Syllabus
HKS101A American Government
Instructor: Thomas Patterson
In this course, we’ll explore the workings of the American political system, starting with its constitutional foundations and ending with its public policies. In between, we’ll examine U.S. institutions, including Congress and the presidency, and political organizations, including political parties and interest groups. The emphasis will be on the “big picture.” What are the driving forces and persistent tendencies of American politics? Who governs America--how, when and why?
The lectures will highlight main features of American politics, while asking you to consider major issues. Why are American elections awash in money? Why has power over war shifted from Congress to the president? Why does the United States have more people in poverty and yet spend less on social welfare than other major democracies? What accounts for the party polarization that characterizes today’s politics, and has resulted in policy deadlock in Washington? Why is income inequality on the rise in America? Why has global trade become a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy? In the process of addressing such questions, you will engage in critical thinking, synthesis, and analytical reasoning—important life skills that are honed through repeated use.
Case studies will be used to reinforce main points. In the session on federalism, for example, we will examine opposition to the 2010 Affordable Care Act, which requires Americans to have health insurance. What were the political and constitutional objections to the legislation? Why did the Supreme Court rule that it was a lawful exercise of congressional power?
It is strongly recommended that you read an introductory American government text as a supplement to the lectures. Such a text will improve your knowledge of the subject and fill in details that the lectures—given the limits of time—do not address. One such text is my own (Thomas Patterson, We the People, 11th edition). Pages from that text are included in the readings for each session. You are welcome to use a different introductory text if you prefer. In that case, you should identify the pages related to each session’s topic.
Welcome to the course! I look forward to being with you in the weeks to come.
Tom
Thomas E. Patterson
Bradlee Professor of Government & the Press
Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
thomas_patterson@hks.harvard.edu
Grading
In order to earn a certificate, you must complete at least 70% of the course requirements, which includes watching the lecture videos, doing the readings, answering the quizzes, participating in the discussion, and completing the writing assignments, each of which is worth 20% towards your final grade. Completion of lectures, readings, and discussion participation is self-reported in the ’Self-Assessment’ component at the end of each unit. You can track your progress throughout the course in the Progress tab.
The breakdown is as follows:
Reading 20%
Viewing Lecture 20%
Quizzes 20%
Discussion 20%
Writing Assignments 20%
There will be four writing assignments in the course, one per module (which corresponds to one per month). You will be given a prompt and asked to write no more than 600 words in response. You will be given a rubric which you will use to grade your peers using the edX peer grading tool. We will provide more details on fulfilling this requirement on September 24th, the day we post the first assignment. The full schedule is as follows:
Writing assignment #1
Posted: September 24, 2015
Due: January 7, 2016
Writing assignment #2
Posted: October 22, 2015
Due: January 7, 2016
Writing assignment #3
Posted: November 19, 2015
Due: January 7, 2016
Writing assignment #4
Posted: December 17, 2015
Due: January 7, 2016
Except for the writing assignments, you can complete the course requirements at anytime until the last day of class, which is January 7th, 2016.
Course Schedule
Foundations
Sep 8 Political Culture
Sep 10 Limited Government
Sep 15 Representative Government
Sep 17 Federalism
Sep 22 Civil Liberties
Sep 24 Civil Rights
Institutions
Oct 6 Congress and Constituency
Oct 8 Congress and Party
Oct 13 Presidents and Domestic Policy
Oct 15 Presidents and Foreign Policy
Oct 20 Federal Bureaucracy
Oct 22 Judiciary and Supreme Court
Mass Politics
Nov 3 Public Opinion
Nov 5 Political Parties
Nov 10 Campaigns and Elections
Nov 12 Political Movements
Nov 17 Interest Groups
Nov 19 News Media
Public Policy
Dec 1 Social Policy
Dec 3 Fiscal and Monetary Policy
Dec 8 Welfare and Income Policy
Dec 10 Regulatory Policy
Dec 15 Foreign Policy
Dec 17 Dynamics of American Politics
PART I. FOUNDATIONS
Political Culture - September 8, 2015
In the words of journalist Theodore H. White, the United States was “born of an idea.” The American Revolution stemmed from the vision of a different form of government, one based on the consent of the governed rather than the dictates of a king. That founding vision with its emphasis on liberty, equality, individualism, and self-government became the foundation of the American political culture.
This session will explore the origins of the nation’s political culture, its embrace by each succeeding generation of Americans, and its continuing influence on the nation’s politics and policies. U.S. welfare and education policy will be used to illustrate that influence. The session also highlights the nature of politics—the process through which society settles its conflicts over scarce resources and conflicting values.
