chapter 1: principles of government section...
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 2Chapter 1, Section 2
Objectives
1. Classify governments according to threesets of characteristics.
2. Define systems of government based onwho can participate.
3. Identify different ways that power can bedistributed, geographically, within a state.
4. Describe a government by thedistribution of power between theexecutive and legislative branch.
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 3Chapter 1, Section 2
Key Terms
• autocracy: government in which a singleperson holds all political power
• oligarchy: government in which a small,usually self-appointed group has the solepower to rule
• unitary government: a government in whichall power belongs to one central agency
• federal government: a government in whichpower is divided between one central andseveral local governments
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 4Chapter 1, Section 2
Key Terms, cont.
• division of powers: the split of powerbetween central and local governments
• confederation: an alliance of independentstates
• presidential government: a governmentwith separate executive and legislativebranches
• parliamentary government: a governmentin which the executive branch is part of thelegislative branch and subject to its control
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 5Chapter 1, Section 2
Introduction
• What are some forms of government in the worldtoday?
– Democracies and dictatorships are classifiedaccording to who can participate in government.
– Unitary, federal, and confederation-style governmentsare classified based on how power is dividedgeographically.
– Presidential and parliamentary governments aredefined by the relationship between the executive andlegislative branches.
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 6Chapter 1, Section 2
Direct Democracy
• In a direct or puredemocracy, thepeople pass laws bydiscussing and votingon them in meetings,such as townmeetings.
• This system worksonly in smallcommunities.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 7Chapter 1, Section 2
Indirect Democracy
• In an indirect orrepresentativedemocracy, the peopleelect agents who makeand carry out the laws.
• These representativesrule with the consent ofthe governed and canbe removed by thepeople at election time.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Some people argue that the United States is properlya republic, not a democracy, because only a direct democracy can truly becalled a democracy. Still, representative governments such as the UnitedStates are commonly called democracies. The above image shows a legislatorvoting.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 8Chapter 1, Section 2
• The United Kingdom is aconstitutionalmonarchy.
• Most power lies with theParliament, which iselected by the people.
• The queen is the head ofstate, while the head ofgovernment is the PrimeMinister, who is the headof the leading party inParliament.
Example Democracies
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The current Prime Minister as of Jan. 2009 is GordonBrown, while Queen Elizabeth II is the monarch.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 9Chapter 1, Section 2
Example Democracies, cont.
• The United States is a constitution-based federalrepublic.
• The President and members of Congress arechosen by the people.
• The President is both Chief of State and Head ofGovernment.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 10Chapter 1, Section 2
Dictatorships
• Checkpoint: What is the differencebetween an oligarchy and an autocracy?
– In an autocracy, one person holds totalpolitical power, while in an oligarchy a smallelite group shares political power.
– Both are forms of dictatorships, holdingabsolute and unchallenged authority over thepeople, who have no say in government.
Checkpoint Answer: Both are dictatorships, but an autocracy is ruled by oneindividual with all political power, while an oligarchy divides absolute politicalpower among a small ruling elite.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 11Chapter 1, Section 2
Example Dictatorships
• Some dictatorships are like that of China, wherepeople can vote only for candidates from onepolitical party and the legislature does whatever thedictatorship says.
• Other dictatorships are like the one in Myanmar,where the military rules and there are no elections.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 12Chapter 1, Section 2
Unitary Government
• In a unitary model, allpower belongs to thecentral government,which may grant somepowers to localgovernments.
• The powers of the centralgovernment may belimited or unlimited.
• Most governments in theworld are unitary in form.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 13Chapter 1, Section 2
Federal Government
• In the federal model,power is divided betweena central government andseveral localgovernments, usuallyaccording to aconstitution.
• The U.S. and some 25other states have federalforms of government.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 14Chapter 1, Section 2
Confederate Government
• A confederation is analliance of independentgovernments that grantlimited powers, usuallyinvolving defense orforeign affairs, to acentral government.
• The European Union issimilar to aconfederation.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 15Chapter 1, Section 2
Presidential Government
• A presidentialgovernment dividesexecutive andlegislative powerbetween twobranches.
• The details of thisseparation of powersare spelled out in aconstitution.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The United States is the main example of apresidential government in the world, and most presidential governments arefound in the western hemisphere.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 16Chapter 1, Section 2
Parliamentary Government
• In a parliamentarygovernment, the legislaturechooses the executive,which is part of thelegislature and under itscontrol.
• A majority of worldgovernments use theparliamentary system,which lacks some checksand balances but promotescooperation between theexecutive and legislativebranches.
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Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. Slide 17Chapter 1, Section 2
Parliamentary Government, cont.
• The prime minister is the head of the leadingparty in Parliament and chooses cabinetmembers from the Parliament.
• If the Parliamentloses confidencein the PrimeMinister andcabinet, electionsare held to form anew government.
NOTE TO TEACHERS: The image above shows members of the SouthAfrican parliament being sworn into office.
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