Principles of Government

1. Principles of Government

2. Government and the State

3. What is Government? • Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces polices • 3 Basic Power • Legislative- Has power of making laws • Executive- Has power of enforcing laws • Judicial- Has power of interpreting laws -All three Branches must follow what is stated in the constitution.

4. Where is the power? • The type of government a country has determines where the power is. • Dictatorship-One person has all the power. • Democracy- The people have the power.

5. Four characteristics of a state • A state is a body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and with the power to make and enforce the law. • Population • Territory • Sovereignty • Government.

6. Political Ideas • The Force Theory- Stated that one person claimed control over an area and forces others to follow their lead. • When there was a leader the four characteristics of a state are established.

7. Political Theory • The evolutionary Theory- stated that the first governments started with one person being the leader and over time grew to a group leading instead of just one person. • This happened over many years as families grew.

8. Political Theory • The Divine Right Theory- stated that God created the state and gave those of royal birth the divine right to rule the people of that state. • Accepted in western world in the 15th-18th centuries.

9. Political Theory • Social Contract Theory- stated that there was no state and could be no state until the people agreed to form one. • Developed in the 17th and 18th centuries by Hobbes, Harrington, Locke, and Rousseau.

10. Purpose of our Government and the Constitution. • The Six main parts • Form a more perfect union • Belief that an union has more strength then a single person. • Establish Justice • What the people find to be fair, truthful, or what has liberty. • Insure Domestic Tranquility • Peace with in the country, one of the prime functions.

11. Purpose of our Government and the Constitution. • Provide a Common Defense • Defense of our nation and foreign policies.. • Promote the General Welfare • Ex. Publish Schools • Ex. Clean air and water • Secure the Blessings of Liberty • The values our nation was founded on.

12. Forms of Government

13. Forms Of Government • Classified by: • Who can participate • Geographic distribution of governmental power with in the state. • Relationship between legislative and executive branches.

14. Who can participate • Democracy- all the people, the power rests with the people • Dictatorship- Leaders are not held responsible for the will of the people. • Autocracy- one person has absolute power over the state. • Oligarchy- power rests with a small group of people usually self appointed.

15. Geographical Distribution of Power • Unitary- Centralized government has all the power. • Federal Government- power divided among the central and local Government. • Confederation-alliance of independent States.

16. Parliamentary Government • Executive leader comes from within the legislative branch. • Leader of Majority Party • Members of the cabinet come from the already serving parliament members • Must be approved by other members

17. Basic Concepts of Democracy

18. Basic Concepts of Democracy • A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person • A respect for the equality of all persons • A faith in majority rule and insistence upon majority rights • An acceptance of the necessity of compromise • An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual Freedom

19. A Recognition of the Fundamental Worth and Dignity of Every Person • Interest of Individual can be put aside for the better of the majority • Ex. People don’t want to pay taxes but must for the better of the majority. • Must Stop at Stop Signs • Registering for the draft

20. A Respect For The Equality Of All Persons • All are entitled to • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law No Person show be held back based on race, color, religion, or gender.

21. A Faith In Majority Rule and Insistence Upon Minority Rights • The majority will be correct more often then the minority. • Both must keep checks on each other. • The minority is still entitled to all the same rights as the majority.

22. An Acceptance of the Necessity of Compromise • Compromising- process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests. • Tries to find what will please the greatest number of people.

23. An Insistence Upon the Widest Possible Degree of Individual Freedom • Does not give people total Freedom. • People are free to do as the please as far as the freedom of all others will allow. • There can never be total freedom because eventually the strong will emerge and take control of a society.

24. Our Economy • Free Enterprise System-characterized by private ownership of capital goods • Follows law of Supply and Demand • Determines how much of a good is produced by how high the demand for that product is.

25. Democracy and the Internet • Internet has allowed people to by and sell things from their own home. • Has helped economy • In the future votes for elections could be cast over the internet. • A few places have done test runs • Eventually all voting will take place over the internet instead of in polls