Limited Government - September 10, 2015
The writers of the Constitution were determined to create a government powerful enough to meet the nation’s needs but not so powerful as to threaten people’s liberty. Accordingly, the Constitution is rooted in the idea of “limited government”—a government of restricted power. The Constitution provided for such a government in multiple ways—denials of power, grants of power, the Bill of Rights, and the separation of power.
This session will examine the Constitution’s provisions for limited government and then explore the extent to which these provisions have curbed or failed to curb extra-constitutional uses of power. The main points of the session will be reinforced by examining a set of cases, including the Watergate scandal, the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II, and the Bush Administration’s policies for handling enemy detainees after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Representative Government - September 15, 2015
“We the People” are the opening words of the U.S. Constitution. Yet, the Constitution in its original form made only limited provision for direct popular influence. The House of Representatives was the sole popularly elected institution and voting eligibility was left to the states to decide. That system was gradually altered, but substantial barriers to popular participation remain, mainly in the form of state laws that restrict voting.
This session will explore the reasons that the framers felt it necessary to limit popular influence, will describe how and why the original system changed, and will look at contemporary barriers—gerrymandering, voter registration, and voter ID laws—that inhibit voting.
Federalism - September 17, 2015
The writers of the Constitution created the first "federal" nation—one that divided sovereignty between a national government and state governments. We will examine this arrangement through the history of federalism as a constitutional issue, highlighting the conflicts between national and state authority that were ultimately resolved in favor of national authority.
The session will explain the division of power between the federal and state governments and also explain how broadly worded constitutional clauses, partisan differences, and changing national needs have combined to make federalism a source of political conflict and change. Among the cases explored in this session is the constitutional dispute provoked by the 2010 health care reform act.
Civil Liberties - September 22, 2015
Under the U.S. Constitution, individuals are guaranteed free expression and fair trial rights. During the nation’s history, these rights have been expanded in practice through action by the Supreme Court. A key development has been their protection from action by state and local governments; the Court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment’s due process clause has been the basis for the change.
This session will examine these developments and explain the individual rights that today’s Americans enjoy. Major Supreme Court rulings—such as those relating to free speech and protection from unreasonable search and seizure—will be discussed as a means of clarifying the nature of Americans’ civil liberties.
Civil Rights - September 24, 2015
Civil rights refer to the right of every person to equal protection under the laws and proper access to society’s opportunities. Although Americans in theory are equal in their rights, historically disadvantaged groups—including women and minorities—have had to struggle to attain a greater measure of equality.
This session will focus on three policies that have been instrumental in expanding the rights and opportunities of disadvantaged groups: the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause, the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and affirmative action. The last of these policies has been particularly contentious and we’ll take a close look at it, including a recent Supreme Court ruling on a case that originated in the state of Michigan.
PART II. INSTITUTIONS
Congress & Constituency - October 6, 2015
The Congress of the United States was established as the “first branch” of government—the institution that would represent the people. Indeed, nothing looms larger in the political thinking of most members of Congress than does their constituency---the state or district they represent. The nature of the U.S. electoral system—its single-member plurality district system—compels them to pay attention to their constituents in order to win reelection.
In this session, we will examine how their constituency affects the behavior of members of Congress, including its influence on the type of bills that members are most likely to support. The 2014 farm bill will be used to highlight constituency influence on senators and representatives
Congress & Party - October 8, 2015
With its two chambers, numerous committees, and individually empowered members, Congress is a fragmented institution. Nevertheless, there is a unifying force in Congress—its political parties. Congress is organized along party lines—for instance, the majority party in each chamber chooses the top leaders and holds a majority of seats on each standing committee. In the past few decades, as a result of a widening ideological gap between Republican and Democratic lawmakers, partisanship has increasingly defined the actions of Congress.
This session will describe the role of parties in Congress and explain the developments that have contributed to party polarization within Congress. We’ll examine the 2013 government shutdown as a case study in party conflict. The session will also explain why Congress’s fragmented structure makes it difficult for Congress to take the lead on major national issues while making it perfectly suited to taking on scores of smaller issues at once.
Presidents & Domestic Policy - October 13, 2015
Presidents operate within a system of divided power. Although they routinely propose legislative initiatives, Congress has the lawmaking power. As a result, presidents’ ability to get their policy initiatives enacted into law depends largely on Congress’s willingness to respond. An exception is executive orders, which are issued by the president through their constitutional authority as chief executive.
