1. The Purposes of Government
Chapter 1, section 1

2. Bell Ringer 1 / 4 / 2017
Answer the following question in your own words as accurately as you can –
How should we the U.S. people be governed?
Loosely – why?
Strictly – why?
With fear of consequence– why?
With no fear of consequence – why?

3. What is Government?
Government is the institution that makes public policy decisions for a society

4. What is Government?
Government is what we call the system that has been set up to make decisions about how society will work.
Governments govern states –independent regions where people live.

5. Government Is Made up of Three Components – The 3 P’s of Gov
People—Elected officials with authority and control over others; public servants who carry out day-to-day duties
Power—authority and ability to get things done
Policy—Decision made by government in pursuit of a goal; can be a law, a government program, or a set of government action

6. Overarching Questions about Government
How should we govern?
Thomas Jefferson vision –
Alexander Hamilton vision –
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
States’ rights?
What should government do?
Individual Rights?
Business?
Economy?
Interstate Commerce?
Tax?
Protection?

7. The State
Recognized international governments rule states. States are often called nations or countries (unlike the states we think of in the United States, they are not simply territories).

8. The State
Today most governments exercise power within the context of a state
State and country have basically the same meaning
The United States is one of close to 200 states in the world today

9. The State
In the United States, the term “state” is used to describe the main political units within the country

10. Features of a State 1. Population – people
2. Territory – land / boundaries
3. Sovereignty – choice
4. Government – when the original colonies and territories APPLIED for admission to the United States they had to complete several qualifications –
5,000 adult males (voters)
60,000 population
State constitutions (forms of government)

11. 1. Population Most obvious essential feature of a state is people
There must be people to govern

12. 1. Population Nature of population affects stability of a state
States where a population shares a general political/social consensus have the most stable governments

13. 2. Territory A state has established boundaries
The exact location or shape of boundaries is often a source of conflict among states
Boundaries may change

14. 3. Sovereignty
The supreme power to act within its territory and control its external affairs
It is the absolute power to make and enforce policy in a territory

15. 4. Government Every state has some form of government
Institute in which the state maintains social order and accomplishes its goals

16. How did the state come to be?
No one knows exact answer
Several theories attempt to explain how and why the state was created

17. 1.Evolutionary Theory Belief the state evolved from the family
Large, extended families needed organization

18. 2. Force Theory
Belief gov’t emerged when all people of an area were brought under authority of one person or group

19. 3. Divine Right Theory
Belief that a god or gods chose certain people to rule

20. 4. Social Contract Theory
Proponents
Thomas Hobbes
John Locke
Jean Jacques - Rousseau
Believed that people surrendered rights/power to a gov’t to maintain order
Believed that people did not have the right to break this agreement

21. 4. Social Contract Theory
John Locke took idea further
Stated when gov’t failed to preserve the rights of the people, people had the right to break the contract

22. People of the Enlightenment
Society
Thomas Hobbes
Humans are naturally selfish
Absolute government (with strong monarch) is the only way to keep man “in check.”

23. People of the Enlightenment
Society
John Locke
Humans are naturally kind
Man has natural rights rights that cannot be taken away: LIFE, LIBERTY, and PROPERTY
The Social Contract Theory:
You and Government have an unwritten contract.
You agree to let them rule as long as Government protects your inalienable rights.
If they don’t – you have the right to choose a new government.

24. People of the Enlightenment
Society
People of the Enlightenment
Baron Charles de Montesquieu
One big government is ineffective
Tiers of governments work best because they can better address needs of people
(Empire)
(Region)
(County)
(Village)
- The division of power is known as federalism.

25. People of the Enlightenment
Society
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
- True liberty happens when
government can keep watch over itself.
A government can only be formed by the consent of its people

26. The Functions of Government
1. Maintaining social order
2. Provide public services
3. Provide national security and common defense
4. Control the economic system

27. 1. Maintaining Social Order
The government must establish and maintain order within its territory to secure the safety of its people
We maintain order through police and the legal system

28. 1. Maintaining Social Order
According to Locke, people need gov’t because they have not discovered a way to live in groups without conflict

29. 1. Maintaining Social Order
Without gov’t, civilized life would not be possible
Gov’t places limits on what individuals are permitted to do

30. 2. Provide Services
People pay taxes to fund services such as parks, mail, roads, and education

31. 2. Providing Public Services
Gov’ts undertake projects that individuals could not or would not do on their own

32. 2. Providing Public Services
Gov’ts make/enforce laws that promote health and safety

33. 3. Providing National Security
Guard its territory and its people against external threats
Create and maintain national defense forces including military personnel, weaponry, and operations, as well as peacekeeping missions
Maintain good relations with other nations (diplomacy)

34. 4. Making Economic Decisions
Gov’ts provide their citizens with economic opportunities or resources (varies greatly)
No country provides citizens with everything the need or desire