Governing ideas20th Century History

Formation of Government

Governments first came about shortly after people became settled and sought a way to protect their homes, crops and persons

These were small governments, similar to town councils

The most powerful of these governements were then able to overtake other government areas

They formed the first large ‘States’ originally ruled by ‘Kings’ who at that time were the toughest and best fighters, and were naturally chosen to lead their tribes

This form of government ‘Monarchy’ stuck around for a long time with only small examples of other governing systems such as democracy

By the 1700s this started to be challenged by philosophers and revolutionaries

Thomas Paine – The Rights of Man (1791)Thomas Paine was a pamphleteer (sort of like a political journalist) who wrote The Rights of Man after the American Revolution and during the French Revolution.

He supported the ideas of revolution in the following ways: Monarchy was inherently corrupt as the reason Kings held power was

because at some stage in the past they had stolen and conquered land because they were powerful – they held no ‘Right from God’ so it was a corrupt governing system

Rights were ‘natural’ and the only job of a Government was to protect these rights via law

Hereditary succession was no way to chose a ruler you should be able to have the best person for the job

Charles II of Spain 1665-1700

Passing the inheritance of government can lead to big problems:

Charles II of Spain is the most obvious example

He was born with physical and intellectual disabilities

But he was still King – Just a very bad one

Spain owned huge areas of land, but Spain was engaged in constant war

So Spain was slowing going bankrupt

After his death – without a successor Europe plunged into the ‘War or Spanish Succession’

Spain was reduced to approximately its current size in Europe and lost Colonies in North America

The ‘roll of the dice’ that ended with Charles II could happen in any Monarchy

Governing Ideas

There are many different governing ideas:

Increasingly as the 20th century (1900-1999) progressed they became the core reasons for conflict within and between states

We can classify governing systems based on:

The power of Government Social and Economic Freedom

How governments are decided

Social Freedom ScaleTotalitarian/

Authoritarian – Government that seeks total control of populace through laws and public organisations – Seeks to mould the people into

the ideal image

Moderate – Government that has more laws to control ‘undesirable

behaviour’ but stays out of most ‘private areas’

Libertarian – Laws only purpose is to preserve property and prevent

violence

More Free

Economic Freedom ScaleSocialism –

“Communism”State control of

production – no private property

LEFT WING

Mixed Economy – Government owns some businesses, and there is

some regulation, business is fairly free

Pure Capitalist – No restrictions on business, few taxes, no consumer

protections

RIGHT WING

More Free

Where do governments sit?Liberta

rian

Tota

litaria

n

Socialism Capitalism

Liberal – Democracies The West Today

China Today

Fascist/Nazi

Socialist/Communist

Anarcho Syndicalism

Libertarian

Gen

eral

Tre

nd

from

the

197

0s -

toda

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Theocracy

The four challengers in the early 20th century

Communism –

International Socialism

Liberal Democracy – Capitalism

Fascism – National

Socialism

Monarchy – Hereditary

Rule