PERIOD 1 – POLITICS �(NATIONAL LEVEL)��THEORY LECTURE

TODAY

• Lecture Politics: the theoretical highlights.
• Democratic decision-making on the national level.

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* REMINDER: use the general theory and case-sources on the website!

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* Making notes is recommended!

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• At the end of this lesson, you will be able to answer the following questions…
• What is politics, democracy and dictatorship?

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• Why do we have a representative, not a direct democracy?

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• Parliamentary democracy: �why is parliament considered �as the ‘guard dog’ in our �political system?

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• How does the political �decision-making process �work in practice?

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• What is ‘politics’?
• Making decisions to which everybody in a sovereign (independent) state is bound.

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• What is ‘politics’?
• These decisions are about subjects that are of public interest, such as state defense.

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• Can you mention �other political �subjects..?

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• Can you mention other politics subjects?
• Education, infrastructure (roads, internet), garbage disposal, social security, economy…

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• What is a democracy?
• Could you explain why our country is democratic?
• Through free elections the people can (indirectly) decide on political issues.

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• Three main characteristics of democracy:
1. Principle of trias politica is applied.
• Separate judicial, executive and legislative powers.

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• The state is constitutional (the legality principle): a law-abiding government.

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• Constitution contains freedom rights and political rights. Central values: freedom and equality.

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• Dictatorship versus democracy.

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• Dictatorship versus democracy:
• A.k.a. ‘autocracy’: a combination of the Greek words ‘auto’ (= self) and ‘kratein’ (ruling).

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• In a dictatorship…
• The people do not have any real political influence (e.g. having free elections).

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• And fundamental rights protecting the people from the state (e.g. freedom rights) are largely absent.

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• Therefore a small group has absolute power.

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• Three kinds of dictatorships:
• Ideological, military and religious dictatorships.

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• Can you mention any real-life examples?

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• Representative democracy versus direct democracy:
• Democratic dilemma: efficient decision-making versus optimal participation of the people.

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• A representative democracy ‘solves’ this dilemma.

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• Let’s play a Kahoot-quiz!
• 10 characteristics: do they belong to a democracy, a �dictatorship or both?

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QUESTIONS:

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• How do Swiss people have direct influence on political decision-making?

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• What are the main positives and negatives of this direct democracy?

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• Questions about the video:
• How do Swiss people have direct influence on political decisionmaking?
• Public vote on decisions in community, canton, state.
• Referendum to overturn laws made by parliament.
• People’s initiative for changing the Swish constitution.

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• What are the main positives and negatives of this direct democracy?
• +: more influence of citizens on outcome of decisions.
• -: decision-making process is slow and complicated, possible acceptance of decisions that contradict with constitution.

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• Our version of a representative democracy is called a ‘Parliamentary democracy’.
• Now, why would it be called like that?

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🡪 Representatives of the people are elected into parliament (First Chamber and Second Chamber).

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! HINT !

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• Trias politica: division of power between parliament and government...

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• Assignment: political decision-making.
1. Check out the hand-out you�receive from the teacher.

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• Fill in the following concepts �in the correct blank space:

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• Mayor (burgemeester)
• Aldermen (wethouders)
• Municipal council (gemeenteraad)
• First Chamber (Eerste Kamer)
• Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer)
• Council of Ministers (ministerraad)

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You may cooperate with your neighbour.

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Time: 5-10 minutes.

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When you’re finished: swap sheets with another duo and check their answers 🡪 discuss!

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• David Easton’s political systems theory.

This theoretical model shows how political decision-making is influenced by various political actors (e.g. citizens, media, organizations, governing bodies).

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Input-phase: in this phase various political actors such as mass media, civilians and pressure groups are trying to show politicians their needs, demands and desires.

Gatekeepers: certain actors can be seen as ‘gatekeepers’ in the process of political decision-making. This is because they can influence which issues will be picked up by politicians.

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Conversion-phase: politicians pick up the issue (e.g. member of Tweede Kamer want to debate about the issue). The problem has been set on the political agenda. New policy will be proposed.

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Pressure groups will continuously try to change the proposed solutions in their interests.

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Output-phase: civil servants are responsible for executing the political decisions (e.g. new law or regulations).

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Feedback-phase: does the new policy (e.g. law) have the expected outcome? New regulations and laws always lead to a response from involved stakeholders (positive/negative).

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If stakeholders (e.g. citizens) are not satisfied, the process of political decision-making will return to the input-phase of the Easton’s model.

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• International outlook:
• After World War II several international political organisations were set up in order to foster good political relations on a global level.

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• The most important being:
• The United Nations: founded in 1945, it has 193 member states.

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• The European Union: founded in 1947, it has 27 member states.

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• North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO): founded in 1949, it has 29 member states.

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• Three visions about future global politics:
• A global state:
• Francis Fukuyama

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• Culture clashes:
• Samuel P. Huntington

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• Economic inequality:
• Thomas Pikkety

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• Final check:
• What is politics, democracy and dictatorship?

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• Why do we have a representative, not a direct democracy?

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• Parliamentary democracy: why is parliament considered as the ‘guard dog’ in our political �system?

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• How does the political decision-making process �work in practice?

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