GOVERNMENT

1. GOVERNMENT Principles of Government Chapter 1

2. Government– institution that makes & enforces public policy.

3. Why the Need for Government? The life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short. There are many views on why government is important: Thomas Hobbes, author of the Leviathan, suggested that governments are needed because without it, we would all be in the “state of nature”, warring against each other to no end… we would seek out our own self interests, much like animals, without enforceable laws to constrain us. In other words, according to Hobbes, the government provides us with fear of being punishedif we break the law (and that is a good thing), so citizens are less inclined to do harm to others. The absence of government is known as “anarchy”… the state of nature! With anarchy there are no laws, and therefore no consequences to doing harm to others. Thomas Hobbes

4. Government Defined: An institution (or a tool) which those with power use to carry out public policies. They use imprisonment & execution to control human behavior within their territory. What are public policies? Plans of action created by the government that deal with a variety of issues. In order for governments to exist, they must have authority or power, which is the ability to produce effects on others or the potential to influence others

5. All governments must have three types of power: Legislative(make laws/ public policy) Executive(carries out/ enforces laws) Judicial (interprets/ decides fairness of laws) These powers are commonly found in a constitution which sets out the laws and principles of a government. Do these powers have to be independent or separately held by different government bodies? NO!!! Authoritarian Governments Dictatorships - Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Saddam Hussein Oligarchies-some monarchies, South Africa -20% of the popu- lation (whites) controlled 80% of the population (blacks). Democracy/Republic Ultimate power belongs to the citizens!

6. *Four Characteristics of a STATE 1. *Population Smallest in population: Naura (now rue), a Pacific island state (one of the 194 countries) has only 13,287 people. Largest in population: China, at 1.3 billion is the largest state.

7. What do you know about the WORLD? What Countries have the highest populations? 2007 China 1,321,851,888 India 1,129,866,154 U.S. 301,139,947 Indonesia 234,693,997 Brazil 190,010,647 Pakistan 164,741,924 Bangladesh 150,448,339 Russia 141,377,752 Source NYT 2008 World Almanac

8. 2. *Territory The smallest in territory is Naura at 8 square miles. Largest in territory is Russia which is about 6.6 million sq. mi. which is 1/6 the land surface of the earth. [U.S. is 3.7 mil. sq. miles]

9. LAND SIZE Rankcountry (sq km) 1Russia17,098,242NA 2Canada9,984,670NA 3United States9,826,675NA 4China9,596,961NA 5Brazil8,514,877NA 6Australia7,741,220NA 7India3,287,263NA 8Argentina2,780,400NA 9Kazakhstan2,724,900NA 10Sudan2,505,813NA

10. Sovereignty : means a state has political independence or absolute power within its “territorial boundaries.” Each state decides its own policies. In theory no state has the right to interfere with the internal affairs of another state. Popular (rule by the people] Sovereignty – people are the only source of government. Government must be conducted with the consent of the people.

11. 4. Government Government is a political organization. Over 200 states have governments (machinery & personnel by which a state is ruled). Government is the agency the state uses to exert its will and accomplish its goals.

12. *Four Theories of How Government Developed • Force theory – established through force. • The state was developed by force as one strong person or group • conquered a given territory, and then forced everyone living in their • territory to submit to their will. When this happened, all essential • parts of the nation state were in place - people, territory, government • [political organization], and sovereignty [power within its own territory]. 2. Evolutionary Theory – went from early family[simple government] to the clan, to the tribe, to agricultural society [could settle down and not be a nomad], then togovernment. Agricultural society Government Early Family Clan Tribe

13. Four Theories of How Government Developed [continued] 3. Divine Right Theory – authority from God. “God gave those of royal birth the right to rule.” This was the most universally accepted rule of the 17th & 18th century. During the Middle Ages many European monarchs and church officials asserted that the right to rule came directly from God. Therefore, these rulers were able to justify assuming hereditary, absolute power over their peoples. People who criticized or opposed the government were often accused of treason or heresy. Today, the monarchs of Saudi Arabia are among the few rulers who claim they have a divine right to rule. So, religion is the basis of their authority.

