Type of Government

Advantages Disadvantage

Monarchy 

Oligarchy 

Dictatorship

 

Possible Pros/Cons of Dictatorship/Oligarchy/MonarchyAdvantages: (There is one for each category)There is not

controversy with elections next leader is already decided

One person makes the decision (laws pass faster)

There are more perspectives and options because numerous people rule.

Disadvantages: (One for each Category)Groups take

longer to make decisions

The family may not be liked and there is not way to elect others

All aspects of life are controlled.

BellringerWhat does “Democracy” mean to you?

Definition:

Democracy – a system of government in which the people rule either directly, or through elected representatives

Settling Differences Democratically1. Review the activity description with the students. Allow

students time to silently read the Local Restaurant Guide. (5minutes)

 2. Pass out the restaurant ballot form to all students and

instruct them to mark their initial selection. Do not reveal to the class the results of this poll. (2 minutes)

3. Instruct members of class that they will have 15 -20 minutes to discuss their options and reach an agreement. Remind the students that the principal will only pay for dinner if agreement can be reached.

4. Allow the students to deliberate and negotiate. Observe this process and take notes using the Observer Form. These notes will be important in the debriefing.

5. Stop the period of deliberation and negotiation either when an agreement has been reached or the time has expired. (20 minutes)

Debriefing Questions1. What were the initial restaurant choices of the students?

How many different choices? Was there a majority, a plurality at the outset?

2. Did students take a straw vote to find out who favored what?

3. Were there efforts, then, to persuade one another to agree on certain restaurants? Were these arguments made on the merits, such that a particular restaurant had better food, better service, etc.?

4. Did negotiations take place among proponents of one restaurant or another? Were any compromises struck? Was it possible to compromise in this activity?

5. How was the decision as to where to eat made? By a series of votes? One vote? A majority vote? Otherwise?

6. Why did the minority agree to go along with the majority? 7. How did students feel about the process and settlement?

Was the process fair? Was the settlement fair? 8. Ask the students to suggest other instances from their own

experience where differences had to be worked out by democratic means. What were the differences? Why did they have to be settled? What roles did deliberation and negotiation play? Were any compromises reached?

Policies and decisions are made by representatives

Every citizen is involved in everypolicies and decision.

Representatives are elected by the people.

The People

Representative DemocracyDirect (pure) Democracy

Forms of Democracy

What kind of democracy is the U.S?

Examples of Representative Democracy in the US:◦We Vote! The President, Senate, House of

Representatives, and literally 1000’s of other government officials are elected by the people.

◦Referendum: the practice of submitting a law to a popular vote at election time. The law may be proposed by a voter’s initiative or by the legislature.

◦Recall: a procedure whereby the voters can remove an elected official from office

DemocracyWhat are the characteristics of

Democracy?

Characteristics of Democracy

Government

by and for

the people

DEMOCRACY

Majority rule

Everyone is equal under

the law

Freedom

Elected representatives carry out the people’s will

Rights of the individual are

protected

Basic Ideals and Principles

Popular Sovereignty - government derives its powers from the consent of the people it governs.

Respect for the Individual - every individual has the potential for common sense, rationality and fairness and are entitled to "certain unalienable rights."

Equality of Opportunity - "all men are created equal," but what kind of equality? Economic, political, legal, social?

Personal Liberty - "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and the right of individuals to self-determination.

Rule of Law – “a government of laws and not of men;” safeguard of liberty.

Option 1:So, How Democratic Are WE?

Read each statement and decide if it represents an example of the democratic process or not, and then write a brief rationale for this position.

Based upon these scenarios, what generalizations can you make about American democracy?

Is it ok that democracy in the U.S. is sometimes inconsistent or messy? Defend your answer.

Scenario 1Elections in the United States are

characterized by low voter turnout. State and local elections normally draw 30% of all registered voters (or fewer) to the polls. Presidential elections draw 50% (or fewer) to the polls. In the presidential election of 1992, Clinton won with 40% of the popular vote (less than a majority). Keep in mind that because not all Americans are registered, the number of Americans that actually voted for Clinton is even smaller.

Scenario 2Ninety-five percent of all

members of Congress running for reelection will win their seat. Many times members of Congress face little or no opposition in political races. This has led to what some call a "permanent congress" with members serving as many as 30 years.

Scenario 3 The cost of running for

political office has skyrocketed in the last 20 years. An individual running a Senate campaign must spend a minimum of $22 million to have a chance at winning. Presidential elections cost much more, leading some to claim that political leaders simply must “buy” their seat.

Scenario 4Political consultants are

professionals who advise political candidates. They are experts on polling the public and giving advice to politicians based on what the polls say. Politicians often gain an advantage by following this advice.

 

Scenario 5Individuals who contribute large

sums of money to political campaigns have access to government leaders that ordinary Americans do not. Money influences legislation, which often benefits those who contributed

Scenario 6 The president of the United States

has the power to issue executive orders that have the effect of law. There is no immediate check on this power; in fact, this is an extra-constitutional power of the president. Examples of executive orders include Roosevelt’s internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII and Truman’s integration of the military.

