Ch. 1 - Principles of Government

1. Ch. 1 - Principles of Government • Government: The institution through which a society makes and enforces its policies • Essential to the existence of civilized society and has an extraordinary impact on the lives of people. • What would you be like if you never had any oversight?

2. What do we expect from our Gov’t? • Protect us from criminals and terrorists • Protect the environment, our property, health and education • Pave streets, regulate traffic • Punish criminals • Respond to natural disasters • Protect our civil rights • Care for elderly and poor • That is a lot!

3. The State • Dominant political unit in the world. Characteristics: • Population • Territory • Sovereignty – power within its own borders • Government • Body of people living together in a defined area, tied together politically • Nation=ethnic term, country=geographic term

4. Politics • Politics – The process by which we select our governmental leaders and what policies these leaders produce. • Politics – The process by which government is conducted, policies determined and leaders chosen.

5. Politics is NOT a Dirty Word • People disagree on politics because they disagree about: • Government Priorities • The Role of Government • Specific Governmental Policies • The Direction of the Nation • Personal Values • Etc. • Politics and Government are inseparable

6. Purpose of Government From the Preamble to the Constitution: • Form a more perfect union – link together people and states

7. Purpose of Government From the Preamble to the Constitution: • Establish Justice – equal rights and laws 3. Insure Domestic Tranquility – Peace at home 4. Provide for the common defense – military, foreign policy

8. Purpose of Government From the Preamble to the Constitution: • Promote the general welfare – well being 6. Secure blessings of liberty–rights & freedoms

9. Purposes (the Preamble) review:

10. Forms of Government • Dictatorship – Rule by 1 person or small group • The most common form of goverment • Authoritarian, Oligarchy, etc. • Totalitarian • Control all aspects of life – political, social, economic • Hitler, Stalin, Kim Jong-Il • Theocracy • Control by force and the FEAR of force

11. Forms of Government • Democracy • “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” • “We the People” • Direct Democracy – NE town halls • Representative Democracy – Republic • Fastest growing form of government • Most difficult form of government

12. Democracy • Presidential System • Branches chosen independently • Separation of Powers • Checks and Balances • Strong Executive – independent of Legislature • United States system

13. Democracy • Parliamentary System • Executive (Prime Minister) is a member of legislature (Parliament) • Legislative majority chooses Executive • Legislative branch is superior to Executive and Judicial branches • No checks and balances • System used in UK, Canada, Israel, most of Europe

14. Foundations of Democracy • Worth and dignity of every individual • Sometimes the welfare of some is subordinated for the welfare of the group • Equality of all persons – conditions, opportunities, laws • Majority rule with minority rights • Necessity of compromise=most ideas have more than two sides • Individual freedom

15. “No government demands so much from the citizen as Democracy, and none gives so much back.”

16. Conditions Favorable to Democracy • Economic conditions • Best when there aren’t extremes of wealth and poverty • Free enterprise – capitalism or socialism • Education • The higher the literacy rate the better • You need educated voters • Social Consensus • Shared values: Freedom, Equality, Peace, etc.

17. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System (Capitalism) • Gov’t doesn’t make the decisions, the market does through the laws of supply and demand • Private ownership, profit, competition • America has a mixed economy because the government does get involved • Regulations, laws • Building codes • Education • Post office