lesson 1

Question 1

What is a democracy

Answer 1

Democracy is a method of group descision making in which participants are treated equally at an essential stage of collective decision making

Question 2

Why do we have collective decision making

Answer 2

some problems affect all society, e.g national defense, public goods
and also because of diagreements about how to respond to our collective problems, we need to make decsions

Question 3

what are;
plurarity:
supermajority

Answer 3

1. The most votes
2. greater than a simple majority.
3. popular vote; its ambiguous.

Question 4

Does the United States have direct democracy

Answer 4

26 states have some form of referenda or plebiscite only for state laws.

Question 5

What is problems with Referenda

Answer 5

Wording of the question before votes can be written in such a way can be confusing

Question 6

What are disadvantages of democracy

Answer 6

Democratic process can be morally wrong

Democracies should not tyrannize over Minorities

Question 7

What are ways to limit democracy

Answer 7

Change the rules for certain types of legislative supermajority instead of simple majority, e.g constitutional amendments

Question 8

What are three prohibited rules in Con

Answer 8

International slave trade was not abolished until 1808
Congress could not pass laws about direct taxes
each state had to have representation in Congress

Question 9

What are the three sources of Con

Answer 9

1. Classical Republicanism
2. Enlightenment brit gov
3. Political theory J Locke

Question 10

What is the Decleration of Independance

Answer 10

2 paragrpahs of a theory of government stating when it is time to revolt, Two Treatise of government was used by Madison to justify American Revolution 
Historical context( 2 english revolutions and glorious revolution

Question 11

Explain Locke’s view

Answer 11

There was a state of nature that lived happily and were based on three human rights; right to life, liberty and property. Government was meant to protect people’s rights and everyone was equal

Question 12

Social construct

Answer 12

society agrees to give up some of their rights to government for protection, if government breaches contract, citizens must revolt

Question 13

What is the three structures of British government

Answer 13

1. King
2. House of Lords
3. House of Commons

Question 14

What is the difference between Common and Roman Law

Answer 14

Common Law: based on custom and president(stare decis let the decsion stand)

Roman Law: dispenser of justice in Chancery Courts outside of common law

Question 15

Classic Republicanism

Answer 15

based on the experience of the ancient republics of Greece and Rome

Question 16

Who is Polybius

Answer 16

Greek slave brought to Rome, talks about Aristotles classifications or forms of government and similar states that each of the simple forms have a tendency to decay over time to perverted side

Monarchy=tyranny
Aristocracy= Oligarchy
Democracy= Mob rule

Question 17

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each form of government

Answer 17

Monarchy
Ad; strength, unity, common object of loyalty
Dis; tyranny

Aristocracy:
Ad; Merit, emulation
dis; faction, inter group conflict

Democracy;
Ad: freedom, equality, solidarity
Dis; violence, insurrection, anarchy

Question 18

What causes decay and degeneration of each form of government

Answer 18

the lack of sense of justice but also of succession