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ROLES, PURPOSES AND TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

ROLES, PURPOSES AND TYPES OF GOVERNMENT. State versus Nation. State : A politically organized union that has four essential features: - population (people) - territory - established governmt - sovereignty

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ROLES, PURPOSES AND TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

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  1. ROLES, PURPOSES AND TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

  2. State versus Nation • State: A politically organized union that has four essential features: - population (people) - territory - establishedgovernmt - sovereignty • Nation: A people bound together by a common heritage, culture, and language.

  3. WHY DO WE NEED GOVERNMENT? • So a state can act independently and maintain its SOVEREIGNTY(the ability to exercise complete independence from any other country’s influence). • To avoid anarchy (disorder and chaos) • To exercise power and authority to govern • To act as a positive force in society • To establish legitimacy with other nations

  4. LEGITIMACY OF A GOVERNMENT A government is legitimate if it is supported by its people. This gives it the right to govern and exercise power. Legitimacy is obtained through: - constitutions, laws and traditions - elections and voting (democracies) - hereditary right (like kings) - force (dictators; military coups) - religious law

  5. ROLES OF GOVERNMENT Governments are needed toSTRUCTURE SOCIETY 1. Maintaining order - enforcement of laws and regulations,; courts for justice and punishments 2. Protecting rights and freedoms - speech, religion, assembly, property, travel, privacy, voting, equality

  6. 3. Providing basic services - safety (police, fire, disaster relief) - shelter, food, jobs, for those without them - establish a system of taxation to support services

  7. 4. Providing for public good - - education - clean environment - roads, sewers, - parks, libraries, museums 5. Defending the nation - maintain armed forces - protect borders - conduct foreign relations

  8. 6. Managing the economy - oversee trade and business - safeguard consumers - manage natural resources - regulate the money supply

  9. Origins of the Modern State States have originated over time these ways: 1. FORCE: One person or group used force to establish its authority over all others within an area.

  10. Origins of the Modern State Cont’d) 2. EVOLUTIONARY:The state evolved from the primitive tribe or family clan under a single, strong leader and gradually grew into a larger network of clans leading to a feudalistic society.

  11. Origins of the Modern State (cont) 3. DIVINE RIGHT: People believed thatGod created the state and determined who of royal blood should rule. Such rulers had absolute authority over all and did not share power.

  12. Origins of the Modern State (cont) • SOCIAL CONTRACT: People with common needs came together voluntarily and created a state that was to serve their will and protect them and their rights.

  13. SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Thomas Hobbes - People are naturally cruel and selfish and live in a brutal world. -People make a social contract and surrender their individual powers to the state (a single ruler who would make all decisions) in exchange for order. - In return, the state would protect the people and respect their natural rights. - Failure of the king to do this would be cause for his removal

  14. Social Contract Theory (cont’d) • John Locke - All men are free, equal and independent. People have natural rightsthat includelife, liberty, and property andaregiven to them from God and cannot be taken away (except under law). - States gets their power to governfrom the people who are the ultimate authority (supreme). - If a government fails to protect the people or their rights, the people can abolish that government and create a new one.

  15. END OF PART 1

  16. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT • AUTOCRACYpower to rule is done through one person. 1. Totalitarian - a dictator controls all decision-making. The people have no say in running the government. Examples: Hitler’s Germany; USSR’s Stalin

  17. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) 2. Theocracy -Religious leaders or religious laws control government. Examples: Iran; the Vatican

  18. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) • MONARCHY-Sole rule by a member of the nobility such as a king, queen, or emperor. 1. Absolute monarchy-Royalty rules with supreme powers; often assumes divine right authority. Example: Saudi Arabia

  19. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) 2. Constitutional monarchy- Royal rulers who share power with elected legislatures but are limited in their powers by law. Example: Great Britain

  20. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) • OLIGARCHY-Government run by a small group of elite people who hold unlimited power due to their wealth, social position,or military status. Examples: China; old Soviet Union

  21. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) DEMOCRACYRule by the people. -Direct democracy:All citizens vote individually on every decision. Also calledtrue democracy. Example: Ancient Greece

  22. TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) • Indirect democracy: • People are elected to make decisions on behalf of all the people. • Also called a republic. • Examples: United States; Mexico

  23. NON-STATE ORGANIZATIONS • Organizations that are not states, but may be composed of many groups or international businesses, that wield a large amount of power and play an important role in shaping the world’s politics and economies.

  24. Non-State Organizations (cont’d) • Political Movements - Greenpeace - Palestinian Liberation Organization • International Organizations - United Nations - NATO - OPEC - Universal Postal Union • Multi-National Corporations - Exxon-Mobil - Microsoft

  25. BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY Democracy is founded on fivebalancingconcepts that rest on the people’s acceptance in order to work effectively: 1. Individual freedom: People should be as free as possible to live their lives without unnecessary government intrusion. Freedom cannot be without limits since nobody should impact on the freedoms of others.

  26. Characteristics (cont’d) 2.Equality:Everyone is equal under the law and no one is above the law. Government should work to promote equality of opportunity within society. 3.Majority rules:Decisions reflect the will of the majority, but the minority’s opinions must be considered (citizens are entitled to certain things that the majority cannot deny to them).

  27. Characteristics (cont’d) 4. Compromise:The people can reach agreements to settle differences on issues and reach public goals. 5. Worth of the Individual:Everyone has worth, but the welfare of one person cannot be placed above the needs of all.

  28. DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS Three forms defined by geographic location: • UNITARY - All power belongs to a single, central government. • FEDERAL - Power is shared between the central government and regional levels of government. • CONFEDERATE - Most power belongs to the regional levels of gov’t which give the central government limited powers.

  29. Major Economic Systems Capitalism • Free enterprise, free markets, supply & demand • Private investment • Private property ownership • Competition for products, customers, and wages • Laissez faire: government stays out of the marketplace

  30. CAPITALISM - MIXED MARKET • A form of capitalism practiced in the U.S. that is: private enterprise + government participation • Government inserts itself into the market place via rules and regulations (no laissez-faire). • Gov’t prohibits monopolies, protects the consumer, taxes products and profits • Government uses its central bank to set interest rates and manipulate the money supply.

  31. Socialism (Democratic) - State controls key industries and resources • State makes most economic decisions and heavily regulates the economy • Ownership of private property is limited • Many social welfare systems supported by heavy taxes • Equal distribution of wealth

  32. Communism • The state controls all production & distribution (command economy) • No free enterprise • No competition • No private property • Government sets all wages and prices

  33. “Let us never forget thatgovernment is ourselvesand not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators, congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” - Theodore Roosevelt

  34. Economic Systems • Pure Capitalism • Free enterprise • Private ownership and control of resources • Competition among businesses

  35. Economic System • Mixed-Market Economy • Combination of free enterprise and government control

  36. Economic Systems • Socialism • Distribution of wealth • Public ownership of most land, factories, and production • Government controls major decisions about production • Democratic Socialism – the people control the government, which controls the means of production

  37. Economic Systems • Communism • Economic decisions made by government • Government control of production, transportation, and distribution

  38. ANY QUESTIONS?

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