Wilson Chapter 1Wilson Chapter 1

The Study of American The Study of American GovernmentGovernment

Klein Oak High SchoolKlein Oak High School

What is the chief question the What is the chief question the book is devoted to book is devoted to

answering?answering?

What does the text call “one of the What does the text call “one of the most striking transformations of most striking transformations of American politics”?American politics”?

What were Alexander Hamilton What were Alexander Hamilton and George Mason’s views on the and George Mason’s views on the democratic character of the U.S. democratic character of the U.S. Constitution?Constitution?

What allows certain dictatorial What allows certain dictatorial regimes to claim to be regimes to claim to be “democratic?”“democratic?”

Who defined Who defined democracydemocracy as “rule as “rule of the many?”of the many?”

How did Joseph Schumpeter state How did Joseph Schumpeter state “the democratic method.”“the democratic method.”

Why did many of the Framers Why did many of the Framers believe that direct democracy is believe that direct democracy is likely to lead to bad decisions?likely to lead to bad decisions?

What did the men who wrote the What did the men who wrote the constitution mean by a constitution mean by a “republican form of government?”“republican form of government?”

What are the three requirements What are the three requirements for “genuine leadership for “genuine leadership competition?”competition?”

Why did the Framers not think Why did the Framers not think that the “will of the people” was that the “will of the people” was synonymous with the “common synonymous with the “common interest” or the “public good?”interest” or the “public good?”

Why did the Framers embrace Why did the Framers embrace representative democracy?representative democracy?

In majoritarian politics, elected In majoritarian politics, elected officials act as what?officials act as what?

When majoritarian politics is not When majoritarian politics is not possible, who determines policy possible, who determines policy outcomes?outcomes?

What are possible meanings of the What are possible meanings of the “Establishment?”“Establishment?”

What did Max Weber think was the What did Max Weber think was the dominant social and political fact dominant social and political fact of modern times?of modern times?

According to Alexis de Tocqueville According to Alexis de Tocqueville (in Democracy in America) (in Democracy in America) American “are fond of explaining American “are fond of explaining almost all the actions of their lives almost all the actions of their lives by” what?by” what?

What has caused “great shifts in What has caused “great shifts in the direction” of policy?the direction” of policy?

What is vital to understanding What is vital to understanding power?power?

How does the author characterize How does the author characterize the men who made the decisions the men who made the decisions at the Constitutional Convention?at the Constitutional Convention?

powerpower

authorityauthority

formal authorityformal authority

legitimacylegitimacy

democracydemocracy

democratic centralismdemocratic centralism

direct democracydirect democracy

polispolis

representative democracyrepresentative democracy

elitist theoryelitist theory

majoritarian politicsmajoritarian politics

eliteelite

MarxistsMarxists

power elite theorypower elite theory

bureaucratsbureaucrats

pluralistpluralist

The EndThe End