AndrewPhan

Girard,4
9/17/15
ChapterOne:AmericanPoliticalCulture

SincethebirthofAmerica,thefoundingfathersidealshaveheldtheirgroundasthe
nationscornerstoneofbeliefsandvalues.Theseidealsincludelibertytothepeople,
selfgovernmentofthepeople,individualismofthepeople,andbothunityanddiversityofthe
people.TheseidealsinfluenceAmericanvoterstovoteonwhattheybelieveisthebestdirection
theUnitedStatesshouldgo.Americasdemocraticgovernmentallowsthesevoterstohavean
actualsayinthelawstheywanttofollow.Americaseconomyalsomatchesitsidealscapitalism
focusesonallowingindividualstoachievetheirownsuccess.

ThemainclaimstheauthormakesinthischapterarethatAmericasgovernmentisa
democracy,whichfocusesontheideaofindividualismandlibertytothepeople.Inmanycases,
thisiscorrect.Unlikeothertypesofgovernments,everyUnitedStatescitizencanvoteonwhat
lawsandamendmentstheywanttheirgovernmentstoestablish.Asarepresentativedemocracy,
Americanscanvotewhobestrepresentstheiridealsintooffice,andtrustthattheirrepresentative
willestablishlawsintheirfavor,aslongasthelawsareconstitutional.Othergovernmenttypes,
liketotalitarianism,forcelawsupontheircitizensbasedontheopinionsofthefewratherthanthe
many.AnotherkeypointtheauthorclaimsisthatAmericascapitalistsystemreflectsitsidealof
selfrelianceandindividualism.Becausethegovernmentkeepsitshandsofftheeconomy,
Americanscanfinduniquewaystoachievesuccess,oneofthefuelingfactorsofAmericasinsane
developmentandeconomicgrowththroughoutitshistoryAmericaisthelandofinnovation.

Theauthorsclaimsthroughoutthechapterareflawed.ThestrongestclaimisofAmericas
governmentsystemthisgovernmentclaimstobeademocracy,whereallthepeoplevote.
However,thisisnotnecessarilythecaseauthorityoverthegovernmentisnotalwaysheldbythe
generalpeople,themajority.Therehavebeencaseswherelawshavebeenpassedduetolarge
companiesandwealthycitizenspressuringthegovernmentthesegroupsaretheminorityin
America.WhileAmericahasneverfallentototalitarianism,itsgovernmentsystemsisfarfroma
perfectdemocracy.Oneexampleiswhenlargeagriculturalgroupspressurethegovernmentinto
passingfarmsubsidiesthisdoesntbenefitthemajority,yetthegroupholdsenoughauthorityto
forcethegovernment.

Q:IsAmericasgovernmentsystematruedemocracy?Orispoweractuallycontrolledbydifferent
groups,asinapluralistgovernment?
Q:HasAmerica,throughoutitsentirehistory,completelyavoidedinfringingonitscitizensnatural
rights?Orhasthegovernmentatsomepointslimitedorrestrictedtheserightstoacertain
degree?
Q:WhichauthoritysystemdoyouthinkismorebeneficialtoAmerica:majoritarianism,pluralism,
elitism,orbureaucraticrule?
Q:Oftentimes,votingonanewlawisblackorwhitethereareonlytwochoices.However,many
governmentdecisionsarenotthatsimplehowshouldtheUnitedStatesgovernmentsortthings
outiftherewasnoclearmajorityonwhatthegovernmentshoulddo?