AM GOV Chp. 1.2 Forms of Government

Classifying Government 1. Who can participate in the governing process 2. The geographic distribution of governmental power within the state 3. the relationship between the legislative (law making) and the executive (law executing) branches of government

Democracy: supreme political authority is with the people Direct democracy- peoples will becomes public policy Indirect democracy- a representative democracy Dictatorship: those who rule can’t be held responsible to the will of the people Autocracy- a single person holds unlimited political power Oligarchy- power to rule held by small self appointed elite Who can participate? Some argue the USA is really a republic and not a democracy, because a voted official is in charge Famous Dictatorships would include: Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China Typical Dictatorial regimes are military based

Distribution of Power 3 basic forms of government Unitary Federal Centralized government (has most of power), creates local units of Gov. for convenience, most world Gov. are Unitary, England is great example- it’s Unitary and Democratic at same time Federal Gov. powers are divided between central/local Gov., 1 superior power creates “division of powers” based on geography, US Gov. is Federal, the Constitution is the superior authority and can’t be changed without a vote Confederate An alliance of independent states, limited powers (defense and foreign affairs) that only govern the member states, EU is an example as well as the confederate states of America

Legislative and Executive Branches Presidential Parlimentary Separation of powers between executive and legislative branch Branches are coequal Checks and balances USA is the best example Prime minister/Premier and their cabinet They are also members of parliament Prime minister is selected by parliament Prime minister selects his cabinet Stays in power until parliament defeats prime minister on a matter, then PM must resign, as well as the cabinet Most Gov. are parliamentary today

Basic Concepts of Democracy Chapter 1, Section 3 Basic Concepts of Democracy

2. Equality of all persons 3. Majority rule, minority rights 1. Worth of Individual Protection of ALL individuals, not AN individual 2. Equality of all persons People are entitled to 1. equality of opportunity, 2. equality before the law 3. Majority rule, minority rights A search for satisfactory solutions to public problems 4. Necessity of Compromise Blending and adjusting competing views and interests 5. Individual freedom “The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened” ~ J. F. Kennedy Foundations 1. Recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person 2. Respect for the equality of all persons 3. Faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority rights 4. Acceptance of the necessity of compromise 5. Insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom

Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship Serving on a jury Serving as a witness when called Attending school Paying taxes Registering for the draft (men only) Obeying local, State and national laws Respecting the rights of others Voting Volunteering Participation in civic life Understanding how our Gov. works

Democracy and free enterprise Free Enterprise based on 4 Factors: Private Ownership Individual initiative Profit Competition How it works: Free Enterprise = capitalism. Individuals not the Gov. run the business Government’s participation in the economy is to: Protect the public Preserve private enterprise Democracy and free enterprise