Chapter 1:Principles of Government

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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.”

Purpose of Government (con’t) America is about Freedom

Constant struggle today… individual freedom versus the “Common Good”

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

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

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

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

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)

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

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

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

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

Foundations (Con’t) Necessity of Compromise

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

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