balanced with rights of with rights of the majority the majority

EX: EX: Tinker v Tinker v Des MoinesDes Moines (1969)(1969)

Economic Freedom: Economic Freedom: The Free Enterprise SystemThe Free Enterprise System

Private Private ownership of land ownership of land and businessand business

Success or failure Success or failure determined by determined by competitioncompetition in the in the marketplacemarketplace

In reality, heavily In reality, heavily regulatedregulated by the by the government and government and much of the market much of the market is controlled by big is controlled by big businessbusiness

Final 5Final 5

What is an example of an individual What is an example of an individual freedom/right?freedom/right?