Professor Michael C. Munger

Introduction to American Politics

Spring 2001
Political Science 91D
 

Class:    Social Sciences 139
Office:    214b Perkins Library

M & W 9:10 – 10:00
phone:  660-4300
Office Hours:10 – 11 a.m. M & W

Class Teaching Assistants:
Adam Brinegar
Jeffrey Grynaviski
Jennifer Merolla
 

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This class is an introduction to American politics, and to the study of Political Science.No background in the study of American political
institutions is assumed, though a reading knowledge of current events and the political system will make much of the material more
accessible to students.

You need to read a newspaper every day, at least for the duration of the class.   We will often talk about "current events" in class, and
try to place these events in the context of the larger political system we are studying.  The format of the class is typical of the large
lecture classes you may have taken in other departments here at Duke:  We will meet for lectures on Monday and Wednesday, and then
you will break up into small discussion sections for the Friday classes.   The discussion section you attend will depend on the section you sign up for; if you have any questions about this process, please ask me right away.
 

MAIN THEMES:
 

There are two main themes that organize the class.  We will return to the interplay between these themes over and over during the
semester.

Theme 1:   Institutions x Preferences = Outcomes

This means, for one thing, that outcomes can change if preferences change.   That's not too surprising, of course, and actually makes a
lot of sense.  But the other alternative is really quite disturbing:  outcomes can change if preferences are held constant, but the decision
rules change.

Theme 2:  Pluralism vs. Elitism

American democracy, and American government institutions, reflect a profound tension between elitist and pluralist conceptions of
political competition.  Neither of these two representations of politics is a complete picture.
 
 
 

TEXTS:

You must read a newspaper every day for this class.  There will be quizzes weekly in discussion section.  If you prefer an electronic version, use

Washington Post:  www.washingtonpost.com

New York Times: www.nytimes.com
 

The main texts for the course are available in the bookstore:
 

Dye and Ziegler,  The Irony of Democracy, Millenial edition, Harcourt Brace Publishing, 2000.

Hinich and Munger,Analytical Politics.  Cambridge University Press, 1997.
 
 

DISCUSSION SECTIONS:

Attendance at discussion sections is mandatory.  Roll will be taken, and pop quizzes routinely given.  The subject the pop quizzes will be drawn equally from the readings, lectures, and current events (to make sure you have kept up with your newspaper reading!).
 
 

GRADES:

Grades for this class will be derived from the students’ performance on two midterm exams, a final exam, a two page argumentative essay, and participation and performance in discussion section.  These will have the following weights:
 

ITEM:                                                                WEIGHT:

1.  Midterm Exams I and II:                               20%     (Total 40%)

 
 

Schedule of Classes and Readings

 

Date	Topic	Reading
1/10	Democracy & Freedom	From Plutarch’s “Lives”http://classics.mit.edu/Plutarch/aristide.html Chapter 1, Dye’s Irony of Democracy
1/15	(No Class: MLK day!)	“I have a dream” speech, 8-28-63 http://web66.coled.umn.edu/new/MLK/MLK.html
1/17	Precursors
	Iroquois Constitution	http://www.kahonwes.com/constitution.html
	Magna Carta	http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/magnacarta/magmain.html
1/22	Historical Development
	Virginia Declaration of Rights	http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/billrights/virginia.html
	Declaration of Independence	http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/declaration/decmain.html
1/24	Articles of Confederation	http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/artconf.htm Chapter 2, Dye’s Irony of Democracy
1/29	The Constitution  of 1787: Debates and Events	Annapolis Convention http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/annapoli.htm The Debates http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/debates/debcont.htm
1/31	The Constitution	The Text of the Constitution http://www.nara.gov/exhall/charters/constitution/constitution.html
2/5	French Revolution	The Rights of Man    http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/rightsof.htm
2/7	Constitutional Conflicts	Bill of Rights
2/12	Why Rules Make the Difference	Chapter 1, Hinich and Munger's Analytical Politics
2/14	I Want, You Want:What Do We Want?	Chapter 2, Hinich and Munger’s Analytical Politics
2/19	How Do Nations Avoid Chaos?	Chapter 3, Hinich and Munger’s Analytical Politics
2/21	Review	Review for First Midterm Exam
2/26	Midterm Exam I
2/28 Guest: Jeff G.	Ratification Debates: The Federalist Papers	General:http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/abt_fedpapers.html http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fedpapers.html Federalist #1:http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_01.html Federalist #10http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_10.html Federalist #47http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_47.html Federalist #51http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_51.html Federalist #67http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_67.html Federalist #68http://lcweb2.loc.gov/const/fed/fed_68.html
3/5	Ratification Debates: The AntiFederalists	AntiFederalist #1:http://www.iahushua.com/hist/AntiFED.html AntiFederalist #10:http://www.iahushua.com/hist/AntiFED.html AntiFederalist #21:http://www.iahushua.com/hist/AntiFED.html AntiFederalist #40:http://www.iahushua.com/hist/AntiFED.html
3/7	Mass Political Participation	Chapter 5, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
3/9-3/18	Spring Break!!!!
3/19	The Paradox of (not) Voting	Chapter 7, Hinich and Munger’s Analytical Politics
3/21	Media	Chapter 6, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
3/26	Parties	Chapter 7, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy U.S. Senate Rules Committee Hearing on Parties in America: http://rules.senate.gov/hearings/4500hrg.htm
3/28 Guest: Jenn M.	Elections	Chapter 8, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
4/2	Interest Groups	Chapter 9, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
4/4	Midterm Exam II
4/9 Guest: Adam B.	Campaign Finance Reform	U.S. Senate Rules Committee Hearing on Campaign Finance Reform: http://rules.senate.gov/hearings/32200hrg.htm McCain—Feingold Bill: http://www.bna.com/moneyandpolitics/textt3.htm Federal Election Commission: http://www.fec.gov/
4/11	Executive Branch	Chapter 10, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy White House:http://www.whitehouse.gov/
4/16	Bureaucracy	Chapter 11, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
4/18	Congress I	Chapter 12, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy
4/23	Congress II	THOMAS (Legislative Information): http://thomas.loc.gov/ U.S. House:http://www.house.gov/ U.S. Senate:http://www.senate.gov/
4/25	Judicial System	Chapter 13, Dye and Ziegler’s Irony of Democracy U.S. Supreme Court:http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
Final Exam: Tuesday, May 1       9 am-Noon