1. PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT Chapter 1
Why do we have governments?

2. ORIGINS OF GOVERNMENT What do you think is the way governments began?
Was it from the gathering of weapons?
Was it from the first gathering of people?
Hereditary or familial ties?

3. WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? Government
Institutions, people, and processes by which the nation-state or political unit is ruled and its public policy is created and administered.
Created by the citizens of the Nation-State
Nation-State is a political unit, with a defined territory, organization under a government, and authority to make and enforce laws.
Nations can be ethnic, linguistic, ideological, and cultural
Kurdish
Spanish
ISIS
Steelers Nation

4. PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT
Protection
People are free from outside influences or oppression
Public Order
Establishment of laws, courts, and police forces to maintain order
Resolution of Conflicts
Social issues are solved or injustice is righted
Stable Economy
Regulation of business practices, monitoring of currency and the industry markets
Public Services
Transportation and communications networks, public health, and citizen welfare

5. ORIGINS OF GOVERNMENT Evolution Theory Force Theory
Extension of Familial relationships, Elders over their offspring
Force Theory
Conquest of one group by another, more powerful, group
Divine Right Theory
Rulers inherit power from God
Social Contract Theory
John Locke – Humans choose to establish order
Cooperation and freedom by the people’s power
Rulers only have power through the support of the people

6. POWER IN THE ELITES Elites Marxist Theory Power Elite Bureaucrats
Those to control the economy have the power
Power Elite
Corporate leaders, military officers, and key politicians
Bureaucrats
People behind the scenes, who make the government work
Pluralists
Power is split amongst many groups

7. WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE?
A government well-run by a bureaucracy, where the people you elected to represent you were not the real people making decisions.
A secret, select few held power, but ran the country smoothly.
You had power in many different people and places (political leaders, military, university elites, businessmen) but the country did not run as smooth as the others?

8. SPREAD OF GOVERNMENT Political power is spread through: Geography
Separate branches/influences
Number of people in power

9. GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION
Unitary Systems
All of the power of the government is held in a single unit or agency
Federal Systems
Governmental powers are divided between central authority and a number of regional political subdivisions
Confederations
A weak central government has limited authority, and the regional subdivisions of the country have the most power

10. SEPARATE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Separate branches: Legislative and Executive
Parliamentary System
Executive leaders are chosen by and responsible to the legislature
Presidential System
The legislative and executive branches of the government are separate and function independently

11. POWER OVER THE PEOPLE Rule by 1 “Autocracy” fear and intimidation
Absolute Monarchy
One person rules over the people
Hereditary - passed down to the next generation or to family members
Other types of Monarchy
Limited - meaning they are mostly ceremonial leaders
Constitutional - meaning they are given some power through a constitution
Dictatorship
Rule by one person, who rules through
fear and intimidation
Often gained power through the military

12. POWER FOR A FEW Rule by a Few Aristocracy
Rule by the intellectual elite
Might have the best in mind for the people
Theocracy
Rule through a religious group or leader
Usually have the best in mind for the people
Will sometimes claim divine right
Political Party
One group with similar ideas will rule the country
All elected positions are filled with party members

13. POWER OF/BY/FOR THE PEOPLE
Rule by Many
Direct/Participatory Democracy
Power through all members of society
Democratic Centralism
Power in one party or ruling group, but free discussion of issues within the group
Representative Democracy
Power held in representatives speaking
for and voted into office by all of society

14. DANGERS OF THE GOVERNMENT
Anonymous and Guy Fawkes
Symbols of standing up to governments and corporations
Any entity that tries to impose its will on the people
Believe in spreading anarchy across the world

15. DANGERS OF THE GOVERNMENT
Anonymous and Guy Fawkes
Anarchy
A state of disorder due to absence or nonrecognition of authority
Group believes no government is a good government
Is it dangerous to be right when the government is wrong?
What happens to people who stand up against the government?
French Revolution (1789)
Russian Revolution (1917)
Confederate States of America (1860)
Easter Rising (1916)