“Government 101” The Basics

Government v. Politics Government—the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies Politics—process by which a society decides how power and resources will be distributed within that society Essentially, politics is the necessary process by which government is conducted.

The State Has emerged as the dominant political unit in the world. 4 Characteristics—Can you name them?

Population—must have people, whether it’s 800 in Vatican City, or China with over 1.3 billion Territory—must have a defined territory with known and recognized boundaries (San Marino—24 square miles, Russia—6.6 million square miles) Sovereignty—has supreme power within its own territory / not subordinate to any other authority Government—must be politically organized

Origins 4 Theories have emerged over time as the most accepted explanations for the origin of the state The Force Theory—one person or small group claimed control and forced all within to follow their rules

The Evolutionary Theory—family to clan to tribe, and eventually gave up being nomads and tied itself to the land

Divine Right Theory—God gives royalty the right to rule (opposition is then both treason and mortal sin)

Social Contract—most significant theory for us today People exchange liberty and freedoms in exchange for safety and protection—BUT, the people have given government this authority Led to concepts we enjoy today, such as popular sovereignty, limited government, and individual rights

Types How can systems of government be classified based on who can participate, how power is distributed, and the relationship between the legislative and executive branches? How do forms of government correspond with economic systems based on shared values?

Types (cont.) Governments can be classified based on three different standards: (1) Who is able to participate in the governing process. (2) The distribution of the governmental power within the state. (3) The relationship between the legislative (lawmaking) and the executive (law-executing) branches of the government.

Who can participate? Democracy In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with the people. A direct democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into law directly by the people themselves. In an indirect democracy, a small group of persons, chosen by the people to act as their representatives, expresses the popular will (AKA a “Republic”).

Democracy (cont.) Democratic governments typically are organized under constitutional law. A constitution is a statement of goals and a framework for governing that derives its authority from the people. Often written, constitutions usually contain a preamble, which lists goals, and a main body, which describes the framework. A constitutional government places limits on the powers of those who govern.

Autocracy An autocracy is a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power and that power is transferred automatically, usually hereditarily. A dictatorship exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. Absolute monarchies are also autocratic.

Oligarchy An oligarchy is a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually self- appointed elite group.

Confederate Government Distribution of Power Unitary Government A unitary government has all powers held by a single, central agency. Confederate Government A confederation is a loose alliance of independent states. Federal Government A federal government divides powers of government between a central government and several local governments.

Relationship between Legislative and Executive branches

Forms of Government

Economics Systems of government often align with certain economic systems due to shared values. Democracy usually aligns with a Free Market economy (Capitalism). Autocracy usually aligns with a Command economy (Communism).

Democracy and Capitalism Capitalism is an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, and investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control and determined in a free market. Decisions in a free enterprise system are determined by the law of supply and demand. Democratic societies place a high value on individual freedom, which corresponds well with the values of capitalist economics.

Democracy and Socialism Some democratic countries have developed economic systems built on Socialism, where the government owns the basic means of production, determines the use and distribution of resources, and provides social services such as education, health care, and welfare. Democratic Socialists are committed to democracy in political life and individual rights like free speech, but support a distribution of economic goods and services based on social equality rather than individual competition.

Communism Communism is an economic system described by German philosopher Karl Marx in response to social and economic conditions created by the Industrial Revolution. Marx believed that capitalism served to benefit a small, wealthy ruling class (Capitalists) at the expense of a large, poor working class (the “Proletariat”).

Communism (cont.) Marx felt the Proletariat should use its strength in numbers to take control of government, which could then enact policies to control the economy and distribute wealth more equally. Communism values government control over the economy rather than individual freedom; therefore, it aligns well with autocratic forms of government, especially dictatorship, and oligarchies. Because the government and the economy are so intertwined, communism is often mistakenly thought of as a system of government.

Government and Economies An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion is called a mixed economy. In reality, almost all countries have mixed economies; therefore, describing a country’s economy is more a matter of which way a country’s economic values lean. As a result, a country with a mixed economy can still be considered capitalistic. No 2 systems are the same, but all fit somewhere on the continuum below: Command Economy Mixed Economy Free Market ____________________________________________________ http://www.heritage.org/index/ranking