POLS short answer #1
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Political Science
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Dec 6, 2023
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Uploaded by GeneralPorcupineMaster599
Olivia Hicks
POLS 2306-D03
October 25, 2023
POLS short answer assignment #1
1. Sovereignty is an idea in political science that represents the supreme authority and
power that a government has over its territories and citizens. (
What is sovereignty?
) It is the
cornerstone of modern nations. It implies their independence and capacity to make and uphold
laws and regulations. Sovereignty makes sure that the government always has the final say in all
matters relating to its people and territory. The purpose of government is to fulfill many different
functions in a society. These include; maintaining law and order, protecting citizens, upholding
individual rights, striving for the common good, and providing services to the public such as
healthcare and education. The government's number one role is to create and enforce a legal
framework that allows individuals to live and cohabitate peacefully. Federalism is an important
aspect of the United States government. Federalism is a system of governance where power is
divided between a federal government and the states themselves. This was established by the US
Constitution. The origins of this idea of federalism can be found way back from the
Constitutional Convention of 1787. (
The Constitution of the United States: A transcription.
)
Federalism ensures that states can have a main role in decision-making. While the federal
government takes care of problems like foreign policy and national defense, states have the
authority to govern their own matters, such as education, healthcare, and criminal justice. This
division of powers allows for individualized policies that can work with each of the different
states.
2. Daniel Elazar’s framework separates political culture into three different categories:
moralistic, traditionalistic, and individualistic. These cultures reflect the beliefs, values, and
attitudes of a region’s citizens and can influence the type of political representation in that area.
(
State political culture - oertx.highered.texas.gov.
) Moralistic political culture emphasizes the
idea of the “common good” and encourages citizens to be involved in the political process and
their local government. States like Oregon and Minnesota really emphasize this idea, by leaning
towards more progressive policies and a strong commitment to social welfare. Traditionalistic
political culture values social hierarchy, traditions, and limited government. Many southern states
in the US, such as Alabama and Texas, tend to align with these ideals, favoring conservative
values, and resisting government expansion. Individualistic political culture centers on personal
success, very little government involvement, and a free-market economy. States like Colorado
and Nevada embrace this culture by promoting economic freedom and liberalism. Several types
of political representation exist, like; descriptive representation, which focuses on elected
officials mirroring the demographic characteristics of their constituents, and party voting, which
is where constituents will vote for a political party rather than a single candidate. The political
culture of a region can heavily influence the type of political representation that is used. For
example, in more moralistic cultures, the people may favor descriptive representation to ensure
their diverse values and interests are well represented. However, in traditionalistic cultures, party
voting and limited government intervention may be more prevalent. (
Electoral engineering:
Voting rules and political behavior.
)
References:
1. Council on Foreign Relations. (n.d.).
What is sovereignty?
. Council on Foreign
Relations. https://world101.cfr.org/understanding-international-system/building-blocks/what-
sovereignty
2. National Archives and Records Administration. (n.d.).
The constitution of the United
States: A transcription
. National Archives and Records Administration.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript#toc-section10
3.
Exploring federalism
. Center for the Study of Federalism. (2023, October 18).
https://federalism.org/explore-federalism/#federalism-explained
4.
Electoral engineering: Voting rules and political behavior
. Weatherhead Center for
International Affairs. (n.d.). https://wcfia.harvard.edu/publications/electoral-engineering-voting-
rules-and-political-behavior
5. State political culture - oertx.highered.texas.gov. (n.d.).
https://oertx.highered.texas.gov/courseware/lesson/1052
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