1. Why do we need Government?

2. What would our world be like without government?
Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Humans naturally compete for territory, resources and power. If this is true, and if there are no laws… what would result?

3. What would our world be like without government?
Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Humans naturally compete for territory, resources and power. If this is true, and if there are no laws… what would result?

4. What would our world be like without government?
Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Humans naturally compete for territory, resources and power. If this is true, and if there are no laws… what would result?

5. Government:
the ruling authority of a community, an organization that has the power to make and enforce laws.

6. Functions of Government
Keep Order
Pass and enforce laws, Establish courts

7. Functions of Government
Provide services
Schools, libraries, hospitals, parks, water, fire/police departments

8. Functions of Government
Provide security
Prevent crime, protect citizens from foreign attack

9. Functions of Government
Guide the community
Manage the economy, foreign relations

10. Foundations of American Government:
John Locke – English philosopher, wrote Second Treatise of Government
Main purpose of government is to protect people’s natural rights
Natural Rights: right you have because you are human
LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY
No Absolute Power for Kings

11. “the consent of the governed”
State of Nature – situation without laws and government
Social Contract Theory = solution to a state of nature
People agree to give up some freedom and create a government to rule in exchange for protection and security. In this agreement people consent to obey the laws created by the government.
“the consent of the governed”

12. Foundations of American Government:
Republic – example Rome
Republic –the people’s representatives administer the government, allowing it to be extended over a much larger area.

13. Foundations of American Government:
3. Democracy – example Greece
Democracy – the authority of government rests with the people.
US is a representative democracy – citizens choose a smaller group to represent them
US is NOT a direct democracy – citizens vote on every issue (ex. New England town mtgs.)

14. Foundations of American Government:
Montesquieu – a French philosopher
Powers of Gov’t should be separated
Power should be balanced
Each branch should check the others to ensure no one branch is too powerful

15. THE UNITED STATES HAS A
Representative Democracy or a
Democratic Republic form of government

16. US Levels of Government
Federal – United States
State – North Carolina
Local – Pineville

17. ** FEDERALISM – the principle of one central government and several state or local governments.