CHAPTER 1: FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT

LESSON 1: Purposes and origins of government THE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT CHOSE TO LIVE IN ANARCHY – A STATE WITHOUT GOVERNMENT AND LAWS WHY? LEGITMATE AND FUCTIONING GOVERNMENTS CREATE ORDER, PROTECT PEOPLE AND GIVE OPPOTURNITIES TO SETTLE DISAGREEMENTS FAIRLY AND PEACEFULLY. GOVERNMENT – INSTITUTION THROUGH WHICH LEADERS EXERCISE POWER TO MAKE AND ENFORCE LAWS AFFECTING PEOPLE UNDER ITS CONTROL PROVIDE LEADERSHIP, ORDER, SECURTY & DEFENSE, PUBLIC SERVICES AND ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE & SECURITY

PROVIDE LEADERSHIP DECIDE WHAT ACTIONS TO TAKE ON CRIME, WHO PAYS TAXES AND HOW MUCH THEY PAY, WHO BENEFITS FROM NATURAL RESOURCES WITHOUT LEADERSHIP, NO ONE IS IN CHARGE AND THAT CREATES ANARCHY.

MAINTAINING ORDER IN ALMOST ANY GROUP PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE AND SOME MIGHT EVEN TRY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OTHERS GOVERNMENTS TRY AND LIMIT CONFLICTS BY PLACING LIMITS ON WHAT PEOPLE ARE PERMITTED TO DO. POLICE ENFORCE LAWS COURTS HELP RESOLVE CONFLICTS AND PUNISH THOSE WHO BREAK THE LAW

“THE LEGITIMATE OBJECT OF GOVERNMENT IS TO DO FOR A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHATEVER THEY NEED TO HAVE DONE BUT CANNOT DO AT ALL, OR CANNOT SO WELL DO FOR THEMSELVES IN THEIR SEPARATE AND INDIVIDUAL CAPACITIES. BUT IN ALL THAT PEOPLE CAN INDIVIDUALLY DO FOR THEMSELVES, GOVERNMENT OUT NOT TO INTERFERE.” ~Abraham Lincoln, 1854

Provide public services Governments create schools (I know ), build sewer systems, pave roads and provide other services that most can not do on their own. Promote public health and safety Fire departments, housing codes, meat inspection, drivers licenses What else?

Providing national security The united states armed services Intelligence agencies fbi

Providing economic security & assistance Negotiate trade deals, protect native businesses Might also intervene in other nations to protect economic interests. Remember the marshall plan? Economic assistance Food stamps, welfare, affordable housing, unemployment insurance

Check yourself What is a government and what are its basic functions? What do governments provide their citizens?

NATION, STATE AND COUNTRY THE SAME THING OR DIFFERENT? NATION – GROUP OF PEOPLE UNITED BY BONDS OF RACE, LANGUAGE, CUSTOM, TRADITION AND SOMETIMES RELIGION STATE – POLITICAL COMMUNITY THAT OCCUPIES A DEFINITE TERRITORY AND HAS AN ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT COUNTRY - POLITICAL COMMUNITY THAT OCCUPIES A DEFINITE TERRITORY AND HAS AN ORGANIZED GOVERNMENT SOVEREIGNTY – THE SUPREME AND ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY WITHIN TERRITORIAL BOUNDARIES.

ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF A STATE STATES MUST HAVE PEOPLE. WITHOUT THEM, THERE IS NO ONE TO GOVERN AND NO REASON FOR A STATE TO EXIST. A STATE HAS ESTABLISHED BOUNDARIES. EXAMPLE – THE BORDERS OF THE UNITED STATES ARE RECOGNIZED BY ITS CITIZENS AND ITS NEIGHBORS (CANADA AND Mexico). Sometimes these boundaries can lead to conflicts. Key characteristic is sovereignty – the state has complete independence and power to makes laws, foreign policy and determine its course of action. States must have someone in charge. POPULATION TERRITORY SOVEREIGNTY GOVERNMENT

Origins of the state Evolutionary theory – the state evolved from the family. Believe that governments came about because large, extended families needed more organization. Force theory – states evolved when people needed to cooperate to survive but could only become organized when one or more people took control.

Divine right theory – state existed to serve the demands and will of god. Divine right – the idea that people are chosen by god or the gods to rule. Social contract theory – states exist to protect and serve their people. “without order and protection, no decent life of any kind would be possible.” Social contract – people surrender to the state the power needed to maintain order & the state, in turn, agrees to protect its citizens.

Review on your own sheet of paper Page 11 in textbook Work with a partner Answer questions 1-5…yes you must write the questions. 

LESSON 2: TYPES OF GOVERNMENET WHAT PRINCIPLES GUIDE DIFFERENT TYPES OF GOVERNMENT? WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENT IS THE UNITED STATES? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU? WHAT ARE ITS MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS

Systems of government Unitary system – a government that gives all key powers to the national government Examples: Japan, France, Bolivia Confederate system – a loose union of independent states. A confederate system has powerful states and a weak central government. Example: united states before the constitution FEDERAL SYSTEM – POWER IS DIVIDED BETWEEN NATIONAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS. EXAMPLE: United states today because of the constitution

CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENTS CONSTITUTION – PLAN THAT PROVIDES THE RULES OF GOVERNMENT PURPOSE – SETS OUT IDEALS THAT THE PEOPLE BELIEVE IN, ESTABLISHES BASIC STRUCTURE OF THE GOVERNMENT, PROVIDES THE SUPREME LAW FOR THE COUNTRY CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT – GOVERNMENT IN WHICH A CONSTITUTION HAS AUTHORITY TO PLACE CLEARLY RECOGNIZED LIMITS ON THE POWERS OF THOSE WHO GOVERN IS THE U.S. A CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT? IF YES, WHAT ARE SOME LIMITATIONS PLACED ON THE GOVERNMENT BY THE CONSTITUTION?

