1. The State
Definition: A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, and with power to make and enforce law with out consent of a higher authority.
More than 190 states today
Nation vs. Country
Ethnic vs. Geographic

2. Four Major Characteristics of a State
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government

3. Population People who make up a state may or may not be homogenous
Can differ in customs, common language, ethnicity
China: 1.4 billion

4. Territory
State must have known and recognized territory and boundaries
Russia = world’s largest state
6.6 million square miles

5. Sovereignty Supreme and absolute rule within its own territory
Neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority
Can determine form of government, foreign and domestic policies, etc.

6. Government Every state has a government
Government is how a state exerts its will
Thomas Hobbes: Without government, there would be “continual fear and danger of violent death and life [would be] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short”
Failed states?

7. Theories on Origin of State
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory

8. Divine Right Theory Western world, from 15th to 18th centuries
God & “divine right to rule”
Examples exist outside of European history
Chinese, Egyptian, Mayan civilizations

9. Social Contract Theory
Prominent philosophers: Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
Hobbes: State as a result of overcoming “state of nature”
Belief that state arouse out of voluntary act of people—so state supposed to serve only will of people
Declaration of Independence

10. The Purpose of Government
Form a More Perfect Union
Establish Justice
Insure Domestic Tranquility
Provide for the Common Defense
Promote the General Welfare
Secure the Blessings of Liberty
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary” (James Madison)

11. Section 2: Forms of Government
Who can participate in the governing process?
The geographic distribution of governmental power within the state?
The relationship between the legislative and executive branches of the government?

12. Who can participate? Democracy (Demokratia) Dictatorship (Dictare)
Rule by the people
Dictatorship (Dictare)
Rule by one

13. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
Centralized - France, Great Britain
Federal Government
Powers divided between central and local governments
Confederate Government
Power lies in local governments who form an alliance.

14. Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches
Presidential Governments - a separation of power between independent/ coequal branches.
Parliamentary Governments - voters elect the legislature. The chief executive is chosen from the legislative.

15. Basic Concepts of Democracy
“No government demands so much from the citizens as Democracy, and none gives so much back” James Bryce
“ No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time” Sir Winston Churchill

16. Basic Concepts of Democracy
Recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity or every person
A respect for the equality of all persons
A faith in majority rule and insistence upon minority rights
An acceptance of the necessity of compromise
An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom

17. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
Free Enterprise - An economic system characterized by the private ownership of capital goods, investments made by private decision, not by government directive, and success or failure is determined by competition in the market place.

18. Government and the Free Enterprise system
Mixed Economy
Government influence on the economy
To protect public interests
To preserve private enterprise
Democracy and the Internet

19. Chapter 1, Section 2
“For Forms of Government let fools contest; That which is best administered is best…” (Alexander Pope)

20. How to Classify Governments
Who can participate in the governing process
The geographic distribution of governmental power within the state
The relationship between the legislative and executive branches of the government

21. Who can participate? Democracy (Demokratia) Dictatorship (Dictare)
Rule by the people
Dictatorship (Dictare)
Rule by one

22. Democracy Supreme political authority rests with the people
Direct democracy vs. Indirect democracy
How do they differ?
Which is appropriate for a larger population and why?

23. Dictatorships Government not held responsible to will of the people
Oldest, most common form in history
Autocracy vs. Oligarchy
The United States?
Typically militaristic in nature; gain power by force

24. Discussion Questions
Many dictatorships endure for a decade or longer—what characteristics of government lead to this longevity?
Why do you think the majority of governments are parliamentary today?
Why do you think dictatorships go hand in hand with military power?

25. Results from Class Feedback
Like
Group work
Class discussion
Dislike
Lack of iPads
Desire more detailed slides

26. John Locke: Second Treatise of Government
Discussed responsibilities of a government
Claimed that people have the right to overthrow unjust government
Heavily influenced Jefferson and other Founding Fathers

27. Second Treatise Quotes
“Men being…by nature, all free, equal and independent, no one can be put out of this estate and subjected to the political power of another without his own consent”
“every man, by consenting with others to make one body politic under one government, puts himself under an obligation to every one in that society to submit to the determination of majority”

28. Second Treatise of Government
Why would man “part with his freedom” and submit himself to a state?
“the enjoyment of the property he has in this state is very unsafe…this makes him willing to quit this condition…for the mutual preservation of their lives, liberties and estates, which I call by the general name—property”

29. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
Centralized: France, Great Britain
Federal Government
Powers divided between central and local governments
Confederate Government
Power lies in local governments who form an alliance.

31. Class Discussion Why do we have a federal system of government?
Why not a unitary system?

32. Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Branches
Two basic ways to classify governments based on this relationship:
Presidential Government
Parliamentary Government

33. Presidential Government
Separation of powers between the executive and the legislative branch of government
Two branches are independent and coequal
Chief executive is chosen independently of legislature, and has number of powers not subject to direct control by legislative branch (separation of powers)

34. Parliamentary Governments
Executive is made up of the prime minister/premier and that official’s cabinet
The PM and cabinet are members of legislative branch, the parliament
PM is the leader of the majority party
So, executive is chosen by legislature, is a part of it, and subject to its direct control
“Votes of no confidence”

36. Class Discussion
What is a major problem that a parliamentary government avoids that can often occur in a presidential government?
On the other hand, what is an advantage of a presidential system?

37. Chapter 1, Section 3

38. Basic Concepts of Democracy
“No government demands so much from the citizens as Democracy, and none gives so much back” (James Bryce)
“ No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time” (Winston Churchill)

39. American Concept of Democracy
1) Recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity or every person
2) A respect for the equality of all persons
3) A faith in majority rule and insistence upon minority rights
4) An acceptance of the necessity of compromise
5) An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom

40. Worth of the Individual
Idea that each person has fundamental importance and worth
Dignity and worth of individual
At various times, welfare of one or a few individuals may be subordinated to the interests of the many in democracy
Paying taxes? Speed limits?

41. Equality of All Persons
Democratic concept of equality:
1) Equality of opportunity vs. equality of outcome?
2) Equality before the law
Jefferson argued that “all men are created equal”

42. Majority Rule/Minority Rights
How do we determine popular will?
Democracy as experiment or trial-and-error process
Unrestrained majority rule?
Importance of rights of minority

43. Necessity of Compromise
Public decision making must involve give-and-take
Involves a process to achieve majority agreement
Not all compromises are good, not all are necessary

44. Individual Freedom Absolute freedom is impossible—state of anarchy
“The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” (Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes)
Finding balance between freedom of individual and rights of society is difficult and ongoing process

45. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
America’s commitment to freedom evident in its economic system
Free Enterprise: An economic system characterized by the private ownership of capital goods where success or failure is determined by competition in the market place.
Four fundamental factors: 1) private ownership; 2) individual initiative; 3) profit; 4) competition

47. How the System Works Free enterprise system often called capitalism
Supply and demand
Democracy and free market system linked by commitment to individual freedom

49. Government and the Free Enterprise system
Mixed Economy
Government influence on the economy
To protect public interests
To preserve private enterprise
Government participation can be seen at local, state, and national level
Ex: antitrust laws, drug laws, building codes, government subsidies
To what extent should government be involved in economy?