ROLES, PURPOSES AND TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

State versus Nation State: A politically organized union that has four essential features: - population (people) - territory - established governmt - sovereignty Nation: A people bound together by a common heritage, culture, and language.

WHY DO WE NEED GOVERNMENT? So a state can act independently and maintain its SOVEREIGNTY (the ability to exercise complete independence from any other country’s influence). To avoid anarchy (disorder and chaos) To exercise power and authority to govern To act as a positive force in society To establish legitimacy with other nations

LEGITIMACY OF A GOVERNMENT A government is legitimate if it is supported by its people. This gives it the right to govern and exercise power. Legitimacy is obtained through: - constitutions, laws and traditions - elections and voting (democracies) - hereditary right (like kings) - force (dictators; military coups) - religious law

ROLES OF GOVERNMENT Governments are needed to STRUCTURE SOCIETY 1. Maintaining order - enforcement of laws and regulations,; courts for justice and punishments 2. Protecting rights and freedoms - speech, religion, assembly, property, travel, privacy, voting, equality

- safety (police, fire, disaster relief) 3. Providing basic services - safety (police, fire, disaster relief) - shelter, food, jobs, for those without them - establish a system of taxation to support services

4. Providing for public good - - education - clean environment - roads, sewers, - parks, libraries, museums 5. Defending the nation - maintain armed forces - protect borders - conduct foreign relations

6. Managing the economy - oversee trade and business - safeguard consumers - manage natural resources - regulate the money supply

Origins of the Modern State States have originated over time these ways: 1. FORCE: One person or group used force to establish its authority over all others within an area.

Origins of the Modern State Cont’d) 2. EVOLUTIONARY: The state evolved from the primitive tribe or family clan under a single, strong leader and gradually grew into a larger network of clans leading to a feudalistic society.

Origins of the Modern State (cont) 3. DIVINE RIGHT: People believed that God created the state and determined who of royal blood should rule. Such rulers had absolute authority over all and did not share power.

Origins of the Modern State (cont) SOCIAL CONTRACT: People with common needs came together voluntarily and created a state that was to serve their will and protect them and their rights.

SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY Thomas Hobbes - People are naturally cruel and selfish and live in a brutal world. - People make a social contract and surrender their individual powers to the state (a single ruler who would make all decisions) in exchange for order. - In return, the state would protect the people and respect their natural rights. - Failure of the king to do this would be cause for his removal

Social Contract Theory (cont’d) John Locke - All men are free, equal and independent. People have natural rights that include life, liberty, and property and are given to them from God and cannot be taken away (except under law). - States gets their power to govern from the people who are the ultimate authority (supreme). - If a government fails to protect the people or their rights, the people can abolish that government and create a new one.

END OF PART 1

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT AUTOCRACY power to rule is done through one person. 1. Totalitarian - a dictator controls all decision-making. The people have no say in running the government. Examples: Hitler’s Germany; USSR’s Stalin

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) 2. Theocracy - Religious leaders or religious laws control government. Examples: Iran; the Vatican

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) MONARCHY- Sole rule by a member of the nobility such as a king, queen, or emperor. 1. Absolute monarchy- Royalty rules with supreme powers; often assumes divine right authority. Example: Saudi Arabia

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) 2. Constitutional monarchy- Royal rulers who share power with elected legislatures but are limited in their powers by law. Example: Great Britain

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) OLIGARCHY- Government run by a small group of elite people who hold unlimited power due to their wealth, social position,or military status. Examples: China; old Soviet Union

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) DEMOCRACY Rule by the people. - Direct democracy: All citizens vote individually on every decision. Also called true democracy. Example: Ancient Greece

TYPES OF GOVERNMENT (cont’d) Indirect democracy: People are elected to make decisions on behalf of all the people. Also called a republic. Examples: United States; Mexico

NON-STATE ORGANIZATIONS Organizations that are not states, but may be composed of many groups or international businesses, that wield a large amount of power and play an important role in shaping the world’s politics and economies.

Non-State Organizations (cont’d) Political Movements - Greenpeace - Palestinian Liberation Organization International Organizations - United Nations - NATO - OPEC - Universal Postal Union Multi-National Corporations - Exxon-Mobil - Microsoft

BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY Democracy is founded on five balancing concepts that rest on the people’s acceptance in order to work effectively: 1. Individual freedom: People should be as free as possible to live their lives without unnecessary government intrusion. Freedom cannot be without limits since nobody should impact on the freedoms of others.

Characteristics (cont’d) 2. Equality: Everyone is equal under the law and no one is above the law. Government should work to promote equality of opportunity within society. 3. Majority rules: Decisions reflect the will of the majority, but the minority’s opinions must be considered (citizens are entitled to certain things that the majority cannot deny to them).

Characteristics (cont’d) 4. Compromise: The people can reach agreements to settle differences on issues and reach public goals. 5. Worth of the Individual: Everyone has worth, but the welfare of one person cannot be placed above the needs of all.

DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS Three forms defined by geographic location: UNITARY - All power belongs to a single, central government. FEDERAL - Power is shared between the central government and regional levels of government. CONFEDERATE - Most power belongs to the regional levels of gov’t which give the central government limited powers.

Major Economic Systems Capitalism Free enterprise, free markets, supply & demand Private investment Private property ownership Competition for products, customers, and wages Laissez faire: government stays out of the marketplace

CAPITALISM - MIXED MARKET A form of capitalism practiced in the U.S. that is: private enterprise + government participation Government inserts itself into the market place via rules and regulations (no laissez-faire). Gov’t prohibits monopolies, protects the consumer, taxes products and profits Government uses its central bank to set interest rates and manipulate the money supply.

Socialism (Democratic) - State controls key industries and resources State makes most economic decisions and heavily regulates the economy Ownership of private property is limited Many social welfare systems supported by heavy taxes Equal distribution of wealth

Communism The state controls all production & distribution (command economy) No free enterprise No competition No private property Government sets all wages and prices

“Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators, congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Economic Systems Pure Capitalism Free enterprise Private ownership and control of resources Competition among businesses

Economic System Mixed-Market Economy Combination of free enterprise and government control

Economic Systems Socialism Distribution of wealth Public ownership of most land, factories, and production Government controls major decisions about production Democratic Socialism – the people control the government, which controls the means of production

Economic Systems Communism Economic decisions made by government Government control of production, transportation, and distribution

ANY QUESTIONS?