Functions of Government

Defining Activities

Jennifer OsorioBanning High, Los Angeles USD

USC CALIS Teacher Associate

Presentation for Constitution Day 2014

Directions

• Fold your paper in ½. • Copy the slides in the left column• Write your questions, connections and

answers to the questions in the right column. • Complete a summary at the end of the

PowerPoint• Do the current event assignment at the end of

the presentation

Defining Activities

• There are things that all governments and governance structures must be able to accomplish. These exist at all levels; your family, your social group, your classrooms and school, the state and the country.

• Failure to do any of these activities will result in a government being fragile and susceptible to being overthrown or the citizens’ security and prosperity threatened at least.

Functions of Government

1. Border Security• What: Ability to regulate who and what comes in

and out of a territory.• Why: Border security must exist to ensure people

feel safe and so they can prosper. Regulating who comes in and out is important to prevent the resources of a territory from being depleted, harmful people and goods from endangering the population and to prevent the government from being overthrown due to invasion.

Functions of Government

Defining Activities

• National & International: guns going into Mexico have created a crisis where people are unsafe and prosperity is unattainable. The same with the drugs that come from Mexico to the U.S. create violence due to the gangs that battle for distribution territory and the desperation that often results in theft to obtain the drugs.

1. Border Security

• Classroom: You have all been in classes that are out of control. Students coming in and out as they please and students who do not belong in the class and are not there to learn. This can be very disruptive to the function of learning if the teacher is unable to enforce border security or if they must devote the majority of their time to it.

1. Border Security

• What: The ability to make rules and enforce those rules.

• Why: Government must have the authority and power to regulate the behavior of the citizens for the greater good.

Functions of Government

Defining Activities

2. Rule of Law

2. Rule of Law

• National & International: Countries that are unable to enforce the rule of law may be due to a lack of people, organizations or training. It may be due to corruption which creates a multi-tier citizenry with some having to abide by the rules and some above the rules. Lastly it may be that citizens have revoked their consent to be governed.

• Classroom: You give a relevant example

2. Rule of Law

• What: Existence of an economy where goods and services are produced and exchanged so people have the opportunity to satisfy their basic needs and accumulate wealth.

• Why: When economies do not function or when many people are left out of the economic activity, you have people who live in poverty, hunger and will not support the government and steal from those who are more economically successful

Functions of Government

Defining Activities

3. Means of Exchange

• National/International: The Arab Spring began because of a lack of economic opportunity within Tunisia and provoked a man to self-immolate out of desperation that spurred protests and caused the overthrow of the Tunisian Government.

3. Means of Exchange

• Classroom: You give a relevant example

3. Means of Exchange

• What: The ability for the government to administer consequences that act as a deterrent to violating the rule of law.

• Why: If people know there will be no consequences for breaking rules and violating social norms, many people will do so. This creates instability where some gain advantage because they don’t feel the need to uphold the standards of society.

4. System of Justice

Functions of Government

Defining Activities

• National/International: Murder is illegal, yet in many people’s opinions Trayvon Martin was murdered by George Zimmerman. Since this precedent was set, how many more people will make the self-defense claim in Florida to get away with murder?

4. System of Justice

• Classroom: You give a relevant example

4. System of Justice

Implications

• Failure for a government to do any or all of these 4 functions will result in domestic instability.

• Countries unable to provide the 4 functions are often labeled as Fragile or Failed States.

• They are vulnerable to domestic unrest leading to an overthrow of the government or invasion from a stronger state.

Summary

• Write a reflection on what you learned and what ideas and connections you thought about while taking notes.

• Find & print an article on a country, state or city working to provide one of the 4 defining functions of government.

• Write a summary of the article and explain how it represents one of the Defining Activities

Functions of Government

Developed by Steven Lamy, Professor of International RelationsSchool of International Relations, USC

Defining Activities Accumulation of Wealth Redistribution

to function:a. border securityb. rule of law (law & order) c. means of exchange

to prosper:a. build infrastructureb. exploit resourcesc. promote economic

development

to sustain growth & stability:a. promote equity and equal

opportunity - e.g. public education,

college loansb. assist the disadvantaged -

e.g. safety nets: welfare assistance, unemployment insurance

Good Governance

Developed by Steven Lamy, Professor of International RelationsSchool of International Relations, USC

In the general sense:

when a government is responsive to the needs of its peopleor when it maximizes benefits for the most peopleor when it assures that no one is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged

In specific ways:

► democracy people can bring forth demands and hold govt to account► respect for human rights people do not fear reprisal for dissent► rule of law accountability for rogue police or militias, corrupt officials► transparency openness to prevent or at least decrease corruption