1. What’s the difference? And why should we care?
Government & Politics Chapter 1 Section 3: The Foundations of Government Chapter 1 Section 4: Politics and Political Activity
What’s the difference? And why should we care?

2. Purposes of Government
1. Provide public goods
Characteristics of public goods:
More than one person can consume
All people have the right to use it
Philosophers like Hobbes and Locke emphasized these 2 purposes so that individuals are not condemned to “continual fear and danger of violent death”
Order
Protection

3. Building Blocks of Government
1. Coercion
Government can use its power to force citizens to behave certain ways
2. Revenue Collection
Governments need money to pay for public goods.
Ancient empires extracted tribute, or payments, from smaller states they controlled. The payments were often used to raise an army.

4. Who should rule? Aristotle’s Classification of Governments
Who Holds Power
Rule Motivated by the Common Good
Rule Motivated by Self Interest
One
Kingship
Government by one virtuous ruler
Tyranny
Rule by one lawless ruler
A Few
Aristocracy
Government by the virtuous few for the good of all
Oligarchy
Rule by the wealthy few in their own interest
The Many
Polity
Constitutional government in which everyone has a share of political power
Democracy
Rule by the poor in their own interest

5. Nation-States The nation-state is a fairly modern political phenomenon
Nation-States The nation-state is a fairly modern political phenomenon. It merges 2 concepts: the nation and the state.
Nation-a group of people who share a common ethnic origin, culture and language.
State-geographical area controlled by a single government.

6. Characteristics of Nation-States
Territorial Integrity: Occupies a specific geographic territory with internationally recognized borders.
Stable Population: People live permanently within the boundaries.
Code of Laws: People agree to live under a common legal system.
National Sovereignty: independent and self-governing

7. The process and method of making decisions for groups.
Politics
The process and method of making decisions for groups.
Political scientist Harold Laswell described politics as the process of determining “who gets what, when, how”.

8. Political Activity
Political Activity - Has a purpose-it is done for a reason
Collective action - people work together to achieve shared goals
Institutions
Organizations or sets of rules that shape the behavior of groups
Establish routines and rules

9. Collective Action
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that has.
-Margaret Mead