Formation of Governments

Government Systems Most large countries have several levels of government. In our case we have three Local State Federal

Government Systems Typically there are two types of government systems Unitary Federal Which do you think we have?

Unitary Government A government system at which all key powers are unified to the central government This does not mean that there is only one authority in these lands It means that the central government can create other local governments and give them limited soverignty

Modern Unitary Governments Great Britain France Italy

Federal System Under this program the government divide it’s powers between national and state/provincial governments Each level of government has sovereignty in some areas.

Modern Federal Governments The United States Canada Switzerland Mexico

Constitution Regardless of what type of government a nation has, they usually have a constitution that spells out the rules of government. There are three major purposes a constitution serves

Purposes of the Constitution It sets our ideals that the people bound by the constitution believe in and share It established the basic structure of government and defines its powers It provides a “Supreme Law of the Land”

Constitutional Government The constitution has the recognized authority to place limits on the powers of those who govern. This establishes a limited government. However these constitutions could be written or unwritten.

Incomplete Guides There is no way that a written constitution can spell out all the laws, customs and ideas that grow up around the document. A constitution does not always reflect the actual practice of government.

What do I mean? Take China for an example. They have written constitution spelling out all the basic rights, freedoms and duties of its citizens.

What do I mean? However for years the Chinese government has maintained an police force to spy on its citizens and punish those whose ideas were not in line with the state.

Constitutions Typically constitutions set forth goals and purposes in its preamble (introductory paragraph to the Constitution)

Preamble of the US Constitution “We the people of the United States in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America”

Politics It is simply an effort to control or influence the policies and actions of government Individuals and groups use politics to seek benefits from the government. Financial aid for their district Future votes on other issues

Special Interest Groups Typically these groups look out for only themselves But at times these groups also score benefits for all people

A World Divided The world today is divided into three categories of industrialized nations Industrialized Newly Industrialized Developing Nations

Industrialized Nations Large Industries Advanced Technology These provide a more comfortable life then those of developing nations

Developing nations Just beginning to develop industrially Typical per capita (per person) income are a fraction of those of industrialized nations. In the poorest of these countries, starvation, diease and political turmoil are a way of life

Newly Industrialized Nations Between the previous two types lay the newly industrialized nations Places such as: Mexico Argentina South Korea Eastern Europe Middle East

Other Power Wielding Groups Political Movements Irish Republican Army (IRA) Hamas (political/terrorist organization) Currently the dominate political party in Palestine The Taliban Still control pockets of Afghanistan, but are officially no longer in power in Afghanistan Al Queda

Other Power Wielding groups International Organizations United Nations The Red Cross World Meteorological Organization Multi-National Corporations Wal-Mart, Microsoft and the like