This session will examine the factors that affect presidential success in the area of domestic policy. Several factors will be mentioned, but the focus will be the partisan makeup of Congress—whether a majority of its members are from the president’s party. The 1964 food stamp bill and the 1996 welfare bill will be used to illustrate the relationship between presidential success and Congress’s partisan makeup.
Presidents & Foreign Policy - October 15, 2015
Writing in the 1960s, political scientist Aaron Wildvasky claimed that the United States has only one president but has two presidencies—one when it comes to domestic policy and another when it comes to foreign policy. Although Wildavsky’s thesis is now regarded as an oversimplification, presidents are less constrained in the foreign policy realm than in the domestic policy realm. Although, for example, the Constitution assigns Congress the power to declare war, the decision to send US troops into hostile action in practice rests with the president.
In this session, we’ll examine the president’s comparative advantages—for example, control over information—in the making of foreign policy. We’ll look particularly at executive agreements—treaty-like arrangements authorized solely by the president—and the war power. President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq in 2003 will serve as a case study.
Federal Bureaucracy - October 10, 2015
The federal bureaucracy has no constitutional authority of its own. Staffed by unelected officials, its authority derives from constitutional powers granted to the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Yet, the federal bureaucracy exercises power of its own as a result of its role in implementing policy decisions. Moreover, federal agencies have an “agency point of view”—they seek to promote and protect their programs and have resources that can enable them to succeed in this effort.
In this session, we’ll examine the federal bureaucracy—its structure, staffing, and operation. We’ll also explore the challenge of holding the bureaucracy accountable for its actions. The Air Force’s F-22 fighter jet program will serve as a case study of bureaucratic politics.
Judiciary & Supreme Court - October 22, 2015
Article III of the Constitution establishes the federal judiciary and defines its authority. Article III reads in part: “The judicial power of the United States, shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” Of particular interest is the Supreme Court, which has been described as “the world’s most powerful court,” a situation that derives from its status as an independent and co-equal branch of the federal government and from the fact that America’s system of divided powers and individual rights is a frequent source of constitutional disputes.
This session will examine judicial power and the role of politics in Supreme Court decisions. We will also consider the normative question of how much power an unelected judiciary should have in a democratic system. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010)—in which it struck down an act of Congress prohibiting independent campaign expenditures by corporations and labor unions—will serve as a case study of judicial power.
PART III. MASS POLITICS
Public Opinion - November 3, 2015
Public opinion has a powerful and yet inexact influence on elected officials. They risk their careers if they ignore it. Yet its influence is not easy to pinpoint and there are many issues where public opinion doesn’t come into play at all.
This session will examine the attributes of public opinion and explore its impact on the decisions of policymakers—a subject that has been extensively studied by political scientists. The session will also explain the theory and practice of polling, which has become the primary method of assessing public opinion. Gun control policy will be used to illustrate key points about the nature and influence of public opinion.
Political Parties - November 5, 2015
Political parties are inseparable from democracy. By offering a choice in between policies and leaders, parties give voters a chance to influence the direction of government. As political scientist E.E. Schattschneider wrote: “It is the competition of [parties] that provides the people with an opportunity to make a choice. Without this opportunity popular sovereignty amounts to nothing.”
Unlike most democracies, the United States has a two-party system, the Republicans and the Democrats. This session will examine this feature of the U.S. party system and will explain the origin and nature of today’s Republican and Democratic parties. Party realignments will be a focus of the session; they will be explained in the context of the Civil War realignment, the Great Depression realignment, and the post-1960s realignment.
Campaigns & Elections - November 10, 2015
U.S. elections differ from those of virtually all other democracies—longer, more costly, and more clearly centered on the candidates rather than the political parties. This session will examine U.S. campaigns and elections. It will concentrate on the presidential election process, given that congressional elections were discussed extensively in previous sessions.
This session will look at the “invisible primary” (the period preceding the presidential primaries and caucuses), the state nominating contests, and the general election campaign, which centers on the battleground states—those that are competitive enough to be won by either candidate. Key points will be illustrated with examples from recent presidential campaigns.
Political Movements - November 12, 2015
Political movements (or, as they are also called, social movements) are a way for citizens disenchanted with government to actively express their disagreement. Unlike voting or lobbying, political movements take place outside established institutions, often in the form of protest demonstrations and rallies.
This session will examine the factors affecting the success of political movements, such as their ability to attract the resources required for sustained advocacy. Four cases will be used to illustrate the significance of these factors: the black civil rights movement, the Vietnam War protest movement, the Tea Party movement, and Occupy Wall Street.
