Government and the State 1:1

How Is Government Involved In Your Life? Is Government involved in your life? Is Government involved in your life? If so, how much? If so, how much? What is democracy? What is democracy? Three things to know: Three things to know: The purpose of government The purpose of government The major forms of government The major forms of government The major concepts of government The major concepts of government

What is government? Government – The institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies Government – The institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies Public Policy – All of the things a gov’t decides to do Public Policy – All of the things a gov’t decides to do Taxation Taxation Defense Defense Education Education...and on and on and on and on and on...and on and on and on and on and on

A Brief History of Government Government systems have been around as long as humans Government systems have been around as long as humans

A Brief History of Government Aristotle – Greek philosopher Aristotle – Greek philosopher “Man is by nature a political animal” “Man is by nature a political animal”

The State State – A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and able to make and enforce laws State – A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and able to make and enforce laws 4 Parts to a State 4 Parts to a State Population Population Territory Territory Sovereignty Sovereignty Government Government

Population Varies from state to state Varies from state to state Clearly, to have a state, you must have people Clearly, to have a state, you must have people

Territory Land with recognized boundaries Land with recognized boundaries Varies from state to state Varies from state to state United States – 3.7 Million Sq. Miles United States – 3.7 Million Sq. Miles USSR – 6.6 Million Sq. Miles USSR – 6.6 Million Sq. Miles San Marino – 24 Sq. Miles San Marino – 24 Sq. Miles

Sovereignty Every state is sovereign Every state is sovereign It has supreme and absolute power within its boundaries It has supreme and absolute power within its boundaries It can make its own policies, decide its own future It can make its own policies, decide its own future Determine its own form of Gov’t Determine its own form of Gov’t

Sovereignty States within the United States are not sovereign States within the United States are not sovereign Whomever holds the power in a state is of extreme importance Whomever holds the power in a state is of extreme importance Determines what kind of Gov’t you will have Determines what kind of Gov’t you will have

Government Government consists of the machinery and the personnel by which the state is ruled Government consists of the machinery and the personnel by which the state is ruled Every state is politically organized Every state is politically organized Many different forms of Gov’t Many different forms of Gov’t The power to rule can be enforced many different ways The power to rule can be enforced many different ways

Origins of the State Four Theories: Four Theories: Force Theory Force Theory Evolutionary Theory Evolutionary Theory Divine Right Theory Divine Right Theory Social Contract Theory Social Contract Theory

Force Theory Theorists believe the state may have been born through force Theorists believe the state may have been born through force One person or a group claimed control of an area and forced people to abide by their rule One person or a group claimed control of an area and forced people to abide by their rule

Evolutionary Theory Primitive Family – The head of the household ruled over the family > Primitive Family – The head of the household ruled over the family > Clan – The original family has offspring and eventually the connected families become a clan > Tribe – The clan abandons its nomadic ways and the state is born

Divine Right Theory The state is created by God, who in turn has bestowed upon royalty a “divine right” to rule The state is created by God, who in turn has bestowed upon royalty a “divine right” to rule Subjects are bound to obey their ruler as they would God Subjects are bound to obey their ruler as they would God Present day democracy was / is a challenge to Divine Right Present day democracy was / is a challenge to Divine Right Many civilizations used this theory to determine government systems Many civilizations used this theory to determine government systems

Social Contract Theory Significant to the American political system Significant to the American political system Developed in France in the 17 th and 18 th centuries Developed in France in the 17 th and 18 th centuries The building blocks of democracy The building blocks of democracy

Social Contract Thomas Hobbes: “state of nature” “nasty, brutish, and short” only the strongest survived

Social Contract Humans overcame this lifestyle by agreeing to form the state Humans overcame this lifestyle by agreeing to form the state Giving up to get Giving up to get The people had, by contract, giving up some of their rights in return for stable and agreeable government The people had, by contract, giving up some of their rights in return for stable and agreeable government Contract = Constitution Contract = Constitution The state arose out of a voluntary act of free people The state arose out of a voluntary act of free people

Social Contract 3 Things Social Contract Theory Says: 3 Things Social Contract Theory Says: 1. State exists only to serve the will of the people 1. State exists only to serve the will of the people 2. The people are the sole source of political power 2. The people are the sole source of political power 3. The people are free to give or take power away 3. The people are free to give or take power away

Social Contract Concepts Popular Sovereignty Popular Sovereignty Limited Government Limited Government Individual Rights Individual Rights

The Purpose of Government Preamble of the Constitution Preamble of the Constitution To Form a More Perfect Union To Form a More Perfect Union Linking people together, power in numbers Linking people together, power in numbers To Establish Justice To Establish Justice The law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial The law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial To Insure Domestic Tranquility To Insure Domestic Tranquility Keeping the peace at home Keeping the peace at home

Purpose of Government To Provide For the Common Defense To Provide For the Common Defense Defending against foreign nations Defending against foreign nations To Promote the General Welfare To Promote the General Welfare Tasks the government performs for your benefit Tasks the government performs for your benefit To Secure the Blessings of Liberty To Secure the Blessings of Liberty No person can be free to do what he or she pleases No person can be free to do what he or she pleases “You can only be free, if I am free.” “You can only be free, if I am free.” - Clarence Darrow “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty” - T. Jefferson

The Best Laid Plans Are Flexible It is up to each new generation to abide by and grow with and upon these beliefs It is up to each new generation to abide by and grow with and upon these beliefs The Constitution was made to stretch The Constitution was made to stretch