Ideology or Party
Ideology

Coherent set of values and
beliefs

What you believe, cannot
compromise
Party

Organization/group with
the goal of winning control
of the government through
elections

Often based on common
beliefs

Requires compromises
Your ideology

Read and answer:

100 strongly agree

75 agree

50 (YOU MAY ONLY DO THIS 3 TIMES)

25 disagree

0 strongly disagree
Add up score

Add ODDS, then divide by 9 (this is your X-axis)

Add EVENs, then divide by 9 (this is your y-axis)

Plot your point and mark with a star
How to balance
freedom, order, and equality
Original dilemma
Modern Dilemma

Freedom vs Order

Freedom vs Equality

Post-American Revolution

Post-Civil War/Civil Rights
My Ideology (#4)
100
Modern Dilemma
Freedom
vs
Equality
Liberal
Communitarian/populist
•Gov’t promotes equality and
freedom, above order
•Emphasize civil rights and
social welfare
•Pro-choice
Moderates
•Anti-death penalty
50
•Gov’t promotes order
and equality with
many laws and
services
•High taxes to pay for
programs
Swing voters
centrists •Gov’t promotes order and
•Maximize freedom
freedom, above equality
•Emphasis on punishment
by limiting gov’t
and defense
•Low taxes, few
•Pro-life
services
•Pro-death penalty
Libertarian
0
Conservative
50
Freedom vs
Order
Original Dilemma
100
Causes of a Two-Party System

Why just 2 parties in such a diverse nation?
1.
Tradition
2.
Electoral System (SMDP, winner-take-all)

cgp grey first past the post
Effects of Two-Party System

Compromise and unity

Simplifies options

Winner secures a majority (generally/mostly)

Parties become centrist

Apathy, lack of political efficacy
LO 8.1
To Learning Objectives
Copyright © 2011 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman
LO 1.3
Party in
Government
Schattschneider’s Explanation
To Learning Objectives
Defining government

Government is the institution through which a
society makes and enforces its public policies.

Politics: “Who gets what, when, and how” - Laswell
The purpose of government
What governments do
•
Needed to maintain social
order, through laws
•
•
•
The politics of
government

How much order? What kinds of
laws
Provide essential services for
the people

Protect people from attack
by other states and from
internal threats
What services? Who gets them?
Who pays for them?

How? What is a threat?

How should government and the
economy be related?
Pass laws that shape and
control the nation’s economy
in various ways