Principles of Government Government and the State Forms of Government Basic Concepts of Democracy

Section 1 Government and the State Pre-Class Writing: Describe what your life would be like without parental influence and the various roles of a parent Rules? Guidelines? Lessons?

What is Government? Government: The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. Taxes, Defense, Education, Crime, Transportation, Environment, Civil Rights etc. Must have power to carry out these policies

3 Powers of Gov’t Legislative- make laws Executive- enforce laws Judicial- interpret laws A constitution is a body of fundamental laws setting out principle, structures and processes of a gov’t.

Who has the power? Dictatorship: Power is held by a small group or a single person Democracy: The majority rules. People have the power

The State State: Body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority. “Country”, “Nation”. 4 Characteristics- Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government

Population There are people! May or may not be homogeneous San Marino = 25,000 China = 1.25 Billion May or may not be homogeneous Share customs, language and ethnic background

Territory Must have recognized boundaries San Marino = Less than 24 Sq. Miles Russia = 6.6 Million Sq. Miles

Sovereignty Has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

Government Has an institution through which society makes and enforces public policies

Origins of the State 4 Theories Force Theory Evolutionary theory Divine Right Theory Social Contract Theory

Force Theory One Person or a group of people forced or claimed control over a group of people or territory Violent or threat of violence Examples?

Evolutionary Theory State develops naturally Original family, clans, network of families

Divine Right Theory God created the state and had given power to those of royal birth Popular in much of Western Europe Kings, Queens etc

Social Contract Theory Agreeing with one another to create a state by contract. Promote safety and well being of the population Thomas Hobbes, James Harrington and Jean Jacques Rousseau Constitution

Purpose of Gov’t Form a more perfect union Establish Justice Insure Domestic Tranquility Provide for the Common Defense Promote the General Welfare Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Section 2 Forms of Government Democracy Supreme political authority rests with the people Government runs with the consent of the people

2 forms of democracy Direct (AKA “Pure Democracy”) Indirect People vote directly on public policy Small communities Indirect People choose representatives to vote on public policy

Dictatorship All dictatorships are authoritarian Autocracy Oligarchy Absolute and unchallengeable Some are totalitarian- total control Autocracy Single person holds unlimited power Oligarchy Small, self-appointed elite hold the power

Geographic Distribution of Power Unitary Government – Centralized Government All powers belong to a single agency Disperse local governments where needed

Geographic Distribution of Power Federal Gov’t – Powers divided between central and local governments Both levels of gov’t act directly on the people through their own leaders and agencies

Geographic Distribution of Power Confederation – alliance of independent states States cooperate in matters of common concern but retain their separate identities

Relationship: Legislative and Executive Presidential Government Executive and legislative branches are separate, independent and coequal Chosen separately and rules for a fixed term Has powers to block each other

Relationship: Legislative and Executive Parliamentary Government Executive is a prime minister or premier and a cabinet Prime minister and cabinet are members of parliament Leader of the majority group Chosen by parliament. When a new maj. wins, new elections are held

Sec. 3 Basic Concepts of Democracy 5 Basic Notions of Democracy Worth of the individual Equality of all persons Majority rule, minority rights Necessity of Compromise Individual freedom

Worth of Individual Station in life does not matter The welfare of one or the few is subordinate to the mass Stopping at a stop sign, paying taxes, etc.

Equality of All Persons Equality of opportunity Equality before the law Each person should be free to develop to their fullest potential regardless of race, faith, etc.

Majority Rule, Minority Rights The majority will be right more often than wrong. They will be right more often than the minority. May not always be right Always looking to better a situation Majority could kill democracy Checked by minority rights

Necessity of Compromise Compromise – Process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests Many individuals = many different ideas Many different ways to solve a problem

Individual Freedom Anarchy – Total absence of gov’t “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” – Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Fine balance between the rights of individuals and rights of society

Democracy and Free Enterprise Free Enterprise – Economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods Private ownership Individual initiative Profit Competition

How it Works Decisions are based on supply and demand, not by the government

Gov’t and Free Enterprise Mixed economy – Gov’t regulates and promotes Protects the public Preserves private enterprise Examples?

Democracy and the Internet Keeps voters informed Reliable?