So what do you know about government?

1. So what do you know about government? • How would you define government? • What is the purpose of government? • Why is government necessary? • Are there any countries/states that do not have a government? • What is the term used to describe lack of government? • What does government do? • Name as many types of government as you can think of….provide a brief description.

2. GOVERNMENT BASICSNOTES What is government?

3. Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. What are public policies?

4. a system of laws, regulatory measures, courses of action, and funding priorities concerning a given topic publicized by a governmental entity or its representatives PUT SIMPLEY Public Policies are those things government decides to do and how they do them What are some examples of Public Policies? What is Public Policy?

5. Examples of Public Policies • Setting minimum wage • Environmental regulations • Raising/maintaining a military • Collecting income tax • Providing Transportation • Compulsory Education • Welfare and Medicare

6. What is the STATE? The state is a body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and having the power to make and enforce laws without having the consent of a higher authority. The FOUR Characteristics of State

7. Characteristics of the State • Population- the state must have people • Territory - must have land with recognized boundaries • Sovereignty – must have absolute and supreme power within its territory • Government – must have an institution that makes and enforces public policy

8. Origins of State • Force Theory • Evolutionary Theory • Divine Right Theory • Social Contract Theory

9. The FORCE Theory a person or group of people take control of an area and its people by way of force (military)

10. The EVOLUTIONARY Theory States developed out of the basic family unit. Extended family units would then develop as would a head of the family. Family networks would then be created and the head of the family would evolve into the head of state.

11. The DIVINE RIGHT Theory God is responsible for the creation of the state and God gives certain individuals or groups the “right” to rule.

12. The SOCIAL CONTRAT Theory (based on the philosophical teachings of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau in the 1600 & 1700’s) This theory functions on the idea that along with free will comes the reality of the necessity to survive, which can often be brutal and violent. Therefore, the Social Contract Theory proposes that people give up their aggressive nature (power) to the state in exchange for the state’s service to the general well being of the people. The state only exists to serve the will of the people!

13. Thomas HOBBES • Believed that human beings in a “State of Nature” would behave "badly" towards one another • Any person has a natural right to do anything to preserve their own liberty or safety • War is not in man's best interest • According to Hobbes, man has a self-interested and materialistic desire to end or avoid war and enter into a social contract • Hobbes theory ignores the fact that most people are not born into a “state of nature”

14. State of Nature • A term used in social contract theories to describe the hypothetical condition of humanity before the state's foundation • In a broader sense, it is the condition before the rule of positive law comes into being, thus being a synonym of anarchy

15. John LOCKE • Like Hobbes, Locke believed that human nature allowed men to be selfish • Unlink Hobbes, Locke believed that human nature is characterized by reason and tolerance – people are born good • In a natural state all people are equal and independent, and none have the right to harm another’s “life, health, liberty, or possessions.” – lends to the social contract

16. Jean-Jacques ROUSSEAU • Unlike Hobbes & Locke, Rousseau believed that people were born pure • Man’s bad habits are the products of civilization specifically social hierarchies, property, and markets • Rousseau claimed that the state of nature was a primitive condition without law or morality, which human beings left for the benefits and necessity of cooperation (social contract).

17. Determining Forms of Government No two governments are, or ever have been exactly alike, for governments are the products of human needs and experiences. Governments can be classified according to one or more of their basic features. Three classifications are especially useful….

18. Classifying Forms of Government Three questions that help classify basic forms of government: • How is power distributed? • What is the relationship between the legislature and the executive? • Who takes place in the governing process?

19. Geographic Power Distribution • UNITARY • FEDERAL • CONFEDERATE

20. UNITARY Power Distribution • all power belongs to one group • local governments are subject to the central government and have only those powers given to them by the central government. • Unitary governments are not necessarily totalitarian or dictatorships. • Example: Britain – Parliament has the power; but it is limited.

21. FEDERAL Power Distribution • power is divided between a central government and several regional governments • a superior power controls both the central and regional governments • Example: United States – Federal government and State Governments are both governed by ______. • both levels act directly on the people through their own sets of laws, officials, and agencies

22. CONFEDERATE Power Distribution • an alliance of independent states • a central government has only the powers that the member states give it • the member states act independently on state matters; however, function as a group when matters of common concern arise (such as military and foreign trade) • Example: The CIS - loose group of former Soviet controlled republics

23. Relationship between the legislature and executive • PRESIDENTIAL • PARLIAMENTARY

24. Presidential System • Separation of legislative & executive powers • Powers are independent and coequal • Chief Executive is: • chosen separate from the legislature • holds office for a fixed term • has powers not subject to the direct control of the legislature • Uses a System of Checks and Balances

25. PARLIAMENTARY System • Executive branch consists of a Prime Minister (PM) or Premier and their cabinet • The legislative branch is called parliament • PM is a member of parliament - he/she is the head of the majority party and is chosen by his/her party • PM selects the cabinet with parliament's approval • PM is selected by; a part of; and subject to control of the parliament

26. PARLIAMENTARY (cont.) • The PM and the cabinet remain in office only as long as they have the confidence of the majority - “Vote of No Confidence” • A new PM is either selected by the parliament or a general election takes place and all seats of parliament go before the voters • No System of Checks and Balances

27. Participation in the Governing Process • DICTATORSHIP • DEMOCRACY

28. DICTATORSHIP • Those in power do not listen to the will of the people • Autocracy - absolute power rests with one person • Oligarchy - absolute power rests with a small, usually self-appointed group • The government is not accountable for its policies or for the way they are carried out • All dictatorships are authoritarian – those in power hold absolute and unchallengeable authority over the people • Often dictatorships are militaristic and gain power by force

29. DEMOCRACY • supreme political power rests with the people • Rule of the majority • Power is exercised by the people directlyor indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections

30. DIRECT DEMOCRACY • People represent themselves individually - typically in the form of mass meetings • The (majority) will of the people is translated directly into law • Only works in small communities • Does not exist on a national level anywhere

31. INDIRECT DEMOCRACY • More commonly referred to as a Representative Government • A small group of persons chosen by “the people” to act as representatives in expressing the popular will • These people are responsible for the making and executing of laws • Elections determine how well these people are carrying out their job • This kind of government is also referred to as a Republic

32. Description: Rule by all Rule by majority Rule by one Rule by minority Term: Oligarchy Democracy Anarchy Autocracy Review – Match the word on the right to the description on the left What do the following suffixes mean? “archy’ = __________ “cracy” =______________ Leadership Power/Strength

33. Use force politically Aims overall to prevent political opposition and encouragespolitical apathy Examples: Batista in Cuba Saddam in Iraq Some Constitutional Monarchies Extreme use of force and violence Control all aspects of citizen’s lives Politically Socially Economically Examples: Germany under Hitler USSR under Stalin China under Mao Authoritarian vs. Totalitarian

34. Constitutional Monarchies Constitutional Monarchs = autocrats with powers limited by the people due to the addition of a Parliament and a Constitution. • How much power the monarch has determines if the state is authoritarian or not. • Not all constitutional monarchies are authoritarian, but some are.

35. More power with Parliament: Belgium Luxembourg Sweden Spain New Zealand Belize Monaco Canada & the UK More power with Monarch: Kuwait Lesotho Morocco Oman Qatar Bahrain Jordan Constitutional MonarchiesDemocratic or Authoritarian?