POL S 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Bicameralism, Medicaid, Federal-Question Jurisdiction
Document Summary
Structures: the basic functions that governments need to perform; the essential elements of governing that determine, enable, and limit the form and function of government; basic idea of something that government does. Institutions: the organizational structures through which political power is exercised; a speci c example of what they have to do. Structure: legislation and legislators ; institutions: us congress, uk"s parliament. Need to know human nature before institutions can be designed ; are people basically good or evil, neither one or the other, James madison and american institutions: our constitution now (2nd one) is a re ection of madison"s view of human nature. Effects; slow unresponsive form of government that kills legislation. Most countries don"t get to create institutions from the ground up; leaders that overthrow old leaders usually adapt what"s already there rather than tear it down and start over. Adaptation and evolution; build off what is already there with the people and evolve it into something better.
