random gov
1. Explain why conflict is inherent in society?
Conflict is inherent in society for two main reasons. First, all societies have competition for scarce resources that leads to conflicts between citizens. This condition is called material scarcity. Second, citizens have different philosophies which, leads to disagreements about how to solve societal problems. Because these two conditions exist in all societies, they create a situation where conflict is inherent. The inescapable nature of conflict leads societies to develop governmental systems to address the conflict.
1. How did the experience of colonial rule under England affect the founders’ choice of governments when they wrote the Articles of Confederation?
The British did now allow their citizens to have any religious freedom, their own political views, and controlled their economics to an extreme. Under the Articles of Confederation, they decided to change all of that and give the people more freedom.
6. Explain three ways the founders tried to deter the formation of permanent majorities.
Federalism, majority vote, select leaders to represent the people
11.What is majority tyranny and why did the founders want to avoid it?
Major tyranny is the democratic authority, such as the government, makes policies or takes actions to benefit the majority without regarding the rights or welfare of the rest of the population. The founders wanted to avoid it because it would undermine the democratic nature of the government they wanted to establlish.
3.Why are civil liberties described as a vertical relationship?
Because civil liberties state that people are subject only to laws established for the good of the community, especially with regard to freedom of action and speech. In other words, it protects the citizens from actions taken by the government which are harmful or detrimental. Basically, citizens expect government to create legislation that doesn't screw them over.
2.What two factors make government authoritative?
Legitimacy (sense of obligation)
Coercion (preponderance of force)
2. What problems under the Articles of Confederation led to the development of the Constitution?
The central government that became created was very weak in power. The people in the states took days to get on board with what was happening. States had their own money system and the central government did not get any taxes from them. Shay’s rebellion
7. What were the political and philosophical reasons for adopting
federalism?
Political system where governments share authority over jurdical alternatives like unitary and confederal
12.What did the antifederalists believe in and how did they shape the design of the US constitution?
They believed in a small government and the government should stay out of things. They did not want a big national government so the founding fathers evolved.
4.Using an example from the course materials explain why civil liberties are considered conditional?
Natural rights for each person such as freedom of speech.
3. How do governments settle conflicts?
Governments make rules
Rules as value allocations
3. How did the Founders deal with the problem of how to determine the means of representation in the Constitution?
Each state had two delegates represent them in the Senate so it is all around equal. Every state has a fair chance to represent the state in the Senate.
8. Explain how the ideas of interposition and nullification help to
define the state's rights doctrine.
The state is between government and the people and the state government can have an input if needed.
13.How do block and categorical grants shape the relationships between the federal and state governments?
Block grants are given from the government to the state for broad usage. Categorical grants have strict restrictions on the usage. The states rely on federal government for fundings.
5. How do “probable cause” and the “exclusionary rule” help to maintain the protections in the 4th amendment?
Probable cause is having reasonable grounds for making a search, pressing a charge, etc. The exclusionary rule says evidence that's obtained illegally cannot be charged. The fourth amendment states that the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause.
4. Why are government rules seen as biased?
Structural rules: (rules of the game) Definition - Rules that establish the organization, procedures, and powers of government.
Policy rules: (rules of substance) Definition - A decision a government institution reaches on a specific political question within its jurisdiction.
Bias in rules - no neutrality
4. What are the differences between enumerated and implied powers? Give examples to support your answer.
Enumerated powers are those expressly granted to Congress by the Constitution. Implied powers enable the federal government to carry out tasks outlined by the enumerated powers. Enumerated powers is to ask for taxes and collect them while Implied powers would be minimum wage.
9.What are the differences between the layer cake and marble cake
interpretations of federalism?
A layer cake is dual federalism where the power is divided between states and government, marble cake is mixing the powers of the states and government
1.What amendment is associated with the ruling in Miranda v. Arizona (1966 )and how does the ruling support the principle of the amendment?
The 5th amendment: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury...". Said that when people are arrested, they can defend their rights.
6. Why did the founders think it was important to protect the freedom of the press in the Constitution?
So that the public could state their opinions formally and in a professional platform, and also because it was meant to be a check on the government.
5. What are the implications of viewing government from a political perspective?
Societal conflicts gravitate to government.
A political perspective on government focuses on how government manages the conflicts of society.
Federal Government
Rules of the Game: The Constitution
5. What were the implications of Classical Liberal ideology on the design of the US Constitution?
Governments should be democratic and majority rule should pass
10. How did the colonists view of popular sovereignty conflict with the British notion of Parliament being the source of sovereign authority.
Popular sovereignty is the consent to being governed by the government. The British thought god was the power and that the citizens were irrelevant.
2. The right to privacy is considered an implied or unenumerated protection. Explain what the term implied means and how this relates to the right to privacy.
These protections aren't explicitly stated in the constitution, however they are implied by other rights which are addressed in the constitution.
7.What is meant by the term original intent when interpreting the Constitution?
Discovering what the founding fathers actually meant when they wrote the constitution.