Interest Groups - November 17, 2015
An interest group—also called a faction, pressure group, special interest, or lobbying group—is an organization that actively seeks to influence public policy. In that sense, interest groups resemble political parties but there is a key distinction between the two. Above all, parties are in the business of trying to influence elections. Groups, on the other hand, concentrate on influencing policies directly affecting their interests.
This session will examine interest groups, focusing on group influence and why some interests are more fully organized than others. The Dodd-Frank Act of 2010, enacted in response to the economic downturn that began in 2008, will be used to illustrate key points about group influence.
News Media - November 19, 2015
The news media are Americans’ window onto the world of politics. For most people, politics is a secondhand experience, something they observe through the media rather than directly. Many of people’s images of politics derive from what they see and hear through the media.
This session will examine the news media’s influence on politics, focusing on the extraordinary changes that have taken place in the news system in recent decades and on the consequences of those changes. The U.S. news system was once dominated by the television broadcast networks and local newspapers. Today, they have to compete with cable and Internet outlets, many of which operate by a different standard. Studies of news effects and content will be used to document the differences and their consequences.
PART IV. PUBLIC POLICY
Social Policy - December 1, 2015
Social issues refer to disputes over values and how we should live our lives. Social issues end up pitting people against one other, which is the case today for social issues such as immigration, charter schools, police practices, gun rights, legalization of marijuana, environmental protection, and discrimination of all kinds.
Over the course of American history, no aspect of society has played more directly into social issues than religion. Social issues arise out of differences in values, and religions are founded on values. Not surprisingly, the intersection of religion and politics has been a persistent source of conflict within the American system. This session will concentrate on the intersection of religion and politics, historically and currently. We will explain how issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage have played out in ways that have aligned religious conservatives with the Republican Party and religious liberals and seculars with the Democratic Party.
Fiscal & Monetary Policy - December 3, 2015
Since the Great Depression, the U.S, government has taken responsibility for promoting and sustaining economic growth and stability. This effort takes the form of fiscal policy, which refers to the government’s taxing and spending policies, and monetary policy, which refers to government efforts to control the money supply.
This session examines fiscal policy and monetary policy—what they are, what tools they involve, and what political divisions they create. The nature of these policies will be illustrated through several cases, including the policies enacted in response to the economic downturn that began in 2008.
Welfare & Income Policy - December 8, 2015
Few issues of U.S. politics are more contentious than those relating to welfare and income. America’s individualistic culture and federal system of government have resulted in welfare policies that are distinct from those of virtually all other Western democracies. As regards income policy, the issue has come to the forefront in recent years as a result of the widening gap between the income level of most Americans and that of the country’s wealthier individuals.
This session will describe and explain these developments, relating them to both the nature of the U.S. economy and the nature of U.S. policy. The structure and politics of the U.S. welfare system and the U.S. tax system will be points of emphasis.
Regulatory Policy - December 10, 2015
Since the 1930s, the U.S. government has been actively engaged in regulating the economy, intervening to promote economic efficiency and to protect the public from harmful business activity. This session will examine four regulatory situations and their related policies: restraint of trade, which refers to anti-competitive business practices; inequity, which refers to unfair business transactions; moral hazard, which occurs when one party engages in risky economic behavior but passes the risk on to another party; and negative externalities, which result when firms fail to pay the full costs of production activity.
Although the primary emphasis will be on policy, the session will also address partisan divisions over regulatory policy, and the basis for those divisions. Several cases, most notably the politics and policies of climate change, will be used to illustrate key points.
Foreign Policy - December 15, 2015
Unlike other policy areas, foreign policy rests on relations with actors outside rather than within the country. As a result, the chief instruments of foreign policy differ from those of domestic policy. Previous sessions examined some of these instruments, notably diplomacy and military power. This session will touch on those instruments, but focus on one that has not yet received much attention—international trade. National security is increasingly more than an issue of military might. It is also a question of maintaining a strong position in the global economy.
This session will trace the evolution of America’s position as a trading nation during the post-World War II era, concentrating first on the factors that made America in the immediate post-war period the world’s unquestioned economic power and then on the factors that weakened that position. The session will conclude with an examination of the politics and policies of trade agreements, including NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) and more recent ones.
Dynamics of American Politics - December 17, 2015
This session will serve as an overview of the course, concentrating on major tendencies within the American system, such as its fragmented power structure. The importance of these tendencies will be explained by showing how thoroughly each of them affects American politics. The purpose of this session is to reinforce, and clarify, the “lessons learned” in the course.