Government and the People

1. Government and the People Ch. 1 Sec. 3

2. What is a government? • A government is the ruling authority for a community, or society. • Thomas Hobbes, English political thinker, said in the 1600’s that life without government would be: “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”

3. The 4 Functions of Gov’t: • 1. Keep order • Make and enforce/carry out laws (most important job of gov’t!) • Establish court systems • 2. Provide Security • The armed forces • Civilian police forces

4. The 4 Functions of Gov’t: • 3. Provide Services • Libraries, police, fire, streets, hospitals • Schools, government inspectors, housing

5. The 4 Functions of Gov’t: • 4. Guide the Community • Formulate public policy: course of government action to achieve community goals ie: EOC’s, drivers education • Create a budget: plan for collecting and spending money

6. 3 Levels of Government… 1. National/ Federal/ Central Government (Washington, DC) • Has the highest level of authority • Provides the basic framework for citizenship

7. 3 Levels of Government… • 2. State Government (Raleigh, NC) • Decides matters and makes laws for the people in that state • 3. Local Government (Catawba County, Newton city, Hickory city) • Is the level of government closest to the people

8. State and local governments cannot take actions that go against the laws and authority of the national government

9. Types of Government • Main idea: The people are the ultimate rulers of democratic countries, while in totalitarian states, a single person (dictator, absolute monarch) or small group (*oligarchy*) holds all the power.

10. Types of Democracies… • Direct Democracy : • All citizens meet, discuss, and vote firsthand….not practical today • Ex: ancient Greece (2,500 years ago)

11. Types of Democracies… • Representative Democracy : • Citizens choose a group to represent them, make laws, and govern on their behalf • Ex: United States • *we are the oldest representative democracy in the world

12. Types of Democracies… • Republic : • Same thing as a representative democracy! • You say this every morning at FTF

13. Types of Democracies… • Constitutional Monarchy : • Government with a hereditary ruler who has their power limited by the country’s constitution • Ex: Great Britain- Queen • Japan- emperor

14. Democratic Government • Abe Lincoln described our democracy as a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”

15. He meant that… • The power of the government comes from the citizens (consent of the governed) • Americans themselves, through their elected representatives, run their government (popular sovereignty) • The purpose of the government is to make the U.S. a better place for those who live here

16. Principles of American Democracy • Rule of Law • All people, including leaders, are bound by the law • Limited Government • Government may only do those things that the people have given it the power to do

17. Principles of American Democracy • Consent of the Governed • American citizens are the source of all government power • Majority rule: citizens will abide by what most people want as determined by elections • Jean-Jacques Rousseau, French Philosopher, gave us the idea of majority rule

18. Principles of American Democracy • Individual Rights • Individual rights are protected by government • Ex: the Bill of Rights (Amendments #1-10)

19. Principles of American Democracy • Representative Government • People elect government leaders to make the laws and govern on their behalf • Elections must be free, fair, and competitive • “One person, one vote” (14th amendment)

20. Principles of American Democracy • Representative Government cont… • The legal requirements for voting must be kept to a minimum • Citizens may vote freely on a secret ballot

21. Authoritarian Government • In an authoritarian form of government, power is held by an individual or a group not accountable to the people • **Oligarchy: rule by a few (this will be on the first benchmark test!)

22. Types of Authoritarian Governments • Absolute Monarchy • Ruled by a monarch who had unlimited/ unrestricted authority to rule as they wished • Not accountable to the people • Monarchs inherit their power • Ex: king of Saudi Arabia, England until the 1600’s

23. Types of Authoritarian Governments • Dictatorships • Ruled by a dictator who exercises complete control over the state • Dictators usually take power by force • Rely on police or military to keep power • Tamper with or refuse elections • Limit freedom of speech, assembly, press • Ex: Cuba and Fidel Castro since 1959

24. Types of Authoritarian Governments • Totalitarianism • In a totalitarian state, the government’s control extends to almost all aspects of people’s lives • They ban political opposition, regulate industry, suppress individual freedom, control the media • Ex: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, China today

25. DO and turn in… • P. 28-29 #1-12 • *Note visual summary at end of chapter • Page guide on bottom of page #29

26. Writing • Which of the 4 main functions of government do you think is most important and why? • Why are dictatorships able to exist in modern societies?