 

Scenario 7 In the 2000 presidential

election, Al Gore won the popular vote by nearly a half million votes. However, George W. Bush won the election after the Florida recount controversy because he received a majority of Electoral College votes.

Scenario 8There are approximately 4 million

children in America who lack basic health insurance.

 

Option 2:Exploring “Democracy” Through

QuotationsInterpret the quotation. What

point is the author making about “democracy?”

Do you agree or disagree with the writer? Defend your answer.

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree?

Defend your answer.

1. Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions - it only guarantees equality of opportunity.

 

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#2 – Democracy is only a dream: it should be put in the same category as Arcadia, Santa Claus, and Heaven.

 

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#3- Democracy is a process by which the people are free to choose the man who will get the blame.

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#4- Everybody's for democracy in principle. It's only in practice that the thing gives rise to stiff objections.

 Meg Greenfield

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#5- In true democracy every man and women is taught to think for himself or herself.

 

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#6- In a democracy everybody has a right to be represented, including the jerks.

 Quotation

 Interpretation

 Agree or Disagree? Defend your answer

#7- America's support for human rights and democracy is our noblest export to the world. 

Background The Arab Spring is a revolutionary wave of demonstrations and

protests occurring in the middle east. Since December18, 2010 there have been revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, civil uprisings in Bahrain, syria, Yemen, major protests in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Morrocco, and Oman, and minor protests in Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Wester Sahara.

Clashes at the borders of Israel in May 2011 have also been inspired by the regional Arab Spring. The protests have shared techniques of civil resistance in sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches and rallies, as well as the use of social media, such as facebook, twitter, youtube, skype to organize, communicate, and raise awareness in the face of state attempts at repression and internet censorship. Many demonstrations have also met violent responses from authorities, as well as from pro-government militias and counter-demonstrators.

A common slogan: “The people want to bring down the regime”

Rethinking Democracy – Arab Spring

Before Activity:1. What country did your event take

place in?2. Who was upset? Why?3. What action was taken?

Rethinking Democracy – Arab Spring

Interactive Timeline:On a piece of laundry line,

students will place their event in chronological order (or can use tape on the wall).  Each student explain their event as we go over the timeline as a class.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2011/mar/22/middle-east-protest-interactive-timeline

Rethinking Democracy – Arab Spring

After Activity:4. How was your event(s) influenced

by events other countries?5. Identify 3 reasons it is so difficult to

transition from an authoritarian government to a democratic one?

6. What do you think politics in the middle-east will look like in 10 years? Why?

Rethinking Democracy – Arab Spring

More on Arab Spring: http://find.galegroup.com/gic/infomark.do?idigest=5240efa7b366f5

e884b288775e253a14&searchType=BasicSearchForm&type=portal&prodId=GIC&queryId=Locale(en,US,):FQE=(PI,None,5)G1548$&portalId=G1548&version=1.0&userGroupName=gale&source=gale

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756142 http://

pulitzercenter.org/education/lesson-plan/lesson-plan-writing-about-arab-spring

Extra SlidesActivities, political cartoons,

added info . . . not pertinent to the test.

Exit SlipWhich of the following is NOT one of the basic

ideals of democracy?a. Making Everybody Happy b. Respect for the Individualc. Personal Libertyd. Popular Sovereignty

 A democracy where someone is elected to act

on behalf of a larger group is best described as:a. a direct democracy.b. a representative democracy.c. a constitutional democracy.d. an institutional democracy.

Extra Activity: School of Rock

Look at the lyrics for the songs Fortunate Son recorded by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Daylight Again/Find the Cost of Freedom recorded by Crosby, Stills and Nash and Young, and Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA.

What do you think this song is about, i.e. what’s going on? (Hint: you may to consider the year each song was recorded and put it in historical context).

Analyze each stanza of the song, and discuss how it relates to “democracy.”

What do you think is the overall message of the songwriter of each song?

Identify how the songs are different and how they are similar in terms of their perspectives on American democracy.

Artist: Petar Pismestrovic, Kleine Zeitung, AustriaDate: February 2, 2005

Artist: Larry Wright, The Detroit NewsDate: February 1, 2005

Did You Know…In ancient Athens, only adult male

citizens who had completed their military training as ephebes had the right to vote.

More on Representative Democracies

•Presidential Democracy – people elect a legislature and a president who make and enforce laws.

•Parliamentary Democracy – people elect a legislature who in turn elects a prime minister.

•Constitutional Monarchy – people elect government leaders. Monarch has ceremonial power.

Systems of Representative Democracy

Another Way to Look at It.Presidential DemocracyParliamentary DemocracyConstitutional Monarchy

LegislatureElected by the

people

PresidentElected by the

people

LegislatureElected by the people

Prime MinisterElected by Legislature

Government LeadersElected by the

people

MonarchInherits ceremonialpower; holds limited

political power

LawsEnacted by legislatureand enforced by the

President

LawsEnacted by elected

RepresentativesLaws

Enacted by electedRepresentatives

People