chapter 1: principles of government. section 1: government & the state what is government ...
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Section 1: Government & The State What is Government
Institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
Public Policies All the things the Government decides to do
What is Government (con’t) Every Government has three basic powers
Legislative To make law and public policies
Executive To execute, enforce and administer law
Judicial Interpret laws and settle disputes
What is Government (con’t) These powers are determined by a country’s
Constitution The body of fundamental laws setting out the
principles, structures, and process of a Gov’t These powers can be determined by a
single/small group of people (dictatorship) or a large majority of the people (democracy)
The State A body of people, living in a defined territory,
organized politically (Aka they have a Government) Called nations or country most often in the news
The State (con’t) Requirements to be a state
Must have a population May or may not be homogeneous
Sharing common customs, language & Ethnic
Must have a territory or boundaries Must have sovereignty
Supreme and absolute power within it’s territory Ex. The U.S. Constitution is supreme to the Missouri
Constitution
Must have a Gov’t
Origins of the State The Force Theory Evolutionary Theory Divine Right Theory Social Contract Theory
By contract, people within a given area agreed to give up to the state as much power as was needed to promote the safety and well being of all Came about during the Enlightenment from
Philosophers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau
Serves the will of the people
The Purpose of Government Preamble is the Thesis statement of the U.S.
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 defense, 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.”
Purpose of Government (con’t) America is about Freedom
Constant struggle today… individual freedom versus the “Common Good”
Section 2: Forms of Government Classifying Government
Who can participate in the governing process The geographic distribution of government power
within the state The relationship between legislative and
executive branch
Who can Participate Democracy
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Abraham Lincoln
Direct Democracy Originated from Ancient Greeks Everyone votes for public policy
No representatives
Who Can Participate (Con’t) Indirect Democracy
Most Common Form of Democracy It is a representative government
People vote for other people to do the law making and executing Ex. Gov. Matt Blunt, Sen. Obama, Sen. McCain
If the representative does not do the will of the people, they are not voted back in to Government
Who Can Participate (Con’t) Dictatorship
The Government is not controlled by the people Two Forms
Autocracy Single Person
Oligarchy Small Group
All Dictators are authoritarian Hold Absolute power
Who Can Participate (Con’t) Most modern dictators are totalitarian
Control nearly every aspect of human affairs Hitler (Germany) Stalin (USSR) People’s Republic of China Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North
Korea)
Who Can Participate (Con’t) Modern dictators present/ hide beneath the
image of “Government for the people” Name Rigged Elections Controlled Legislative Branch Propaganda
Ex. Zimbabwe, North Korea
Geographic Distribution of Power Unitary Government
Power is held to the Central Government Federal Government
Power divided between central government and several local government The two groups must work together
Confederate Government An alliance of independent states
Very weak or no central government Example is the EU
Though working towards a Federal style Government
Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches Presidential Government
Executive and Legislative are independent of one another and coequal They have the power to block each others actions
AKA Separation of Powers
Parliamentary Government Executive branches is voted in by the Legislative
Prime Minister and his cabinet are voted in by the legislative branch
Thus they are not independent nor co-equal of one another
Section 3: Basic Concepts of Democracy
Foundations Worth of the individual
Fight of individual versus society
Equality of all persons Equality of opportunity Equality before the law
Majority Rule, Minority Rights The majority will make more satisfactory decisions for
the “Common Good” than will a minority of people However, Majority must listen and involve the minority
Foundations (Con’t) Necessity of Compromise
Process of blending and adjusting competing views and interest Due to our diversity in the U.S., compromise is
mandatory and difficult
Individual Freedom “The rights of every man are diminished when
the rights of one man are threatened” JFK
Democracy and the Freed Enterprise System Free Enterprise System
Four fundamental factors: Private ownership, individual initiative, profit and competition
Law of Supply and Demand Market determines the price and supply
Mixed Economy Free market and some governmental regulation
U.S. system is a mixed economy