MAJOR TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT – GOVERNMENT THAT CONTROLS ALL ASPECTS OF CITIZENS’ ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL LIVES. AKA TOTALITARIAN. EXAMPLE: Soviet union, nazi Germany Often run by a dictatorship – power is in the hands of one person or an oligarchy – system where a small group holds power Few, if any, political freedoms such as freedom of speech etc. The media is also restricted.

Monarchy – system of government in which a king, queen or emperor exercises supreme powers of government. Some monarchies are absolute (king rules all) but most are constitutional monarchies and the king is limited in power. Example: England

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS DEMOCRACY – GOVERNMENT IN WHICH THE PEOPLE RULE BEGINS IN ANCIENT GREECE AND ROME U.S. IS A DEMOCRACY A DEMOCRACY CAN BE DIRECT OR REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY DIRECT – EVERYONE VOTES ON GOVERNMENT ISSUES DIRECTLY, USEFUL ONLY IN SMALL GROUPS REPRESENTATIVE – PEOPLE ELECT REPRESENTATIVES WHO MAKE LAWS ETC U.S. IS A REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY REPUBLIC – GOVERNMENT IN WHICH VOTERS HOLD SOVEREIGN POWER, ELECT REPRESENTATIVES WHO GOVERN AND EXERCISE POWER

REVIEW AUTHORITARIAN MONARCHY DEMOCRACY CONTROLS ALL ASPECTS OF A CITZEN’S LIFE CAN BE CALLED TOTALITARIAN AS WELL USUALLY RUN BY A DICTATOR LIMITS FREEDOMS AND ELECTIONS TO RETAIN POWER, SOMETIMES WITH VIOLENCE EXAMPLES: NORTH KOREA, IRAN, Soviet Union, Nazi Germany RULED BY A KING, QUEEN OR EMPEROR CAN BE EITHER AUTHORITARIAN OR DEMOCRATIC AUTHORITARIAN MONARCHIES HAVE NO CHECKS ON THE KING’S POWER DEMOCRATIC MONARCHIES HAVE LIMITED THE CROWN’S POWER IN SOME WAY EXAMPLES: ENGLAND RULED BY THE PEOPLE MORE FREEDOMS THAN AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS CAN BE DIRECT (EVERYONE VOTES ON LAWS) OR REPRESENTATIVE (People elect representatives to govern) Representative democracy is also known as a republic Examples: United States, England?

PRINCIPLES OF DEMOCRACY CITIZEN PARTICIPATION REGULAR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS ACCEPTING THE RESULTS OF ELECTIONS RULE OF LAW MAJORITY RULE WITH MINORITY RIGHTS ACCOUNTABILITY TRANSPARENCY LIMITED GOVERNMENT AND BILL OF RIGHTS CONTROL OF THE ABUSE OF POWER ECONOMIC FREEDOM EQUALITY INDIVIDUAL OR HUMAN RIGHTS INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY COMPETING POLITICAL PARTIES

REVIEW QUESTIONS HOW IS A CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT DIFFERENT FROM A COUNTRY WITHOUT A CONSTITUTION? WHY IS THE UNITED STATES BOTH A DEMOCRACY AND A REPUBLIC? WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AUTHORITARIAN AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS? CHOOSE A PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY THAT YOU FEEL IS MOST ESSENTIAL TO A DEMOCRATIC FORM OF GOVERNMENT. EXPLAIN WHAT THIS PRINCIPLE IS AND WHY IT IS ESSENTIAL. INCLUDE EXAMPLES THAT SUPPORT YOUR CHOICE.

LESSON 3: THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN ECONOMIC SYSTEMS ECONOMICS – STUDY OF HOW PEOPLE AND NATIONS USE THEIR LIMITED RESOURCES TO ATTEMPT TO SATISFY WANTS & NEEDS KEY FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT IS TO MAKE ESSENTIAL DECISIONS ABOUT THE ECONOMY. HOW DO THEY DO THIS TODAY?

FACTORS OF PRODUCTION: PRODUCERS – PEOPLE WHO MAKE GOODS AND SERVICES DISTRIBUTERS – PEOPLE WHO GET PRODUCTS TO BUYERS CONSUMERS – PEOPLE WHO BUY GOODS AND SERVICES LABOR – WORK THAT PEOPLE DO OR THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES RESOURCES – NATURAL MATERIALS AND HUMAN MATERIALS (KNOWLEDGE) CAPITAL – MONEY OR RESOURCES NECESSARY TO PURCHASE OR INVEST ENTREPRENEURS – RISK TAKING INDIVIDUALS WHO USE OTHER FACTORS TO MAKE PROFITS

CAPITALISM CAPITIALISM – ECONOMIC SYSTEM THAT EMPHASIZES FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND INDIVIDUAL INCENTIVE. THE U.S. ECONOMY IS BASED ON CAPITIALISM FREE MARKET/FREE ENTERPRISE – ECONOMIC SYSTEM IN WHICH BUYERS AND SELLERS MAKE FREE CHOICES AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTROL ONE’S OWN ECONOMIC DECISIONS