1. Limiting Government

2. There are many ways that governments are kept in “check” (limited) so they won’t have too much power.

3. Consent of the Governed
Constitution
Minority Rights
Rule of Law
Checks on Government
Consent of the Governed
Separation of Power

4. Constitution
A constitution is the rulebook for a country’s government.
Here’s how a constitution limits government:
Tells how laws are made
Sets rules for how the government functions
Lists the rights and responsibilities of citizens
Most countries have written constitutions

5. Constitutions limit government by:
 Telling how ________ are made
laws
 Setting ________ for the government
rules
 Listing the _________ and the _______________ of citizens
rights
responsibilities

6. Rule of law means that nobody is above the law.
Here’s how the rule of law limits government:
The law applies to everyone
Even the president must follow the law
The government can’t take illegal actions

7. Rule of Law Check this out:
The rule of law is stronger in some countries than it is in others.
Strongest (90-100%)
Strong (75-90%)
Average (50-75%)
Weak (25-50%)
Weaker (10-25%)
Weakest/None(0-10%)
2005 – Worldwide Governance Indicators

8. The rule of law limits government because:
 The law applies to ____________
everyone
 Even the ___________ must follow the law
President
 The government cannot take actions that are _________
illegal

9. Here’s how separation of power limits government:
Separation of power divides power among different branches of government.
Here’s how separation of power limits government:
No branch has all the power
Each branch can “check” (limit) what the other branches do
Responsibilities are balanced among the branches

10. Lots of countries around the world separate power into branches!
Check this out:
Iceland
France
Hungary
AND MORE!
Canada
Greece
United States
Japan
Mexico
Indonesia
Jamaica
Fiji
Panama
Pakistan
Chile
Morocco
Egypt
Iran

11. Separation of power limits government because:
 No branch has all the _______
power
 Each branch can “________” what the other branches do
check
 Responsibilities are ___________ among all the branches
balanced

12. Here’s how consent of the governed limits government:
Consent of the governed means that the citizens give their permission for the government to operate.
Here’s how consent of the governed limits government:
Citizens have the right to vote
Citizens can use their vote to change how the government is run
By voting, citizens could even change the constitution

13. Citizens in many countries around the world have the right to vote.
Check this out:
Election Posters from Around the World

14. Consent of the governed limits government because:
 Citizens have the right to________
vote
 Citizens can use their vote to __________ how the government is run
change
 By voting, citizens could even change the ______________
Constitution

15. Here’s how minority rights limit government:
Minority rights give protection of the law to every group of people, no matter how small.
Here’s how minority rights limit government:
Everyone’s rights are protected
Nobody is too unimportant to be treated equally under the law
Even unpopular groups must be treated fairly

16. Minority rights limit government because:
 Everyone’s rights are ___________
protected
 Nobody is too _____________ to be treated equally under the law
unimportant
 Even ____________ groups must be treated fairly
unpopular