Chapter 1

1. Chapter 1 Principles of Government

2. Chapter 1.1 – Government and the State Objectives • Define government and the basic powers every government holds. • Describe the four defining characteristics of the state. • Identify four theories that attempt to explain the origin of the state. • Understand the purpose of government in the United States and other countries.

3. What is Government? • Government is the INSTITUTION through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. • What is public policy? • What does it include?

4. Three Basic Governmental Powers • 1. Legislative Power – the power to make law and to frame public polices • 2. Executive Power- the power to execute, enforce, and administer law. • 3. Judicial Power- the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within society.

5. What is a Constitution? What is the difference between a democracy and a dictatorship? What is Government?

6. The State • A body of people living in a defined territory • They are politically organized • They have the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of any higher authority. • Synonyms: nation or country

7. The State

8. Population- People- duh! (No limit on size) • Territory- Land (No limit on size) • Sovereignty- Supreme and Absolute Power over its Population and Territory • Government- The INSTITUTION that organizes the Population, Territory and Sovereignty.

9. Notes Quiz 9/5 • Take out a ½ sheet of paper and number your paper 1-5. • You must write the question, then your answer below it. • You may have your notes out as a guide…this is to show you that taking notes in class is important! • We will have unannounced quizzes like this periodically!! • This is a quiz…no talking or sharing notes.

10. Notes Quiz Questions (10pts.) • 1. What is a Constitution? • 2. What does sovereignty mean? • 3. What type of government do we have in the United States? • 4. List the 4 defining characteristics of a state. • 5. All of those “things” that government decides to do is called what?

11. State Theories • 1. Force Theory • 2. Evolutionary Theory • 3. Divine Right Theory • 4. Social Contract Theory

12. Force Theory One person or group claimed control over an area and forced their rule. “State” Theories

13. Evolutionary Theory Natural development from primitive family. Families Clans Clans Tribes “State” Theories

14. Divine Right Theory God created the state by “royal birth.” (blood line) People must obey their ruler as they obey God. “State” Theories

15. Social Contract Theory Thomas Hobbes An agreement among people to give up their “natural freedoms” to secure the safety and well being of all. “State” Theories

16. From The Constitution “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” —Preamble to the Constitution

17. The Purpose of Government • Form a More Perfect Union • Establish Justice • Insure Domestic Tranquility • Provide for the Common Defense • Promote the General Welfare • Secure the Blessings of Liberty

18. Chapter 1 Section 2: Forms of Government

19. Section 2 Objectives: • Classify governments according to 3 sets of characteristics • Define systems of government based on who can participate • Identify different ways that power can be distributed, geographically, within a state • Describe a government by how power is distributed between the executive branch and legislative branch

20. Democracy Supreme authority rests with the people A direct democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into law directly by the people themselves (pure democracy) Indirect democracy- a small group of persons, chosen by the people to act as their representatives, expresses the popular will (representative democracy) Dictatorship Those who rule can’t be held responsible to the will of the people Autocracy= gov’t in which a single person holds unlimited political power Oligarchy= gov’t in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite group of people All dictatorships are authoritarian Modern dictatorships also tend to be totalitarian Classifying GovernmentsWho can participate in the governing process

21. Classifying GovernmentsThe geographic distribution of the governmental power within a state • Unitary Gov’t= all powers of gov’t are held by a single, central agency(ex. Great Britain) • Confederate Gov’t= an alliance of independent states (ex. European Union) • Federal Gov’t= the powers of the gov’t are divided between a central gov’t and several local governments. • Creates a division of power and both levels act directly on the people through their own sets of laws, officials and agencies • (ex. United States)

22. Presidential Gov’t Voters elect the Legislature and the Chief Executive who is part of the Executive Branch The Legislature and Executive are independent and coequal EX. United States Parliamentary Gov’t Voters elect the Legislature The Chief Executive is drawn from the Legislature EX. Great Britain Classifying GovernmentsThe relationship between the legislative (lawmaking) and the executive (law-executing) branches of gov’t

23. Chapter 1 Section 3: Basic Concepts of Democracy

24. Section 3 Objectives: • Understand the foundations of democracy. • Analyze the connections between democracy and the free enterprise system. • Identify the role of the Internet in a democracy.

25. The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions: • 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 the insistence upon minority rights. • An acceptance of the necessity of compromise. • An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom.

26. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System • The free enterprise system= an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control; and determined in a free market. • Free enterprise system is based on 4 fundamental factors • Private ownership • Individual initiative • Profit • Competition

27. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System (cont’d) • Decisions in a free enterprise system are determined by the law of supply and demand (supply of goods and services) • Supplies increase, prices decrease • Prices increase, supply decreases • Democracy and free enterprise are both based on the concept of “individual freedom” • Mixed Economy= economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation (ex. Food and Drug laws) and promotion (transportation systems)

28. Example of Supply and Demand Curves (why prices rise and fall)

29. Democracy and the Internet • Democracy demands that the people be widely informed about their government • Theoretically, the Internet makes knowledgeable participation in the democratic process easier than ever before • But, all data on the World Wide Web is not necessarily true, and the long term effect of the Internet on democracy has yet to be determined.

30. Chapter 1Section 2 & 3 Quiz • Section 2 & 3 Political Terms • Characteristics of Classifying Gov’ts • Characteristics of Presidential Gov’t • Democracy and Free Enterprise Concept (based on Individual Freedom) • Law of Supply & Demand • 4 Fundamental Factors of a FES • Quiz=