Chapter 1: People and the Government

Warm Up List as many activities as you can in which government plays a role.

Section 1: Principles of Government WHAT IS THE FUNCTION, FORM, AND ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT?

States, countries, nations oh my! Country & State are synonymous State: political community that occupies a definite territory with an organized govt with power to make and enforce laws without the approval from a higher authority Nation: an independent state/country bounded by race, lang, custom, tradition Nation-state: territory of both a nation and state coincide Ex: not all citizens of France are of French descent!

Features of a State! Population Territory Sovereignty Government Must have land, established boundaries Sovereignty State has supreme and absolute authority within its territorial boundaries Make laws and determine own actions Government Institution that keeps social order, provides services, and enforces decisions

Mommy, Where do States come from? Evolutionary theory State evolved from the family Head of family was the authority that served as govt Force theory Early civilizations needed cooperation and came under the rule of the strongest person Divine Right God choose certain people to rule! Social Contract Theory Govt arose out of voluntary action! Society is governed by a general will Grew out of Enlightenment Ex: Hobbes, Locke

Purposes of Government Maintaining Social Order Social contract theory: we need govt because we haven’t found ways to live without conflict! Providing Public Services Services that make life possible: sanitation, health, safety Providing National Security Govt protects citizens from attacks! Making Economic Decisions Ex: govt providing tax breaks

Section 2: The Formation of Government IN ORDER TO CARRY OUT THEIR FUNCTIONS, GOVERNMENTS ARE ORGANIZED IN A VARIETY OF WAYS

Governmental Systems Unitary Federal System All key powers are given to a nat’l govt Not necessarily 1 level of govt, but central govt is given all authority to create govts below it Ex: Great Britain Federal System Division of power is between state and national govt

Constitutions and Govt Constitutions are a plan that provide the rules for govt Lays out ideas, sets structure and defines power/duties, provides for supreme law Often incomplete guides because ideas change over time!

What’s Politics got to do with it? Politics are the effort to control and influence the policies of govt 1st political argument was over ratification of the Constitution

Section 3: Types of Govt WHO GOVERNS THE STATE?

Autocracies Power is in the hands of a single individual and power is often maintained through military Totalitarian dictatorships: single leaders ideas are glorified and control all aspects of life Monarchy: a king/queen/or emperor has power that is usually inherited with absolute power Constitutional monarchy: monarchs share power with a legislature or they serve as ceremonial leaders of govt

Oligarchies A small group holds power Usually power comes from wealthy or military power

Democracy Rule is by the peeps! 2 forms Direct democracy: peeps govern themselves by voting on issues as citizens Representative/indirect democracy: citizens elect reps to vote on legislation In a republic the voters are the source of govts authority Requires citizen participation

Characteristics of Democracy Individual liberty Majority rule with minority rights Govt decisions are based on majority rule but he Constitution protects the rights of the minority Free elections Competing political parties PP’s: group of individuals with common interests who org to nominate candidates win elections, determine policy, etc

Elements that allow for Democracy Active citizen participation A favorable economy Free enterprise: opportunity to control ones economic decisions provides a base for political decisions Education Strong civil society Civil society: network of volunteer associations, economic groups, etc Social Consensus If peeps share same values on liberty/equality then democracy prospers!

Section 4: Economic Theories NATIONS MUST DECIDE HOW RESOURCES ARE TO BE USED…

So what the heck is Economics? Study of human efforts to satisfy the seemingly unlimited wants through the use of limited resources Countries must make 3 decisions: What /how much to produce? How goods/services should be produced? Who gets the goods/services produced? Different economic systems answer these ?’s differently!

Capitalism (free enterprise)! Private ownership and control of resources and property Defined by a free market in which buyers and sellers make unlimited decisions Father of capitalism is Adam Smith Argued for a laissezz faire system: govt should keep their hands off the economy

Socialism Government: owns the basic means of production determines use of resources distributes products/wages provides social services Democratic Socialism: calls for a peaceful change in improve economic condition Govt control over basic means of production and makes most econ decisions

Communism Karl Marx in the Communist Manifesto concluded capitalism would collapse Argued that the bourgeoisie abused the proletariat Predicted a violent revolution to overthrow the bourgeoisie Goal: govt ownership of production Believed socialism would develop into communism: on class, property in common, no need for govt Described as a command economy: govt planners make decisions and hand down to managers State owns: land, resources, banks, transportation, communication…IMPACTS POLITICAL FREEDOM