Indirect Democracy and Inequality

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direct democracy
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*People decide policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then decide policy initiatives.
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indirect democracy
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*A form of government in which people elect representatives to rule in their interest
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How does functional illiteracy pose obstacles for democratic participation?
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*They lack key information skills: Figuring out whats happening, where and how to vote, how to contact their representative, how to organize with others, etc. *Also, lack of efficacy: A sense that they matter and can affect what happens.
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Which kinds of neighborhoods are most likely to have failing schools?
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poor and minority communities
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Which groups are still under-represented in the US Congress?
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-Women -Nonwhites
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How does income inequality in the US compare to other developed states?
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among the greatest income inequality in the world & increasing overtime -next to Cameroon, Madagascar, Rwanda, Uganda, and Ecuador
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What systematic inequalities in political representation do we still have in our system?
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1. Gender inequalities 2. Racial Inequalities 3.Economic Inequalities
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Gender Inequalities
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-Lots of growth from zero but still only 18-20% of representatives in congress are women. -Women and men tend to differ in their policy positions
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Racial Inequalities
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African Americans, Latinos, and Asians are all vastly underrepresented in congress.
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Economic Inequalities
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-The top 5% of the US holds 69% of the wealth cassettes minus debt) -The bottom 80% holds 7% of the wealth.
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Be familiar with the ideal model of how \"the people\" matter in an indirect democracy.
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* In a \"democratic republic\", the people are sovereign. They must remain in some kind of control over decisions in order to have it be a democracy.
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The Ideal Model
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A. Citizens have interests, values and preferences B. Political parties aggregate their interests into platforms -They mobilize citizens to vote and engage politics -They help channel political conflict into elections instead of violence. C. We hold elections to select representatives -Political parties nominate candidates and inform the public about platforms. -People vote for the party that best reflects their own values and interests. -By voting, the public hands authority to representatives to make decisions on their behalf. D. Representatives vote for policies that reflect the needs and values of those in their district. -The threat of losing office later keeps theses representatives accountable to their constituents.
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What functions do political parties ideally play in the process?
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*Aggragate citizens interests -they bring people together that have similar positions -they mobilize citizens to vote and engage policies. -They help channel political conflict into elections instead of violence.
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What is the key moment in an indirect democracy when citizens hand their sovereign authority to someone else?
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*People vote & select their representatives that best refects their own values and interests. -By voting, the public hands their authority to representatives to makes decisions on their behalf.
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How does the ideal model of indirect democracy tend to fall short in practice?
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-Money can skew best interests (Constituents interests). -Many people split between 2 parties -Illiterate arent even capable of moving next steps (election, etc.) -FPTP has only 2 parties, so it doesn't represent many people's preferences. -Electoral college produces throw away votes -Interest group lobbyists -Lack of information -Parties, mobilize mostly the wealthy.
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American Democracy in an Age of Rising Inequality
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...
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Which groups in America are most likely to participate in politics and make their needs known to government officials?
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*Advantages, wealthy Americans because those who contribute to campaigns gain access to legislators and they can have their preferences heard directly.
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How do political parties intensify the already skewed participation in US politics?
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*Target many of their resources on recruiting those who are already most privileged and involved. *Money is a big factor, they want those who will donate money to support their campaign.
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How do those with more resources gain access to government officials?
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*Political parties and candidates focus their attention on the most likely to vote and make contributions. -Those who contribute to campaigns gain access to legislators. -Policies reflect the preferences and interests of the rich.
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In general, what are some key ways that income inequality translates into unequal political influence?
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* Those who are able to make money contributions to campaigns they support are able to have their ideas, values, and preferences heard with their access to legislators b/c they made a big money contribution. *Those who cannot afford to make such a donation are unable to be heard as much and are not the main targets or focus of the campaign, so they become left out.
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