1. Principles of Government
Chapter 1:
Principles of Government

2. Section 1: Government & The State
What is Government
Institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
Public Policies
All the things the Government decides to do

3. What is Government (con’t)
Every Government has three basic powers
Legislative
To make law and public policies
Executive
To execute, enforce and administer law
Judicial
Interpret laws and settle disputes

4. What is Government (con’t)
These powers are determined by a country’s Constitution
The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and process of a Gov’t
These powers can be determined by a single/small group of people (dictatorship) or a large majority of the people (democracy)

5. The State
A body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically (Aka they have a Government)
Called nations or country most often in the news

6. The State (con’t) Requirements to be a state
Must have a population
May or may not be homogeneous
Sharing common customs, language & Ethnic
Must have a territory or boundaries
Must have sovereignty
Supreme and absolute power within it’s territory
Ex. The U.S. Constitution is supreme to the Missouri Constitution
Must have a Gov’t

7. Origins of the State
The Force Theory
Evolutionary Theory
Divine Right Theory
Social Contract Theory
By contract, people within a given area agreed to give up to the state as much power as was needed to promote the safety and well being of all
Came about during the Enlightenment from Philosophers
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau
Serves the will of the people

8. The Purpose of Government
Preamble is the Thesis statement of the U.S. Constitution
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

9. Purpose of Government (con’t)
America is about Freedom
Constant struggle today… individual freedom versus the “Common Good”

10. Section 2: Forms of Government
Classifying Government
Who can participate in the governing process
The geographic distribution of government power within the state
The relationship between legislative and executive branch

11. Who can Participate Democracy
“Government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Abraham Lincoln
Direct Democracy
Originated from Ancient Greeks
Everyone votes for public policy
No representatives

12. Who Can Participate (Con’t)
Indirect Democracy
Most Common Form of Democracy
It is a representative government
People vote for other people to do the law making and executing
Ex. Gov. Matt Blunt, Sen. Obama, Sen. McCain
If the representative does not do the will of the people, they are not voted back in to Government

13. Who Can Participate (Con’t)
Dictatorship
The Government is not controlled by the people
Two Forms
Autocracy
Single Person
Oligarchy
Small Group
All Dictators are authoritarian
Hold Absolute power

14. Who Can Participate (Con’t)
Most modern dictators are totalitarian
Control nearly every aspect of human affairs
Hitler (Germany)
Stalin (USSR)
People’s Republic of China
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)

15. Who Can Participate (Con’t)
Modern dictators present/ hide beneath the image of “Government for the people”
Name
Rigged Elections
Controlled Legislative Branch
Propaganda
Ex. Zimbabwe, North Korea

16. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
Power is held to the Central Government
Federal Government
Power divided between central government and several local government
The two groups must work together
Confederate Government
An alliance of independent states
Very weak or no central government
Example is the EU
Though working towards a Federal style Government

18. Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches
Presidential Government
Executive and Legislative are independent of one another and coequal
They have the power to block each others actions
AKA Separation of Powers
Parliamentary Government
Executive branches is voted in by the Legislative
Prime Minister and his cabinet are voted in by the legislative branch
Thus they are not independent nor co-equal of one another

20. Section 3: Basic Concepts of Democracy
Foundations
Worth of the individual
Fight of individual versus society
Equality of all persons
Equality of opportunity
Equality before the law
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
The majority will make more satisfactory decisions for the “Common Good” than will a minority of people
However, Majority must listen and involve the minority

21. Foundations (Con’t) Necessity of Compromise Individual Freedom
Process of blending and adjusting competing views and interest
Due to our diversity in the U.S., compromise is mandatory and difficult
Individual Freedom
“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened” JFK

22. Democracy and the Freed Enterprise System
Free Enterprise System
Four fundamental factors: Private ownership, individual initiative, profit and competition
Law of Supply and Demand
Market determines the price and supply
Mixed Economy
Free market and some governmental regulation
U.S. system is a mixed economy