DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

AND

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

POSC 105

THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

(Conclusion for sure)





  1. THIS MORNING:
    1. Finish discussing the constitutional context of American politics
      1. Judicial review
      2. An alternative system: "unified," "unitary," or parliamentary government.
      3. An assessment of the system


  2. REFORM: A "PARLIAMENTARY" SYSTEM:
    1. From last Wednesday
    2. Assume just for the moment that my concerns about capacity and enhancing accountability have merit. What sort of system might be preferable.
    3. A unified or parliamentary system
      1. Merge legislative and executive branches and reduce judicial review.
      2. Create "strong, disciplined" parties with leaders who have the power to force agreement.
        1. Recent examples:
      3. Change the function of the legislature by making it a deliberative and oversight body.


  3. WHO WINS, WHO LOSES - AN EVALUATION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM:
    1. Advantages
      1. Protects political rights
      2. Give individuals and especially groups multiple points of access.
        1. Major example: civil rights movement
    2. Now, an aside about power and political resources
      1. Power: getting A do to something A wouldn't otherwise do.
      2. Potential versus actual power.
      3. Political resources
        1. Examples:
      4. Mobilizing or translating resources into power.
      5. Some generalizations:
        1. Resources are unevenly distributed in society
        2. A "general" system enhances individuals more than one that relies on mobilization of specific resources.
    3. Disadvantages
      1. A system in which the strongest survive and flourish.
        1. Those who can obtain and maintain resources have a consistent advantage.
      2. Frequently thwarts majority preferences.
      3. Hinders decisive action.
      4. Makes the assignment of responsibility difficult.
        1. Who do we blame for government's actions and inactions?

    4. Summary:
      1. Divided power favors those who have resources; disadvantages those who have only limited resources.
      2. Divided power protects representatives from being held accountable.
      3. Divided power suffocates government action


  4. NEXT TIME:
    1. Public opinion, the mass media, and democracy
    2. Reading:
      1. Squire and others, Dynamics of Democracy, pages cited in previous notes.
        1. The authors' assessment of the constitution (pages 42-446) differs considerably from mine. They are more optimistic, for example.
      2. For your information start chapters 6 and 8, which will be the last "covered" on the first test.


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