Introduction to American Politics
January 9, 2013
Chapter 1
1. List 3 things that the U.S. government does.
2. What are the main differences between authoritarian, totalitarian, and constitutional governments?
3. How did government first become limited?
4. How did limited government turn into the idea that people should have equal opportunity to participate in government?
5. How is liberty defined in the text? How is equality defined? What is the relation between the two?
Videos
1. In the Story of Stuff, what does Leonard mean that the materials economy is a linear system but that is a problem when we have limited resources?
2. What is planned obsolescence and what problem does it cause?
3. Why is it that Americans are less and less happy, according to Leonard?
4. In the Story of Electronics, what does it mean that companies externalize the costs of toxic waste and health problems? What is the suggested solution?
5. In the Story of Water, why do people stop drinking tap water and start drinking bottled water?
Chapter 1
1) Three things the United States government does is to protect the liberty of its’ American people, which includes their equality and ability to vote democratically. The government also makes decisions through the influence of the majority, but still protects the minority. Lastly, it does what is necessary to keep its’ people afloat through hard times (The Great Depression/ The Recession) by pumping money into the economy.
2) Totalitarian government is one person dictates what the entire government does. Authoritarian is a step below totalitarian. It still does what it wants mostly, but some social parties can still influence the authoritarian government. While a constitutional democracy has a limited government. It is influenced by popular votes or influences that help shape the decisions of government more or less directly.
3) The government first became limited when people of the state wanted to become more active in government to protect
Chapter 1
1. List 3 things that the U.S. government does.
2. What are the main differences between authoritarian, totalitarian, and constitutional governments?
3. How did government first become limited?
4. How did limited government turn into the idea that people should have equal opportunity to participate in government?
5. How is liberty defined in the text? How is equality defined? What is the relation between the two?
Videos
1. In the Story of Stuff, what does Leonard mean that the materials economy is a linear system but that is a problem when we have limited resources?
2. What is planned obsolescence and what problem does it cause?
3. Why is it that Americans are less and less happy, according to Leonard?
4. In the Story of Electronics, what does it mean that companies externalize the costs of toxic waste and health problems? What is the suggested solution?
5. In the Story of Water, why do people stop drinking tap water and start drinking bottled water?
Chapter 1
1) Three things the United States government does is to protect the liberty of its’ American people, which includes their equality and ability to vote democratically. The government also makes decisions through the influence of the majority, but still protects the minority. Lastly, it does what is necessary to keep its’ people afloat through hard times (The Great Depression/ The Recession) by pumping money into the economy.
2) Totalitarian government is one person dictates what the entire government does. Authoritarian is a step below totalitarian. It still does what it wants mostly, but some social parties can still influence the authoritarian government. While a constitutional democracy has a limited government. It is influenced by popular votes or influences that help shape the decisions of government more or less directly.
3) The government first became limited when people of the state wanted to become more active in government to protect