chapter 1: principles of government section...

Chapter 1: Principles of GovernmentSection 2

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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.


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


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


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.


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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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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• 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Review

• Now that you have learned about some ofthe forms of government in the worldtoday, go back and answer the ChapterEssential Question.– Is government necessary?

chapter 1: principles of government section...

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