members of the political community to whom certain rights and obligations are attached

Society created when citizens are allowed to organize and express their views publicly as they engage in an open debate about public policy

the vehicles through which policies are made and affairs of state are conducted

a system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who will work on their behalf

the central premise of direct democracy in which only policies that collectively garner the support of a majority of voters will be made into law

• a form of government in which power is vested in hereditary kings and queens who govern in the interest of all
• king/queen
• one for the interest of all

• a form of government in which the right to participate is conditioned on the possession of wealth, social status, military position, or achievement
• few for themselves

• a key characteristic of US democracy.
• Initially meaning freedom from governmental interference,
• today it includes demands for freedom to engage in a variety of practices free from governmental interference or discrimination

commonly shared attitudes, beliefs, and core values about how government should operate

the principle that all citizens are equal in the political process that is implied by the phrase "one person, one vote"

• the study of who gets what, when, and how
• how policy decisions are made

the idea that governments must draw their powers from the consent of the governed

a government rooted in the consent of the governed a representative or indirect democracy

an agreement between the people and their government signifying their consent to be governed

• a form of government in which power resides in a leader who rules according to self-interest and without regard for individual rights and liberties
• one leader for himself

Consent to be governed by not objecting to be governed

a system of government that gives power to the people, whether directly or through elected representative

Some have more power than others

1. Capitalists (bourgeoisie) own means of production and dominate the working class
2. Communism springs from Marxist
3. Marx's vision has never been properly exercised…practically impossible

1. (C. Wright Mills)
2. Oligarchy of business, military, and political leaders
3. Acknowledges the role of capitalists

1. (Max Weber)
2. Elected officials come and go and lack of expertise
3. Both Mills and Marx have ignored bureaucracy….politicians aren't any better informed than people because they cannot know everything about everything
4. Bureaucrats are hired to work for the government

• (Robert Dahl)
• Countervailing powers, many voices
• Others missed that everyone has a different interest
• Countervailing powers balance each other out

• Ex: railroad wants more funds from government so it doesn’t spend as much on the building and cars; at the same time trucking industry wants the same money for roads; at the same time airline industry wants money for airports. Comes out in a compromise to make everyone semi happy

• Those who govern in a democracy
• Those who governed at the convention

strongly structured along lines of how much government should do in economic and social areas