Government Chapter 1 2011

1. Government Chapter 1 2011

2. “If men were angels, no government would be necessary” James Madison “Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil…” Thomas Paine

3. Social Contract Theory • Jean-Jacques Rousseau, et al. • We have to give up freedom to gain the ultimate freedom – rule of law • We enter into an unwritten contract with our fellow citizens

4. The state/nation can be defined as having these four characteristics: Population People – Which nation has the largest population? How many citizens are there in the United States? Geography A nation must have a territory with known and recognized boundaries. Which country has the largest territory? Sovereignty A nation must have absolute and complete authority to make the rules within its own territory. Government Institution by which rules and public policies are established to create an ordered society.

5. Origins of State • Evolution – naturally evolved over time from family • Force – a rule or group of rulers used force to create a nation • Divine Right – came from God • Social Contract Theory – see Rousseau

6. Which of the following is not one of the four characteristics of a state? • Government • Monarchy • Territory • Sovereignty • Population

7. Which of the following is not one of the four characteristics of a state? • Government • Monarchy • Territory • Sovereignty • Population

8. What is Citizenship? • Citizenship • Sharing of rights and responsibilities that go with living together • Sharing a common bond

9. What brings people together to form a society? • Geography • rivers • mountains • natural boundaries

10. What brings people together to form a society? • Beliefs • religion

11. What brings people together to form a society? • Culture • language • customs • history

12. What brings people together to form a society? • Protection against a common enemy • Most Central European countries were created to protect themselves from the marauders from the East

13. What brought the Americans together to form a country? Search for Freedom • religious - Pilgrims • political - many other European • from prosecution - many criminals fled to America • economic - many sought fortune in the New World - protect private property from state taxes

14. Bond that brings a society together impacts the type of and effectiveness of the government • Switzerland - loose alliance of the Cantons • Israel - strong government with fewer freedoms in terms of religion • France - Seven types of government since 1789 but still one nation tied by culture • Yugoslavia - forced together after WWI - collapsed into splinter countries in 1980-90s

15. Alternative to government: • Anarchy -means lack of government –chaos - Lebanon in 1980s - Lawlessness – violence - Survival of the fittest

16. Which country was the example for religion creating a common bond and affecting the style of government they have? • United States • France • Israel • Switzerland • Lebanon

17. Which country was the example for religion creating a common bond and affecting the style of government they have? • United States • France • Israel • Switzerland • Lebanon

18. What should governments do for the people? Preamble: • form a more perfect union • establish justice • insure domestic tranquillity • provide for the common defense • promote the general welfare • secure the blessings of liberty

19. How do governments gain the authority to rule? • Popular sovereignty – democracy Power from the people

20. How do governments gain the authority to rule? • Popular sovereignty – democracy Power from the people • Military might - coup de tat – take governmentby force – martial law

21. How do governments gain the authority to rule? • Popular sovereignty – democracy Power from the people • Military might - coup de tat – take governmentby force – martial law • Divine Right – Godking/queen or monarch

22. How do governments gain the authority to rule? • Popular sovereignty – democracy Power from the people • Military might - coup de tat – take governmentby force – martial law • Divine Right – God king/queen or monarch – (constitutional monarchy) • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism - use of the bureaucracy – extensive rules

23. Classifying Governments Governments can be classified by three different standards: (1)Who can participate in the governing process. (2)The relationship between the legislative (lawmaking) and the executive (law-executing) branches of the government. (3)The geographic distribution of the governmental power within the state.

24. Classifying Governments Governments can be classified by three different standards: (1)Who can participate in the governing process. (2)The geographic distribution of the governmental power within the state. (3)The relationship between the legislative (lawmaking) and the executive (law-executing) branches of the government.

25. Which one of the following is not part of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution? • Form a more perfect union • Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness • Secure the blessings of liberty • Insure domestic tranquility • Provide for the common defense • Promote the general welfare • All of these are part of the Preamble

26. Which one of the following is not part of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution? • Form a more perfect union • Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness • Secure the blessings of liberty • Insure domestic tranquility • Provide for the common defense • Promote the general welfare • All of these are part of the Preamble

27. Who can participate: • Democracy • Dictatorship

28. Types of Democracy • Direct or participatory democracy - Greece • direct elections • town meetings • referendum - recall - initiative • Indirect or representative democracy - U.S. • republic/republicanism • Democratic centralism - Soviet Union • input from many sectors • once decision is made support it

29. Limits on Government • Authoritarian – no checks on power or authority of government Note: may be authoritarian without misusing power, simply means no checks on power of government “Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely” Lord Acton

30. Limits on Government • Authoritarian – no checks on power or authority of government • Totalitarian – complete control of all aspects of government and life without checks Note: all totalitarian governments are authoritarian also

31. Limits on Government • Authoritarian – no checks on power or authority of government • Totalitarian – complete control of all aspects of government and life without checks • Limited Government – checks or limits on the power of government

32. Concepts of Democracy • Importance of the individual Individual freedom = personal liberty • Equality • everyone equal??? • equality of opportunity • equality before the law

33. Concepts of Democracy • Majority rule/minority rights • tyranny of majority - de Tocqueville • Compromise - Madison quote

34. When the people elect their leaders to make decisions for them we call this: • Monarchy • Direct Democracy • Indirect Democracy • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Democratic Centralism

35. When the people elect their leaders to make decisions for them we call this: • Monarchy • Direct Democracy • Indirect Democracy • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Democratic Centralism

36. Alternatives to democracy: • Dictatorship - unlimited government - complete control of all aspects of your life by government - Hitler’s Germany

37. Alternatives to democracy: • Oligarchy - a handful of rulers rule - junta

38. Alternatives to democracy: • Monarchy - one ruler who gets position by heredity • Constitutional monarchy (no real power) • Queen Elizabeth II of England

39. Leadership • Presidential • Parliamentarian

40. Parliamentarian v. Presidential Cabinet Prime Minister Cabinet President Legislature Parliament Voters Voters Parliamentary Presidential

41. What do we call the absolute rule of a country by a single person? • Dictatorship • Democracy • Oligarchy • Junta • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Both C & D

42. What do we call the absolute rule of a country by a single person? • Dictatorship • Democracy • Oligarchy • Junta • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Both C & D

43. Geographical Distribution of Power • Unitary • Confederation • Federation

44. Division of Power by Level • Unitary - single level of government • central government all powerful • Great Britain

45. Division of Power by Level • Unitary - single level of government • central government all powerful - Great Britain • Confederation - two levels - states or lower level have more sovereignty • Articles of Confederation in South • United Nations - Switzerland

46. Division of Power by Level • Unitary - single level of government • Confederation - two levels - Articles & South • Federation - two levels of gov. with shared power – U.S. • division of power between the two levels • Central government supreme in certain areas • States still sovereign in other areas

47. Which do we call it when all the power of the government rests in one level of government? • Confederation • Federation • Unitary • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Indirect Democracy

48. Which do we call it when all the power of the government rests in one level of government? • Confederation • Federation • Unitary • Bureaucratic Totalitarianism • Indirect Democracy

49. Democracy in America • Responsibility of citizens to ensure democracy • participate • vote • join a political party - work for a candidate • write your rep. or newspaper/blog • obey and respect the law – civil disobedience • stay informed on the issues of the day • Democracy is evolutionary not static or something you reach - it is constantly evolving

50. Democracy in America • responsibility of citizens to ensure democracy • participate • vote • join a political party - work for a candidate • write your rep. or newspaper • obey and respect the law • stay informed on the issues of the day • Democracy is evolutionary not static or something you reach - it is constantly revolving • Jefferson - “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, it expects what never was and never will be...”