POLYS.txt

Deciding who gets what, when and how

A social organization extending to the whole of society that can legitimately use force to carry out its decisions

the ability of one person to cause another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions

the right to use power

what makes a law or constitution a source of right

• •Government would mediate, nor mirror, popular
• views

• •People were viewed as lacking knowledge and
• susceptible to manipulation

• •Framers’ goal: to minimize the abuse of power
• by a tyrannical majority or by officeholders

•Autocracy- Single person rule

•Oligarchy- Small group of powerful people

•Monarchy- Rule by royalty

•Democracy- Rule by the people

• –Pure democracy- Direct rule by
• the people on all issues

• –Representative Democracy- Where
• the people chose officials to make their decisions for them

• - Elitism
• - Pluralism
• - Majoritarianism

The theory that all societies, even democracies are divided into the few who govern and the many who do not. According to this theory, those in power rule for self-interest

The theory that democracy can be achieved through competition among multiple organized groups

the political theory that, in a democracy, the government should do what the majority of the people want.

•Public Policy

•Taxes

•Regulations

•Minority rights versus Majority Rule

•Individual Rights versus Common Good

•A set of ideas concerning the proper political and economic system under which people should live.

• - Centrist
• - Conservatives
• - Liberals
• - Authoritarians

favor selective government intervention and emphasize practical solutions to current problems. They tend to keep an open mind on new issues. Many centrists feel that government serves as a check on excessive liberty.

preferself-government on economic issues, but want official standards in personal matters. They want the government to defend the community from threats to its moral fiber.

prefer self-government in personal matters and central decision-making on economics. They want government to serve the disadvantaged in the name of fairness. Leftists tolerate social diversity, but work for economic equality.

want government to advance society and individuals through expert central planning. They often doubt whether self-government is practical.