2301+Fall+Week+Two

Fall 2008 Readings and Notes**
 * GOVT 2301


 * Understanding "Government" and "Politics"**

To put this in context, [|a little bit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail].

For my lecture students: On Monday September 8, we will have a short multiple choice test on the definitions below, with one or two short answer questions on the topics we ill discuss in class.

For my internet students: Using your email searching skills, do the following: Get comfortable with the way that the terms "liberal" and "conservative" are used in contemporary discourse. Then look up the respective positions taken by the two principle presidential candidates on issues like the economy, social and moral issues, energy, immigration and more. What are the liberal positions on these issues and what are the conservative positions? Is there a key ideological distinction between the two candidates on these issues or do they take similar stands? On which side does the American public tend to stand? Which do you think is the winning side of the issue? Email me 500 words on this subject by Monday September 8 th.

Lecture topics: Government Politics

Be comfortable with the following terms: - look these up in dictionary.com and be prepared to define them. [|Government] [|Sovereignty] [|Autocracy] [|Oligarchy] [|Democracy] [|Authority] [|Totalitarianism] [|Authoritarianism] [|Constitutionalism] [|Arbitrary] [|Tyranny] [|Coercion] [|Consent]

[|Politics] [|Natural Rights] [|Divine Right] [|Values] [|Equality] [|Freedom] [|Liberty] [|Interests] [|Political Culture] - (traditionalist, individualist, moralist) [|Ideology] [|Conservative] [|Liberal] [|Socialism] [|Libertarian]

Also read through the following Wikipedia Pages: [|Liberalism] and [|Conservatism] - Get familiar with the general topics included in each page. I'll add detail--what sorts of things you might be tested on--beginning Monday.


 * Subjects**

The Origins of Government Locating Sovereignty The Trouble with Democracy On Political Conflict The Ideological Spectrum


 * Outlines of Discussions**

The Origins of Government - coercion - consent - what binds governments? persuasion? force? payoff? - what relationship ought to exist between the rulers and the ruled?

Locating Sovereignty - who is in charge? the autocrat? the oligrachy? the people? - what is are the pros and cons of each?

The Trouble with Democracy - mob rule - the fate of the Roman Republic - wht democratize? Adam Smith. John Stuart Mill

On Political Conflict - what is "politics"? - what is the nature of conflict in society? - self interest - values

The Ideological Spectrum - what is ideology? - the full spectrum - from communism to fascism - freedom v equality / the individual v the state - American ideological spectrum - liberalism v conservatism