Role of Government

Section 1: Government and the Public Good Section 2: Forms of Government Section 3: Foundations of Democracy CHAPTER 1 Role of Government

Section 1: Government and the Public Good • Objectives: • What is government, and why is it important? • How have some philosophers described the nature and purpose of the state? • What functions does government perform? • How does government promote the public good?

Section 1: Government and the Public Good • The meaning and importance of government: • Governmentis an institution with the power to make and enforce rules for a group of people. • It is important because it creates and enforces laws to protect and promote the public good.

Origins of State • Evolutionary Theory > The primitive family, where one person was the head of family. Then many other families joined to form clans, out of clans came tribes. Nomadic ways were dropped and settled into one designated territory. • Force Theory > one person or small group took control of territory and forced inhabitants to adhere to rule. • Divine-Right Theory > God created the state. Those of royal birth had “divine right” to rule. Their will was the will of God. To disobey was treason and also a mortal sin. • Social Contract Theory >

Section 1:Government and the Public Good • Descriptions of the nature and purpose of the state • Early philosophers: • Rulers receive their authority to govern from God, called the divine right of Kings. • Thomas Hobbes: (Leviathan) • The people create the state through a social contract. • The people surrender their individual sovereignty to the state in exchange for peace and order provided by the state. (Hussein) • John Locke: (Two Treaties on Government) • The power of the government comes from the people governed. • Government’s role is to protect people’s natural rights. *Concepts: popular sovereignty, limited gov., and individual rights*

Section 1:Government and the Public Good • Functions of government: • Maintaining order >preserving life and protecting property • Promoting Public Good > benefits and services that are available to everyone. (Education, sanitation, parks, housing) • Promote Equality > government confronted by paradox of poverty among the plenty. (European countries pioneered programs for poor. • “Cradle to the grave” > Guaranteed income, Health Care

Section 1: Government and the Public Good • How the government serves the public good: • The government makes policies that address a wide range of interests.

Section 2: Forms of Government • Objectives: • In what ways are monarchies, republics, and dictatorships different from one another? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of unitary, federal, and confederal systems? • What are the major advantages and disadvantages of presidential and parliamentary forms of government?

Section 2: Forms of Government • Differences among monarchies, republics, and dictatorships: • monarchies— power is based on inheritance (Constitutional,Absolute) • republics—representatives are chosen by the people (Democracy) • dictatorships—control is in the hands of a single person or small group

Section 2: Forms of Government • Types of government systems: • unitary—all legal power is held by the central government • federal—legal powers are shared among national, state, and local governments • confederal—independent states join together to accomplish common goals without a central government

Section 2: Forms of Government • Differences between presidential and parliamentary forms of government: • Presidential: • The legislative and executive branches remain separate and independent of each other. • The executive branch is headed by a president, who is chosen independently of the legislature and acts as head of state. • Parliamentary: • The executive branch is headed by a prime minister, who is chosen by the legislature. • The chief executive and head of state are separate offices.

Section 3: Foundations of Democracy • Objectives: • What are the major principles of democracy? • What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?

Section 3: Foundations of Democracy • Principles of democracy: • allowing choice (Education,Schools,Consumer Products, Representatives) • recognizing individual worth (Dem. Allows people to take responsibility for their success and failures ) • promoting respect for the law (because of participation, people have a responsibility to protect the laws. ) • protecting minority rights (Liberal Dem. Political Rights that cannot be abolished ) • promoting the public good (Recognizing the above is key for this principle to happen. Policies that address a wide range of interests.)

Section 3: Foundations of Democracy • Difference between direct democracy and representative democracy: • direct democracy—citizens make and vote on laws (Town Meetings > majority rules) * Doesn’t work very well with large populations* • representative democracy—citizens elect representatives to make laws and run the government

1. How is government authority distributed in unitary, federal, and confederal systems? 2. What is legitimacy and where does a government get it? 3. What is the source of authority in a monarchy? in a democratic republic? in a dictatorship? Chapter Wrap-Up

4. How does feudalism differ from an absolute monarchy? from a constitutional monarchy? 5. What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy? 6. Why is it important that democracy gives people the opportunity to make choices? Does equality of opportunity mean the same thing as equality of results? Why or why not? Chapter Wrap-Up

Role of Government