Government In America Textbook PDF Contains
This lesson is a comprehensive introduction to the important topic of American government and politics. Governments decide who gets what, when, and how (see Harold D. Laswell, Politics: Who Gets What, When, How, [New York: McGraw-Hill, 1936]); They make policies and pass laws that are binding on all members of the society; They make decisions about taxation and expenses, benefits and costs, even life and death.
Governments have power – the ability to achieve compliance and bring people under their jurisdiction – and they can exercise their power by using the police and the military to enforce their decisions. However, power does not include the use of force or coercion; People often obey because they feel it is in their best interest to do so, they have no reason to disobey, or they fear punishment. Above all, the people obey their government because it has authority; Its power is seen by the people as legitimate, legitimate. People can legitimize their government because they have been socialized to do so; Because there are processes such as elections, which enable them to choose and replace their rulers; And because they believe that their governing bodies act justly.
Politics is the process by which leaders are selected and policy decisions are made and implemented. This includes discussions and debates, disagreements and conflicts, cooperation and consensus, and people and groups engaged in power struggles, both inside and outside the government.
In covering US government and politics, our lesson introduces the intricacies of the Constitution, the complexities of federalism, the meaning of civil liberties, and the struggle over civil rights; It describes how people socialize for politics, obtain and express opinions, and participate in political life; describes interest groups, political parties, and elections—the intermediaries that connect people to government and politics; Details of branches of government and how they work; and shows how policies are made and affect people’s lives.