Introduction to Government and Forms of Government

1. Introduction to Government and Forms of Government a mind-blowing powerpoint of revolutionary proportions!!!

2. Bellringer #1 “For Forms of Government let fools contest; Whate’er is best adminster’d is best…” Alexander Pope Essay on Man Q: Is there one form of government that is better than all others, or does it depend on the situation? (make an argument)

3. What is government? • Institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. • Made up of people who exercise its power with authority and control over other people.

4. What is the “state”? • A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically. • It has the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. • Must have population, territory, sovereignty and a form of government.

5. What is political power? • Power is the ability of one person to get another person to act in accordance with the first person’s intentions. • In this class we are concerned with power as it used to affect who will hold government office and how (American federal) government will behave.

6. More about Political Power • People who use political power may or may not have the authority to do so. • Authority is the right to use power. Formal authority is the right to exercise power that is vested in a government office (i.e. president, senator, federal judge…). • Legitimacy is political authority conferred by law or by a state/national constitution (i.e. U.S. Constitution).

7. 3 Questions about Forms of Government • (1) Who can participate in government? • (2) Who has the power in government? • (3) Who rules government?

8. (1) Who Can Participate? 2 Basic Forms to consider: • Democracy • Dictatorship Is there any truth to this?

9. (a) Democrazy • Supreme political authority lies with the people; the people are sovereign • Democracy is derived from the Greek words “demos” and “kratia” and literally translates as “rule by the people” • 2 types • Direct Democracy • Representative Democracy (a.k.a. Republican, Indirect, some call it an elitist theory of democracy)

10. What kind of democracy did the Framers prefer? • The Framers of the Constitution strongly favored a representative democracy over a direct democracy because they thought most citizens did not have the time, information, interest, or expertise to make reasonable choices among competing policy positions! • Even if a direct democracy was impractical in their time, is it impractical in ours?

11. Other Questions About Democracy… • How is political power distributed in the U.S.’s representative democracy? • 4 Theories: • (a) Marxist View • (b) Power Elitist View • (c) Bureaucratic View • (d) Pluralist View

12. (a) Marxist View • Believes that government, even in democratic form, is merely a reflection of underlying economic forces. • It believes that the capitalists (bourgeoise) and the workers are contending for power. • In the U.S., Marxists maintain that capitalists (“big business” and “multinational corporations”) dominate the economy, and thus the government.

13. Marxist View What is this cartoon saying? What would Marxists think about this cartoon?

14. (b) Power Elite View • Believes that American democracy is actually dominated by a few top leaders, most of whom are outside of government and enjoy great advantages in wealth, status, or organizational position (i.e. corporate leaders, top military officials, handful of elected officials...) Sociologist C. Wright Mills

15. (c) Bureaucratic View • This theory suggests that American democracy is really in the hands, not of elected reps, but in those appointed officials - career government workers (bureaucrats) who exercise vast power by deciding how to translate public laws into administrative actions. • In this view, bureaucrats do not simply implement public policies, but they effectively make them as suits their own ideas and interests. Sociologist Max Weber

16. (d) Pluralist View • While pluralist theorists do not go so far as to say that resources are distributed equally (on a majoritarian basis), but they do assert that competition among all affected interests shapes public policy.

17. (b) Dictatorship • Oldest, most common form of government • Rulers are not held responsible to the will of the people • Autocracy – single person holds unlimited power • Oligarchy – the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite • Examples: Fascist Italy (1922-1943), Nazi Germany (1933-1945), Soviet Union (1917-late 1980s), People’s Republic of China (1949 to present)

18. (2) Who has the power? • Where is it located geographically? • 3 basic forms of government: • (a) Unitary • (b) Federal • (c) Confederation Why do people go to Washington D.C. to march?

19. (a) Unitary Government: Centrally Located • Centralized Government – all powers are held by government belong to single, central (national) agency • Local units of government are only created at the convenience of the national government and lack real power Example: Britain’s parliament!!!

20. (b) Federal Government: Divide it Up! • Powers are divided between a central government and several local governments: • Division of Powers! • Don’t be confused by the term “federal” government (often means national) • Greatest Example: USA! USA! USA! • Other less American Examples: Australia, Canada, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, India (world’s largest)…

21. (c) Confederate Government: Totally Weak! • Alliance of independent states • Has limited powers that states assign to it • Rare today • Kind of Example: European Union (1993-present) hasfree trade, common currency (except for the stubborn Brits), and attempts to coordinate members’ foreign and defense policies • American Example: U.S. under the Articles of Confederation (1781-1789) and the Confederate States of America (1861-1865)

22. (3) Who rules? • Is it… (a) the legislative (or parliamentary), or (b) the executive (or presidential)?

23. (a) Presidential Government • Separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches • 2 branches are independent of each other and coequal • Chief executive (president) is chosen independently of legislature, holds office for fixed term, and has some independent powers • Separation of powers usually spelled out in written constitution • Branches can block other branches • Example: USA! USA! USA! (… we invented it… in America!)

24. (b) Parliamentary Government • Executive branch is prime minister/premier and official’s cabinet… but they are just members of the legislative branch (parliament) • Prime minister is just the leader of the majority party and thus is chosen by the legislature, and subject to its direct control • Executive remains in office as long as they have support of parliamentary majority • “Vote of no confidence” causes prime minister to resign then a new government must be formed! • Example: Britain and most other governments • Why Parliamentary? It avoids the conflict and deadlock particular to a presidential government

25. Fin.