1. Principles of Government
Government and the State
Forms of Government
Basic Concepts of Democracy

2. Section 1 Government and the State
Pre-Class Writing: Describe what your life would be like without parental influence and the various roles of a parent
Rules?
Guidelines?
Lessons?

3. What is Government?
Government: The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.
Taxes, Defense, Education, Crime, Transportation, Environment, Civil Rights etc.
Must have power to carry out these policies

4. 3 Powers of Gov’t Legislative- make laws Executive- enforce laws
Judicial- interpret laws
A constitution is a body of fundamental laws setting out principle, structures and processes of a gov’t.

5. Who has the power?
Dictatorship: Power is held by a small group or a single person
Democracy: The majority rules. People have the power

6. The State
State: Body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority.
“Country”, “Nation”.
4 Characteristics- Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government

7. Population There are people! May or may not be homogeneous
San Marino = 25,000
China = 1.25 Billion
May or may not be homogeneous
Share customs, language and ethnic background

8. Territory Must have recognized boundaries
San Marino = Less than 24 Sq. Miles
Russia = 6.6 Million Sq. Miles

9. Sovereignty
Has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies

10. Government
Has an institution through which society makes and enforces public policies

11. Origins of the State 4 Theories Force Theory Evolutionary theory
Divine Right Theory
Social Contract Theory

12. Force Theory
One Person or a group of people forced or claimed control over a group of people or territory
Violent or threat of violence
Examples?

13. Evolutionary Theory State develops naturally
Original family, clans, network of families

14. Divine Right Theory
God created the state and had given power to those of royal birth
Popular in much of Western Europe
Kings, Queens etc

15. Social Contract Theory
Agreeing with one another to create a state by contract.
Promote safety and well being of the population
Thomas Hobbes, James Harrington and Jean Jacques Rousseau
Constitution

16. Purpose of Gov’t Form a more perfect union Establish Justice
Insure Domestic Tranquility
Provide for the Common Defense
Promote the General Welfare
Secure the Blessings of Liberty

17. Section 2 Forms of Government
Democracy
Supreme political authority rests with the people
Government runs with the consent of the people

18. 2 forms of democracy Direct (AKA “Pure Democracy”) Indirect
People vote directly on public policy
Small communities
Indirect
People choose representatives to vote on public policy

19. Dictatorship All dictatorships are authoritarian Autocracy Oligarchy
Absolute and unchallengeable
Some are totalitarian- total control
Autocracy
Single person holds unlimited power
Oligarchy
Small, self-appointed elite hold the power

20. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government – Centralized Government
All powers belong to a single agency
Disperse local governments where needed

21. Geographic Distribution of Power
Federal Gov’t – Powers divided between central and local governments
Both levels of gov’t act directly on the people through their own leaders and agencies

22. Geographic Distribution of Power
Confederation – alliance of independent states
States cooperate in matters of common concern but retain their separate identities

23. Relationship: Legislative and Executive
Presidential Government
Executive and legislative branches are separate, independent and coequal
Chosen separately and rules for a fixed term
Has powers to block each other

24. Relationship: Legislative and Executive
Parliamentary Government
Executive is a prime minister or premier and a cabinet
Prime minister and cabinet are members of parliament
Leader of the majority group
Chosen by parliament. When a new maj. wins, new elections are held

25. Sec. 3 Basic Concepts of Democracy
5 Basic Notions of Democracy
Worth of the individual
Equality of all persons
Majority rule, minority rights
Necessity of Compromise
Individual freedom

26. Worth of Individual Station in life does not matter
The welfare of one or the few is subordinate to the mass
Stopping at a stop sign, paying taxes, etc.

27. Equality of All Persons
Equality of opportunity
Equality before the law
Each person should be free to develop to their fullest potential regardless of race, faith, etc.

28. Majority Rule, Minority Rights
The majority will be right more often than wrong. They will be right more often than the minority.
May not always be right
Always looking to better a situation
Majority could kill democracy
Checked by minority rights

29. Necessity of Compromise
Compromise – Process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests
Many individuals = many different ideas
Many different ways to solve a problem

30. Individual Freedom Anarchy – Total absence of gov’t
“The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” – Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes
Fine balance between the rights of individuals and rights of society

31. Democracy and Free Enterprise
Free Enterprise – Economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods
Private ownership
Individual initiative
Profit
Competition

32. How it Works
Decisions are based on supply and demand, not by the government

33. Gov’t and Free Enterprise
Mixed economy – Gov’t regulates and promotes
Protects the public
Preserves private enterprise
Examples?

34. Democracy and the Internet
Keeps voters informed
Reliable?