Purposes of Government Why have government?

“If men were angels no government would be necessary.” 1. What does this quote mean to you? 2. What do you think this quote means in relationship to the government we have in the United States?

What does the government do for citizens? Take a few minutes (3) and make a list of as many things you can think of that you believe the government does for its citizens. (This can be national, state, or both) ◦ Ex. Food Stamps, Social Security, Army

4 Purposes of Government Maintaining Social Order Providing National Security Providing Public Services Making Economic Decisions

Maintaining Social Order Providing law and order Make laws Punish individuals who break laws ◦ Pay taxes ◦ Serve in the army ◦ Follow speed limits ◦ Murder and theft ◦ Courts ◦ Equal treatment

Providing National Security Protect from outside attack (foreign nations, invasions, and terrorism) ◦ Department of Defense  Army, Navy, air force, and marines ◦ Department of Homeland Security ◦ CIA/FBI ◦ National Security Agency  Maintaining ALLIES- trade, defense, treaties  Foreign Policy

Providing Public Services Services provided by the government to some/all citizens ◦ Free public education ◦ Trash removal ◦ Running water ◦ Police protection ◦ Fire departments ◦ Public parks ◦ Social security ◦ Food stamps ◦ Unemployment checks ◦ Supplemental income ◦ Free or reduced price housing ◦ Free health care (medicare/medicaid)

Making Economic Decisions Decisions of how funds of a nation will be spent ◦ Taxation ◦ Raising/lowering the interest rate ◦ Government spending ◦ Money supply (how much money is in circulation for citizens) ◦ Borrowing

Brainstorming/Debate List the purposes of government in priority of which you think is the most important for government to fulfill to the least important. Be prepared to defend your order by priority and opinion. While viewing the short clip write down at least 5 purposes of government the individuals being interviewed give cJ-78I

Ayn Rand- the proper role of government “The only proper purpose of a government is to protect man's rights, which means: to protect him from physical violence. A proper government is only a policeman, acting as an agent of man's self-defense, and, as such, may resort to force only against those who start the use of force. The only proper functions of a government are: the police, to protect you from criminals; the army, to protect you from foreign invaders; and the courts, to protect your property and contracts from breaches or fraud by the others, to settle disputes by rational rules, according to objective law. But a government that initiates the employment of force against men who had forced no one, the employment of armed compulsion against disarmed victims, is a nightmare infernal machine designed to annihilate morality: such a government reverses its only moral purpose and switches from the role of protector to the role of man's deadliest enemy, from the role of of policeman to the role of a criminal vested with the right to the wielding of violence against the victims deprived of the right of self-defense. Such a government substitutes for morality the following rule of social conduct: you may do whatever you please to your neighbor, provided your gang is bigger than his.” ― Ayn Rand, Atlas ShruggedAyn RandAtlas Shrugged While listening to Ayn Rand’s comments on the “Proper Role of Government” write down your reactions or thoughts on the back your activity page.