1. CIV 1.1 Describe Government

2. GOVERNMENT Definition: –The institutions and processes through which public policies are made for society. This definition leads to two basic questions: –How should we govern? –What should government do?

3. PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT Helping people cooperate –Safety, Protection Providing Services –Transportation, Education, Municipal Utilities Providing Rules –Laws, Organization, Constitution Putting Ideals into Practice –Protecting basic liberties, assuring people the chance to live peaceable and productive lives

4. ARE THERE DIFFERENCES? Every country in the world has a government They are NOT all alike Differences include: –How leaders are chosen –How the leaders govern –How much power is held by the people

5. STATE OF NATURE The "natural condition of mankind" is what would exist if there were no government, no civilization, no laws, and no common power to restrain human nature. The state of nature is a "war of all against all," in which human beings constantly seek to destroy each other in an incessant pursuit for power. Life in the state of nature is "nasty, brutish and short."

6. HIGHER LAW A law that has to be obeyed by those in authority in the government. 1. lists the basic rights of citizens 2. establishes the responsibility of the government to protect these basic rights 3. it places limits on how people in the government can use powers in three important areas: -citizens rights -how conflicts are resolved -how resources are distributed 4. establishes the principle of private domain 5. can only be changed with the consent of the citizens.

7. RULE OF LAW The rule of law is a fundamental component of democratic society and is defined broadly as the principle that all members of society -- both citizens and rulers -- are bound by a set of clearly defined and universally accepted laws.

8. RULE OF LAW “The Framers considered the rule of law essential to the safekeeping of social order and civil liberties. The rule of law holds that if our relationships with each other and with the state are governed by a set of rules, rather than by a group of individuals, we are less likely to fall victim to authoritarian rule. The rule of law calls for both individuals and the government to submit to the law's supremacy.”

9. SOVEREIGNTY - Popular Sovereignty “the exclusive right to complete control over an area of governance, people, or oneself.” Popular Sovereignty = “the belief that the state is created by and therefore subject to the will of its people, who are the source of all political power”

10. LIMITED GOVERNMENT System in which government powers are carefully spelled out to prevent government from becoming too powerful.

11. FORMS OF GOVERNMENT AUTHORITARIAN –Dictatorships –Totalitarian Regimes MONARCHY –Absolute –Constitutional DEMOCRACY –Direct –Representative

12. AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENTS Rulers answer only to themselves, not the people. The Constitution is not a higher law Totalitarian –Some dictatorships are considered totalitarian because the ruler attempts to control ALL aspects of citizen’s lives. [Cultural, religious, political and personal activities]

13. DICTATORSHIP Dictatorship –One person or a small group of people hold all the power –When a small group of people run the government it is sometimes called an Oligarchy

14. ABSOLUTE MONARCHIES Called this because they hold absolute or total power. Monarchs are usually born into a ruling family (dynasty) Not many left in the world today –Bahrain –Brunei –Kuwait –Oman –Saudi Arabia –Vatican City

15. CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHIES Real power is held by an elected lawmaking body The king or queen serves as a symbol for the country but does not have much real power EXAMPLES: –Great Britain (United Kingdom), Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Spain, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein and Sweden.

16. DEMOCRACY Democracy comes from a Greek word meaning “rule of the people.” Definition: –A system of selecting policymakers and of organizing government so that policy represents and responds to public preferences. Equality in voting Effective participation Greater understanding Citizen control of the agenda Access to many ideas

17. DIRECT DEMOCRACIES Direct Democracy –ALL voters in a community meet in hone place to make laws and decide what actions to take. –This is usually only effective in a small community.

18. REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACIES Representative Democracy –The people elect representatives to carry on the work of the government for them. –Also called a republic - this is the government of the United States –Parliamentary Systems

19. TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS