Principles of Government

1. Principles of Government Government and the State Forms of Government Basic Concepts of Democracy

2. Section 1Government and the State • Pre-Class Writing: Describe what your life would be like without parental influence and the various roles of a parent • Rules? • Guidelines? • Lessons?

3. What is Government? • Government: The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. • Taxes, Defense, Education, Crime, Transportation, Environment, Civil Rights etc. • Must have power to carry out these policies

4. 3 Powers of Gov’t • Legislative- make laws • Executive- enforce laws • Judicial- interpret laws • A constitution is a body of fundamental laws setting out principle, structures and processes of a gov’t.

5. Who has the power? • Dictatorship: Power is held by a small group or a single person • Democracy: The majority rules. People have the power

6. The State • State: Body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. • “Country”, “Nation”. • 4 Characteristics- Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government

7. Population • There are people! • San Marino = 25,000 • China = 1.25 Billion • May or may not be homogeneous • Share customs, language and ethnic background

8. Territory • Must have recognized boundaries • San Marino = Less than 24 Sq. Miles • Russia = 6.6 Million Sq. Miles

9. Sovereignty • Has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

10. Government • Has an institution through which society makes and enforces public policies

11. Origins of the State • 4 Theories • Force Theory • Evolutionary theory • Divine Right Theory • Social Contract Theory

12. Force Theory • One Person or a group of people forced or claimed control over a group of people or territory • Violent or threat of violence • Examples?

13. Evolutionary Theory • State develops naturally • Original family, clans, network of families

14. Divine Right Theory • God created the state and had given power to those of royal birth • Popular in much of Western Europe • Kings, Queens etc

15. Social Contract Theory • Agreeing with one another to create a state by contract. • Promote safety and well being of the population • Thomas Hobbes, James Harrington and Jean Jacques Rousseau • Constitution

16. Purpose of Gov’t • Form a more perfect union • Establish Justice • Insure Domestic Tranquility • Provide for the Common Defense • Promote the General Welfare • Secure the Blessings of Liberty

17. Section 2Forms of Government • Democracy • Supreme political authority rests with the people • Government runs with the consent of the people

18. 2 forms of democracy • Direct (AKA “Pure Democracy”) • People vote directly on public policy • Small communities • Indirect • People choose representatives to vote on public policy

19. Dictatorship • All dictatorships are authoritarian • Absolute and unchallengeable • Some are totalitarian- total control • Autocracy • Single person holds unlimited power • Oligarchy • Small, self-appointed elite hold the power

20. Geographic Distribution of Power • Unitary Government – Centralized Government • All powers belong to a single agency • Disperse local governments where needed

21. Geographic Distribution of Power • Federal Gov’t – Powers divided between central and local governments • Both levels of gov’t act directly on the people through their own leaders and agencies

22. Geographic Distribution of Power • Confederation – alliance of independent states • States cooperate in matters of common concern but retain their separate identities

23. Relationship: Legislative and Executive • Presidential Government • Executive and legislative branches are separate, independent and coequal • Chosen separately and rules for a fixed term • Has powers to block each other

24. Relationship: Legislative and Executive • Parliamentary Government • Executive is a prime minister or premier and a cabinet • Prime minister and cabinet are members of parliament • Leader of the majority group • Chosen by parliament. When a new maj. wins, new elections are held

25. Sec. 3Basic Concepts of Democracy • 5 Basic Notions of Democracy • Worth of the individual • Equality of all persons • Majority rule, minority rights • Necessity of Compromise • Individual freedom

26. Worth of Individual • Station in life does not matter • The welfare of one or the few is subordinate to the mass • Stopping at a stop sign, paying taxes, etc.

27. Equality of All Persons • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law • Each person should be free to develop to their fullest potential regardless of race, faith, etc.

28. Majority Rule, Minority Rights • The majority will be right more often than wrong. They will be right more often than the minority. • May not always be right • Always looking to better a situation • Majority could kill democracy • Checked by minority rights

29. Necessity of Compromise • Compromise – Process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests • Many individuals = many different ideas • Many different ways to solve a problem

30. Individual Freedom • Anarchy – Total absence of gov’t • “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” – Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes • Fine balance between the rights of individuals and rights of society

31. Democracy and Free Enterprise • Free Enterprise – Economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods • Private ownership • Individual initiative • Profit • Competition

32. How it Works • Decisions are based on supply and demand, not by the government

33. Gov’t and Free Enterprise • Mixed economy – Gov’t regulates and promotes • Protects the public • Preserves private enterprise Examples?

34. Democracy and the Internet • Keeps voters informed • Reliable?