Unit 1 Basic Political Theory and Historical Roots

Government ► What would your lives have been like if, from an early age, you were free to do whatever you wanted without parental oversight? ► What are the various roles of a parent?

Government ► How does government affect you?  Protection – military  Provides education  Guards public health  Protects the environment  Paves the streets and regulates traffic  Punishes criminals  Responds to fires and natural disasters  Cares for elderly and poor  Protects consumers and property owners

Government ► So what is government?  Definition: government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. What are public policies? In short it is all of those things a government decide to do.

Government ► Three basic kinds of power:  1. Legislative – power to make laws  2. Executive – power to execute, enforce and administer law  3. Judicial – power to interpret laws, determine their meaning, and to settle disputes These powers are outlined in… The Constitution!

Constitution ► What is the constitution?  The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and process of a government.

The Basic Unit ► The foundational political unit in the world is the state  Body of people in a territory with a government that has no higher authority  Examples: Mexico, Russia, Canada, the United States are all states

The 4 Characteristics of a State ► Population ► Territory ► Sovereignty ► Government Vice-President Joe Biden

How Did States Evolve? ► Divine Right  15 th through 18 th centuries, common thinking was that God gave certain people a “divine right” to rule over others

How Did States Evolve? ► Social Contract  1700’s philosophical response to the idea of Divine Right  Theory was developed by John Locke, Thomas Hobbes, and Jean Jacque Rousseau John Locke ( )

How Did States Evolve? ► Social Contract  Free people decided to form states to keep themselves safe (popular sovereignty)  Locke believed all persons are born with certain rights including life, liberty, and property. John Locke ( )

The Big Deal is: ► If people formed states to serve their own interests, then government exists to serve the people

Purpose of Government ► Based on the social contract theory, the purpose of American government is to:  Form a More Perfect Union  Establish Justice  Insure Domestic Tranquility  Provide for the Common Defense  Promote the General Welfare  Secure the Blessings of Liberty ► *In case you’re curious, this is the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution*

What is Government? ► ► cfm?guidAssetId=93169d9a-0f6a-4bda- ae8f- adb22425c35b&blnFromSearch=1&productc ode=HUB cfm?guidAssetId=93169d9a-0f6a-4bda- ae8f- adb22425c35b&blnFromSearch=1&productc ode=HUB

Constitution of the United States ► We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure 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.

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Who Can Participate  Democracy - “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” ► Direct - people make policy themselves ► Indirect - people vote for others who will make policy (also called republic)

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Who Can Participate  Dictatorship – government is not accountable to anyone ► Autocracy – single person holds unlimited power ► Oligarchy – a small, self-appointed group rules

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Geographic Distribution of Power  Unitary – one national government, smaller lower units have little or no say in policy ► Examples : Israel, Great Britain, France

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Geographic Distribution of Power  Federal – smaller units share power with the central national government ► Examples : U.S., Mexico, Canada, Australia

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Geographic Distribution of Power  Confederal – smaller regional governments hold the most power, united by a weak central government ► Examples : European Union, Confederate States

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Relationship between Legislative (people writing the laws) and Executive (people enforcing the laws)  Presidential – voters separately elect Executive and Legislative branch members

Different Forms of Government ► Classified based on Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches  Parliamentary – Executive is chosen from the Legislative branch

Basic Concepts of Democracy ► Worth of the Individual ► Equality of All Persons  Not necessarily equal conditions, but strive for equal opportunity

Basic Concepts of Democracy ► Majority Rule, Minority Rights ► Necessity of Compromise ► Individual Freedom