POLS 207: State & Local Government

Megan K. Dyer January 23, 2017

 Overview

Today: Ideology
1. What is ideology?
2. Govt power & its continuums
3. Ideological labels
4. Identifying ideology
 Recap

Where we left off:

Communities & why they matter

Democratic governance requires some sort of rule of the people*

Law & public policy created
BY the people &/or their elected representatives
FOR the people of the community being governed

Values & beliefs of political communities matter

 Ideology

What is the proper role of govt?

1. Maintain order?
Law protects persons & property

2. Provide public goods?

Services available to everyone (e.g. public schools)
Services the market is unable/unwilling to provide (e.g. utilities, parks)

3. Promote equality?
Newest & most controversial
 Ideology

What is IDEOLOGY?

Set of assumptions about how society works

Set of beliefs & general philosophy about govt

& what it should do

Note: Ideology party affiliation

 Continuums of govt power

What is the role of govt power?

Note: State monopoly on the use of legitimate force

Anarchism Totalitarianism

continuum of public power

Totalitarianism: Unlimited govt power

Anarchism: No govt; No govt power
 Continuums of govt power

What is the role of govt in the ECONOMY?

Socialism Capitalism

continuum of public economy

(equality) (efficiency)

SOCIALISM: Through govt, society owns & controls provision of basic goods & services
Promotes equality of individuals w/ respect to these

CAPITALISM: Individuals own & control provision of basic goods & what is done w/ them
Delivers efficiency for those who can afford to participate in the market

Where is the U.S. on this continuum?

 Continuums of govt power

What is the role of govt in the ECONOMY?

Case for SOCIALISM:

Both profit & labor have intrinsic value
Human beings should not be discarded to pursue the bottom line
Against:
Big free-rider problem!

Case for CAPITALISM:

Tying effort to benefit maximizes growth & promotes freedom of individual wealth
Against:
Leaves the intellectually & socially underprivileged without a ladder up
Selfish & self-interested behavior widens gap b/t haves & have-nots
 Continuums of govt power

What is the role of govt in SOCIETY?

Freedom Order

continuum of social order

(individual first) (group first)

Social freedom: Values individual liberties even at expense of having an orderly society

Social order: Prioritizes public safety & decency above individual freedom & expression
 Continuums of govt power

Putting things together

The Left The Right

social freedom social order

social continuum

equality efficiency
(social welfare) economic continuum (free markets)

Not necessarily consistent

can be left on one continuum & right on another
e.g. left-libertarians
 Common labels & meanings

CONSERVATIVE

Highly value social order & economic efficiency

Govt power should regulate social choices

but should not regulate economic ones the markets job!
 Common labels & meanings

LIBERAL

Highly value social freedom & economic equality

Govt power should not restrict social choices

but should intervene in the economy to regulate it & promote individual welfare

Value markets & property

to the point that they promote overall social good.
 Common labels & meanings

LIBERTARIAN

Highly value social freedom & economic efficiency

Stress importance of individual autonomy & minimalist role for govt

Not anarchists!
so what should govt do?
 Common labels & meanings

POPULIST

Value govt intervention in economy to benefit average citizens against wealthy & powerful
BUT intervention must conform to traditional moral & social values

Distrust of elites, but not anti-capitalist per se

Emphasis on individualism, equality of opportunity, property rights
 Percentage of Residents self-identifying as liberal, 2015 (Gallup)

State-by-State

Texas: 20.1%
Where does it rank?

Note: Residents v. voters

Note: Self-identification

What kinds of substantive

differences might this
measure NOT capture?
 Identifying Ideology (1)

Government in a free society should have no authority to

meddle in social activities or the economic transactions of
individuals. Nor should government meddle in the affairs of
other nations. All things peaceful, even when controversial,
should be permitted. We must reject the notion of prior
restraint in economic activity just as we do in the area of free
speech and religious liberty.
 Identifying Ideology (2)

When we invest in one another, when we build schools and

roads and research labs, we build a better future. Equality.
Opportunity. The pursuit of happiness. An America that builds
something better for the next kid and the kid after that. No
one is asking for a handout. All we want is a country where
everyone pays a fair share, a country where we build
opportunities for all of us; a country where everyone plays by
the same rules and everyone is held accountable.
 Identifying Ideology (3)

There are two ideas of government. There are those who

believe that if you just legislate to make the well-to-do
prosperous, that their prosperity will leak through on those
below. The Democratic idea has been that if you legislate to
make the masses prosperous their prosperity will find its way
up and through every class that rests upon it. You come to us
and tell us that the great cities are in favor... I tell you that the
great cities rest upon these broad and fertile prairies.
 Identifying Ideology (4)

And this party, with its every action, every word, every breath,
and every heartbeat, has but a single resolve, and that is
freedom freedom made orderly for this nation by our
constitutional government; freedom under a government
limited by laws of nature and of nature's God; freedom
balanced so that liberty lacking order will not become the
slavery of the prison cell; balanced so that liberty lacking order
will not become the license of the mob and of the jungle.
 Identifying Ideology

References:

1) Fmr. Congressman Ron Paul. From Farewell Address to Congress.

2) Senator Elizabeth Warren. From A Fighting Chance.

3) William Jennings Bryan, 1896 Democratic presidential candidate. From Cross of Gold
speech before the 1896 Democratic National Convention.

4) Barry Goldwater, 1964 Republican presidential candidate. From Speech Accepting the
Partys Nomination at the 28th Republican National Convention.
 Identifying Ideology (5)

Donald Trumps Inaugural Address

Intended as a philosophical document for America

Full speech: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/20/politics/trump-inaugural-address/index.html

Highlights & transcript: http://time.com/4640707/donald-trump-inauguration-speech-transcript/
Next: Political Culture