I. Politics – process by which society is governed. The "science of who gets what, when and why."

• battlefield on which interests compete to allocate resources

2. Government – group who are authorized to make and enforce decisions regarding the

protection and regulation of the community.

III. Why government?

1. settle disputes
2. minority rights
3. services
4. organization/safety

Social Contract: between govt. and people – the people agree to abide by the decisions of the government, but the government will be held accountable to the people = democracy.

IV. 2 questions surrounding governments:

1. What kind of government?
2. For whose benefit?

• election or heredity?
• Parliamentary or presidential?

• rule on behalf of people
• rule for own benefit

1. "rule of the common people" (Greek)
2. Majority rule – all persons are equal in terms of political rights
3. Individual/minority rights
4. Public Interest – interest of people as a whole

0. What is it? Will of the majority? Can we be mistaken about our interest? Take into account interest of minority?
1. Framers believed that majority of people were unlikely to pursue the public interest (emotion and passion, lack training and discipline to judge wisest course of action, lack of long-term view)

1. Direct (pure)

0. people "assemble and administer the government in person"
1. public interest is identical to will of majority
2. only suited for very small societies

1. example: town hall meeting about local issues
2. great deal of involvement by citizens

0. Three problems w/ direct:

1. Representative

0. decisions made by small selected group chosen by and answerable to citizens.
1. Reflect will of people
2. Distance between people and rep. = infrequent elections
3. Power ultimately rests with people
4. Contradictions????

1. power flows from people, but they are not to be trusted with that power?