Unit 1 Part I: The Government and Unit 1 Part I: The Government and the Peoplethe People

CivicsCivics

The Study of the Rights and Duties of The Study of the Rights and Duties of citizens of a communitycitizens of a community

GovernmentGovernment

The Ruling authority The Ruling authority for a communityfor a community

Why do communities need Why do communities need government?government?

To make it possible To make it possible for people to live for people to live together peacefully together peacefully

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

Scottish political philosopher (1588-Scottish political philosopher (1588-1679)1679)

Life without government would be Life without government would be “nasty, brutish, and short.”“nasty, brutish, and short.”

What do governments do?What do governments do?

Provide LawsProvide Laws

Provide SecurityProvide Security

Provide ServicesProvide Services

Manage the EconomyManage the Economy

Prepare the Prepare the BudgetBudget for the Country for the Country

Guide the CommunityGuide the Community

Help shape Help shape public public policypolicy – the course of – the course of action to achieve action to achieve community goalscommunity goals

Types of GovernmentTypes of Government

Democratic GovernmentDemocratic Government

Rule by the people (majority rule)Rule by the people (majority rule)

Authoritarian GovernmentAuthoritarian Government

Government power is held by Government power is held by individual or group not accountable individual or group not accountable to the peopleto the people

Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy

All citizens vote to determine all All citizens vote to determine all issuesissues

Representative Representative Democracy/RepublicDemocracy/Republic

People elect others to People elect others to represent represent them in the decisions of a them in the decisions of a government with power government with power limited by limited by lawlaw

Constitutional Constitutional Monarchy/DemocracyMonarchy/Democracy

A government with a hereditary ruler A government with a hereditary ruler whose power is limited by law (whose power is limited by law (a a Constitution)Constitution)

Absolute MonarchyAbsolute Monarchy

Hereditary ruler had unlimited Hereditary ruler had unlimited authorityauthority

Dictatorships/Totalitarianism/AutocracyDictatorships/Totalitarianism/Autocracy

The government has almost total The government has almost total control over the people’s lives.control over the people’s lives.

Power usually taken by forcePower usually taken by force

AristocracyAristocracy

Rule by a upper class (Aristocrats)Rule by a upper class (Aristocrats)

TheocracyTheocracy

Rule by religionRule by religion

OligarchyOligarchy

Rule by a fewRule by a few

AnarchyAnarchy

Belief that best government is no Belief that best government is no governmentgovernment

Principles of American DemocracyPrinciples of American Democracy

Rule of LawRule of Law

All people are All people are bound by the lawbound by the law

Limited GovernmentLimited Government

The government The government can only do the can only do the things that the things that the people have given people have given it power to do.it power to do.

Consent of the GovernedConsent of the Governed

American citizens American citizens are the source of are the source of all government all government power power • Popular Popular

SovereigntySovereignty – – “The People Rule”“The People Rule”

Individual RightsIndividual Rights

Individual rights, Individual rights, even of those not even of those not popular with the popular with the majority, are majority, are protected by the protected by the government.government.

Representative GovernmentRepresentative Government

People elect People elect leaders to make leaders to make the laws and the laws and govern on their govern on their behalf.behalf.

Levels of GovernmentLevels of Government

National National GovernmentGovernment• The government of The government of

the entire countrythe entire country

State GovernmentState Government

Decides matters Decides matters for people in the for people in the state state

Local GovernmentLocal Government

Counties, cities and Counties, cities and townstowns

Closest gov. to the Closest gov. to the peoplepeople