1. Principles of Government
Chapter 1
Principles of Government
Chapter 1 Notes

2. US citizenship exam
Are you sure you know what you think you know about our own government?
How has this exam changed the way you feel about our government?
Are you more open-minded to understanding better the government that is designed to serve you?
Chapter 1 Notes

3. Introduction What is government? Why is government needed?
How does it affect you personally?
(Lord of the Flies clip)
What would our country look like without government?
Who would protect, educate, provide healthcare, solve environmental issues, control traffic, assist with natural disaster areas?
Who would regulate business and owners?
Chapter 1 Notes

4. Power and Authority What is the difference?
Power - involves the use of coercive force to make others yield to one’s wishes even against their own will
Authority - achieved by virtue of character that others are motivated to follow willingly
In order for government to exist, they must have authority or power, which allows the ability to produce effects on others or potential to influence others
Chapter 1 Notes

5. Vocabulary
Government - institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies; includes those who have authority and control over people of society
Public policies - endless list of things government decides to do
Chapter 1 Notes

6. Government has 3 powers:
Legislative - make law / frame policies
Executive - execute, enforce, administer law
Judicial - interpret law / settle disputes
Constitution - body of fundamental laws setting out principles, structures, and procedures of a government
Politics - the process by which a society decides how power and resources will be distributed within the society, including who benefits and deciding costs
Chapter 1 Notes

7. Territory terms Territory - place that has recognized boundaries
State - legal entity; body of people(population) living in a (territory), organized politically (government) with power to make and enforce law without any consent (sovereign)
Nation - ethnic term; races or large groups of people
Country - geographic term; place, region, or area of land
Chapter 1 Notes

8. Major political ideas (on how governments are formed)
Force theory - one or small group claim control and forced those within to submit to their rule
Evolutionary theory - develop naturally out of an early family, head then to a network of families, tied to the land, a state forms
Chapter 1 Notes

9. Divine theory - (15th to 18th century) God gave right to those of royal birth to rule people bound to obey ruler as they would God
Social Contract theory - state arises out of voluntary act of free people, state exists to serve will of the people, people are source of power and can give that power to whom they choose
Major contributors include Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau
Chapter 1 Notes

10. Purpose of Government: (American Version)
“form a more perfect union”
Took a couple of tries (rivalry, jealousy, power)
Constitution was meant to bind and strengthen
“establish justice”
Concept that all law is reasonable, fair, impartial
“insure domestic tranquility”
Order at home
James Madison “if men were angels no government would be necessary
Chapter 1 Notes

11. Purpose of Government: (American Version)
“provide a common defense”
Foreign enemies, majority of document (constitution) is about defense
Defense / foreign policy - 2 sides of same coin
“promote general welfare”
Promote your benefit or benefit of all
Things private / individual can’t take care of
Education, environment, food, etc.
Chapter 1 Notes

12. Purpose of Government: (American Version)
“secure liberties”
Thomas Jefferson “God gave us life and liberty at the same time”
Cannot separate freedom and reality of living
Chapter 1 Notes

13. Forms of Government
Totalitarian - (dictator) one person or small group controls every aspect of society
Authoritarian - one person or small group only controls aspects of government
Aristocracy - rule by the best, which is wealthy
Theocracy - rule by self-appointed religious leader
Oligarchy - rule by a few
Democracy - rule by the people
Chapter 1 Notes

14. Classifying Governments
Democracy - supreme political authority rests with the people, government only conducted with consent of the people
Direct (aka Pure) - will of people translated to law directly by the people in mass meetings, ie: small communities
Indirect (aka Representative) - small group of people who are chosen by the masses to represent them and express popular will
Republic - sovereign power to those eligible to vote, political power exercised by representatives chosen and held responsible by citizens
Chapter 1 Notes

15. Classifying Governments
Dictatorship - those who rule are not accountable to will of people, government is not accountable for policies or how they are carried out to the people, often militaristic
Autocracy - one person has unlimited political power
Oligarchy - power is held by small group or self-appointed elite
Chapter 1 Notes