14. Four Theories of How Government Developed [continued] 4 SocialContract Theory– the state exists to serve the will of the people and they are the only source of political power. In order to make life more pleasant and safe, people made a contract together and formed a state. But, they had to give up their own unlimited freedom in order to insure the well- being of all. This idea was originally advanced by the English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes [1588-1679]. For Hobbes, the contract between the state and the people was final. The state had the absolute right to rule as it wished. He was greatly influenced by the chaos of the English Civil war during the 17thcentury. Life would be horrible without government to protect us from each other and from outsiders. Thomas Hobbes

15. *The Purpose of Government The Preamble of the Constitution explains the purpose of government as:

16. The Purpose of Government [1] • To Form a More Perfect Union • [In union there is strength]

17. I. To Form a More Perfect Union • The First Goal… • This means the government constantly seeks to create a strong and unified nation… this was a lesson learned from the failures of theArticles of Confederation • Ways this is done… • Congress creates laws and governmental policies that help the economy, protect individual rights, and promote justice (Legislative) • The President ensures that laws are carried out and determines the direction of the nation (Executive) • The Courts ensure that laws are fair (Judicial)

18. The Purpose of Government [2] 2. EstablishJustice – The law should be administered reasonably, fairly, and impartially. [Jefferson said this was the most sacred duty of government]. MLK said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

19. II.Establish Justice • The Second Goal… • The Constitution seeks to ensure that our laws are fair and equal for every citizen, but this is not an easy task. As President Jimmy Carter once said, “The sad duty of politics is to establish justice in a sinful world”. • In the United States, we have had a tumultuous experience with this goal… (slavery, women’s rights, discrimination, child labor, etc.) • Justice can be established through laws and policies and by court decisions.

20. The Purpose of Government [3] 3. To Insure Domestic Tranquility - Without order, people would live in anarchy. Example: Cowboy fans being patted down.

21. The Purpose of Government James Madison John Adams “But what is government itself but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” – James Madison-

22. 3. Ensure Domestic Tranquility Domestic Tranquility means “peace at home”. In order to ensure this, we create government entities, like police forces, the FBI and the National Guard can be used in emergencies. Good laws and their enforcement ensure that we have “peace at home”. Again, the “state of nature” (anarchy) must be avoided. Child soldier in Uganda

23. The Purpose of Government [4] 4. Provide for the Common Defense - The state’s security rests on wise defense and foreign policies. [Reagan said, “We are not a warlike people. Quite the opposite… But neither are we naïve or foolish. We know only too well that war comes not when the forces of freedom are strong, but when they are weak. It is then that tyrants are tempted.”]

24. 4. Provide for the Common Defense The framers realized that a strong military was important. Without one, nations could take advantage of the United States. The security of this nation ensures its survival.

25. 5.Promote the General Welfare Promoting the general welfare refersto the governments obligation to ensure the well-being of Americans. Business owners are required to ensure the safety of their workers Workman's Compensation is available for injured workers Unemployment benefits and welfare are available for out of work citizens Social Security guarantees some income to workers upon retirement Ensuring the education of children Some nations with command economies ensure even more, such as jobs, health care, transportation, energy, etc.

26. 6. *To Secure the Blessings of Liberty[not subject to restrictions] Freedom is necessary for a democracy. This liberty [freedom] cannot be absolute, that is, it cannot interfere with other freedoms. Clarence Darrow said, “You can only be free if I am free.” Liberty is the freedom to live as you please, providing you do not victimize others… Liberty is a fragile principle. So, YES- our freedoms are extensive, but limited. Every generation must take up the torch of liberty and pass it on the next. We must be willing to serve our nation and become productive citizens.

27. Section 2: Forms of Government Governments are classified according to: • Who can participate 2. How government power is distributed geographically 3. The relationship between the 3 branches of government

28. Who can Participate in Government? Democracy Dictatorship • Power rests with people • Can be direct or indirect • Direct (pure) democracy, not on national level, but some towns make decisions with citizens at town meetings • Indirect (representative) democracy, small groups of people are elected to represent citizens and express their will. Elections are held to ensure accountability. • The People are the government!!! • Power rests with a single person (autocracy) or a small group of elites (oligarchy) • All are AUTHORITARIAN… and most are totalitarian… • Single person dictatorships are rare today, but do exist • Dictatorships are militaristic and usually take power by force • They often try to expand power through foreign aggression.

29. Three Forms of Geographical Governments • [Where is the power?] • [Either the Unitary, Federation, or Confederation System] • Unitary Government – the national [central] government has all the key • powers and local governments get their power • from the national government. • Most governments are unitary in form. • Examples are Great Britain, Italy, France, Israel, and Japan. • All questions relating to education, police, the use of land, and welfare are handled by the national government.

30. Federal Government [Federation] – the powers of government are divided between a national government and local governments [States and provinces] Examples are U.S., Mexico, Canada, Switzerland, India, Australia, India, and Germany. The national government’s laws are supreme, but it cannot overrule State and local laws unless they conflict with national laws.