16. Classifying Governments
Unitary government - all powers held by single, central agency; create local agencies simply for convenience (no real power)
Ie: Great Britain and parliament
Federal Government - powers are divided between a central government and several local governments; geographic basis for division
Ie: United States
Confederation - alliance of independent states, central government only handles matters assigned to it (ie: trade or defense)
Chapter 1 Notes

17. Classifying Governments
Presidential Government - the executive and legislative branches are separate, independent of one another and coequal, both sides have powers to block each other, chief executive chosen separate of legislative and has broad powers not subject to control of legislative branch
Chapter 1 Notes

18. Classifying Governments
Parliamentary Government - executive made up of prime minister or premier and their cabinet; they are part of legislative branch (parliament); PM is leader of majority party and is chosen by that body; cabinet is also chosen by that body and stays in office as long as they have support of majority
Chapter 1 Notes

19. Democracy
James Bryce
“No government demands so much from the citizen as democracy and none give so much back”
Chapter 1 Notes

20. Democracy Winston Churchill
“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.”
Chapter 1 Notes

21. Democracy
American concept of Democracy is based on the following notions:
Recognition of fundamental worth and dignity of every person
Respect for equality of all persons
Faith in majority rule and insistence on minority rights
Acceptance of necessity to compromise
Insistence upon widest possible degree of independent freedom
Chapter 1 Notes

22. Political ideologies
Ideology - comprehensive set of beliefs about the nature of people and role of government
No matter what form of government is used, each individual has an ideology that influences the way they view government
Common ideologies follow:
Chapter 1 Notes

23. Conservatism Dominates Republican party
Places high value on order, liberty, and traditional values
Limited government role in helping individuals
Freedom from government interference in business
Lower value on economic equality, believing that individuals and families are responsible for their own well-being
Chapter 1 Notes

24. Liberalism Dominates Democratic party
Advocates government action to improve welfare of individuals
Support civil rights, tolerance, and social / political change
Favor government regulation of economy to benefit all (ie: address poverty and health insurance
Freedom to live according to individual values
Chapter 1 Notes

25. Socialism Favors strong support for social and economic equality
Envision a society where major business is run by government only
Chapter 1 Notes

26. Libertarianism Skepticism towards most government activities
Strongly support property rights
Oppose regulation of economy and redistribution of wealth
Chapter 1 Notes

27. Where do you fit?
Political spectrum test
Chapter 1 Notes

28. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
Democracy: political system
Free Enterprise: economic system
Chapter 1 Notes

29. Where one is suppressed, the other is suppressed.
There is a strong correlation between political freedom and economic freedom.
Where one is suppressed, the other is suppressed.
There is evidence that the less economic freedom a country has, the lower the standard of living (how well you live).
Chapter 1 Notes

30. Index of Economic Freedom
Compare where various countries are located on the index. The higher the rank, the more economic freedom you have…
Chapter 1 Notes

31. Free Enterprise System
America’s economic system (aka CAPITALISM)
Characterized by private ownership of capital goods, investments made by private decisions (not by a government group), and SUCCESS/FAILURE DETERMINED BY COMPETITION IN THE MARKET PLACE!!!!
Does not rely on government to decide WHAT items to produce, WHO will receive good/service, and HOW it should be produced…decisions made by supply/demand.
Chapter 1 Notes

32. Supply/Demand PRICES serve as a signal for businesses and consumers
Example: when prices increase, how much consumers buy will decrease (vice versa)…if we continue to decrease how much we buy, this serves as a signal to producers to not produce as much (or quit altogether if the “trend” is past)
Chapter 1 Notes

33. Three Economic Systems
Market, Command, and Traditional
Market – free enterprise
Command – government controlled (what you find in communist countries)
Traditional – tradition drives market
In reality, all economies are mixed but will lean more as market or command.
Example: US is a mixed economy. We are more market but we do have some government regulations
Chapter 1 Notes

34. Economic system of Democracy
4 Factors that make a Free Enterprise
Private ownership
Individual initiative
Profit
Competition
Chapter 1 Notes