31. Confederate Government [Confederation] – an alliance of independent states which give certain powers to a national government, like defense or foreign relations. Central government has limited power. Confederate governments have only limited powers. 1) The Confederate States 2) 13 States of the U.S. under the Articles of Confederation [1781-1789] The Commonwealth of Independent States, after the breakup of the Soviet Union is a modern day example. The 12 Republics of the former Soviet Union is the only confederation in the world. So, being that confederation is veryrare, most modern states have either a unitary or federal government.

32. The relationship between the LEGISLATIVE & EXECUTIVE Branches a. Presidential – where the voters elect an independent chief executive and independent legislature. They determine the judiciary branch. So the two independent branches have separate powers but co-equal. b. Parliamentary– the voters elect the legislature who appoint a chief executive who holds office at the pleasure of the legislature. He can be forced from office. They also determine the judiciary branch. Most nations have parliamentary form of government. The executive stays in office as long as he has a majority of the parliament [“vote of confidence”]. No checks and balances in this form of government.

33. Presidential vs. Parliamentary Government Voters Voters Parliamentary Government Presidential Government Legislature Prime Minister/ Premier President Legislature Legislative and executive branches are separate… but the people only vote the legislature. The legislature’s majority party or an alliance of parties then chooses the executive, and he chooses a cabinet. If the prime minister and cabinet get a vote of “no confidence” a new government has to be chosen. Legislative and executive branches are separate… but the people vote for them independently.

34. Five Concepts of American Democracy • Recognition of the fundamental Worth of persons • Respect for the Equality of all persons • Faith in Majority rule and insistence on Minority rights • Acceptance of the Necessity of Compromise • Insistence on the widest possible degree of Individual Freedom

35. Worth and Dignity of Individuals Each person’s worth and dignity must be respected by other individuals. Sometimes the welfare of one must be subordinate to the interests of the many. • Government exists to serve the many, who as individuals, make up society • In a democracy, and in all aspects of life, one chooses to live within the law or outside of it: • taxes • draft registration • speed limits • drug/alcohol use • We cannot have an absolute utilitarian society! • We create laws that benefit all… not just the elite. • But we have a responsibility to make this happen.

36. Equality of all Persons This doesn’t mean that everyone has a right to an equal share of worldly goods. They are entitled to equality of opportunities and equality before the law. No person should be held back based on race, color, religion, or gender. We have improved on this in the last 40 years but we are not there yet. • … But what does that mean? Our Declaration says “all men are created equal. Are we? • In what way? • We are equal in that we have: • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law • Both have been subject to different interpretations…democracies do NOT ensure • equality of condition.

37. Majority Rule Is Restrained by Minority Rights The will of the majority cannot be used to deprive a minority of his rights. The majority must be willing towelcome minority suggestions and objections. An example of the abuse of the rights of minorities was when our government put 100,000 Japanese-Americansin relocation camps during WWII because they feared they would be disloyal. [Survivors later received $20,000 each] Democracy holds that the majority will be right more often than it is wrong and that it would also be right more often than a single person or group. Democracy is a “trial and error” system, which hopes to come up with satisfactory solution… not right ones. Can a majority make errors? Yes!!! Democracy seeks to constantly improve. Majority rule is essential in a democracy, but it must be balances with minority rights.

38. Necessity of Compromise In a democracy, we must have “give and take”. Conflicts have to be resolved for democracies to succeed, so people must be willing to “give a little to get a little”. The process by which competing viewpoints are adjusted in order to reach a majority decision is compromise. • Compromise is essential because: • Society is made up of people with varying opinions… compromise must be the tool used to find a comfortable middle ground. • Often, we have more than 2 positions on a variety of issues! • IS COMPROMISE ALWAYS GOOD OR NECESSARY?

39. Individual Freedom JFK said, “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.” “The right to swing your fist ends where the other person’s nose begins.” Freedom is something we enjoy in democracy… but it is limited! WHY? Anarchy is the only way one gets complete freedom… and it is always temporary! Democracies are constantly challenged with the problem of balancing individual liberties with governmental power. These 5 concepts of democracy are the principles to which the U.S. Subscribes and that we strive to follow.

40. How The Free Enterprise System Works Even the US economic system is rooted in the concepts of freedom! Characteristics: private ownership of capital goods, choice in how to use money; open markets • Based on 4 fundamental • factors: • PRIVATE OWNERSHIP • INDIVIDUAL INITIATIVE • PROFIT • COMPETETITION

41. CAPITALISM Laissez-Faire: the Government should not be involved in economics/business No REGULATIONS

42. SOCIALISM The Government is involved a lot more but there is some capitalism (privately owned businesses)

43. COMMUNISM The Government owns EVERYTHING CUBA, CHINA

44. MIXED MARKET Capitalism rules, but there are some government run businesses: Amtrak & Post Office U.S.A is a MIXED MARKET Economy