Political Change - THESOCIALSGUY.COM

06/09/2019

1

Political Change

Social Studies 2201

Unit 3, Outcome 7.0

7.0 Governance Systems

In this outcome, we will…

• 7.1 differentiate between models of governance

• 7.2 explain the development of governance systems from the Paleolithic to the Ancient Era

• 7.3 explain the concept of citizenship and how it developed in the ancient Era

06/09/2019

2


• There are many different types of governments all around the world.

• Nations do not always agree about the role of government and the responsibilities of country leaders.

• All types of governments can be categorized into three different groups:

▫ Rule of one

▫ Rule of the few

▫ Rule of the many

*Brainstorm a list of government systems*


• Complete “7.1 - Who Rules?” activity

06/09/2019

3


Rule of One

• Rule of one means that one person rules over everyone in a state.

• In this case, one person is in charge of a nation’s system of governance. This is also referred to as autocracy.

Rule of One

• Autocracy: An autocracy is a system of government in which supreme power is concentrated in the hands of one person, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor consistent and recognized means of citizen control.

• Absolute monarchy and dictatorship are the main historical forms of autocracy.

▫ e.g., Emperor Caesar Augustus of Rome (27 BCE – 14 CE)

▫ e.g., Louis XIV of France (1638 – 1715 CE)


06/09/2019

4

Rule of One

• Monarchy: A monarchy is a form of government in which one member of a family (dynasty) exercises sovereignty (power and authority).

• The actual power of the monarch may vary from purely symbolic to partial and restricted (constitutional monarchy) to complete power (absolute monarchy).


7.1 Governance SystemsRule of One• Traditionally and in most cases, the monarch's post is

inherited and lasts until death or abdication (voluntarily stepping down).

• Monarchy was the most common form of government until the 19th century, but it is no longer as common.• e.g., Queen Elizabeth II (constitutional monarchy in the UK,

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, etc.)• e.g., Tsar Nicolas II of Russia (1896 – 1917 CE)

06/09/2019

5

Rule of One

• Dictatorship is a form of government where a group of countries (or a country) is ruled by one person or one person heading a political party. This person often has complete power.

• Various mechanisms are used by dictators to ensure power remains in their hands (e.g., laws, military)

• Authoritarianism is closely linked to dictatorial rule. This means the strict enforcement of obedience to authority (e.g., government) at the expense of personal freedom.


Rule of One

• A dictatorship is a type of authoritarianism, in which politicians regulate nearly every aspect of the public and private behavior of citizens.

• Notable dictators in the 20th century:▫ e.g., Adolf Hitler – Germany (1933 – 1945 CE)

▫ e.g., Joseph Stalin – USSR (1927 – 1953 CE)


06/09/2019

6


Rule of the Few

• Rule of the few means that a small group of people rule over everyone. In this case, a few people are in charge of the country or government. This is also referred to as oligarchy.

• Rule of the few often takes the following forms:

▫ Aristocracy

▫ Junta

▫ Meritocracy

▫ Plutocracy

▫ Theocracy

Rule of the Few

• Aristocracy is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class. These people often have family connections to power and inheritance of this power is a common feature of aristocracies (this is not required, however, for oligarchies in general).

• The ancient Greeks originally considered aristocrats to the best qualified citizens, however in more recent times aristocracy has usually been seen as rule by a privileged group.


06/09/2019

7

Rule of the Few

• Junta refers to a form of governance in which a state has been taken over by force and is being controlled by a small group of individuals.

• Juntas are often associated with military states, as high ranking military officers may use their influence and power within the army to forcefully seize power through a coup d'état.

• e.g., Myanmar was ruled by a military junta during the latter half of the 20th century and early 21st century.


Rule of the Few

• Meritocracy refers to a system of governance where a small group of those who are best suited to rule, or have the greatest merit rule the state.

• These rulers are often hold special skills or are highly educated, setting them apart from other potential rulers. They are often rewarded with positions of leadership due to their achievements.

• e.g., The British Colony of India during the 17th-19th centuries.


06/09/2019

8

Rule of the Few

• Plutocracy is a form of governance where those with great wealth have great influence and, therefore, power to control political events in a country.

• It can be argued that many forms of government may be plutocratic on the basis that monarchs, aristocrats, and dictators tend to also be wealthy individuals.

• e.g., The Renaissance Italian city-state of Florence was ruled by members of the Medici, a wealthy merchant family.


Rule of the Few

• Theocracy is a form of governance in which religious leaders control the state.

• The reasoning for theocracies often involves the high social stations of high priests and their interpretation of divine will (e.g., knowing what is best to do to please a deity).

• e.g., Some ancient city-states in Mesopotamia, such a Ur, were ruled by religious leaders.


06/09/2019

9


Rule of the Many

• Rule of the many means that a large segment of the population have input into governance and decision making or have voted to place people in charge of the country or its government.

• Rule of the Many is often referred to as a democracy.

• The two most common forms of democracy are:

▫ Direct democracy

▫ Representative democracy

Rule of the Many• Direct Democracy (also known as pure democracy) is

a form of democracy in which people decide on issues of public concern or policy initiatives directly (i.e., citizens have say in a variety of decisions through voting).

• Comes from demos (“people”) and kratos (“power”).

• This differs from the majority of modern Western-style democracies, which are representative democracies.

• e.g., Athens in ancient Greece• e.g., Present day Switzerland


06/09/2019

10

Rule of the Many

• Representative Democracy is a type of democracy founded on the principle of elected officials representing a group of people.

• Representative democracy is by far the most common type of democracy in that it allows for efficient ruling by a small number of people on behalf of the larger number.

• The larger group gets to express their opinion as to the quality of the representatives’ efforts on their behalf directly through elections.

▫ e.g., The Roman Republic, Canada, The United Kingdom, United States of America


Rule of the Many

• A key feature of all healthy democracies are checks and balances so that power is never in the hands of one segment of government.

• This is achieved through a separation of powers (dividing the roles of ruler between different groups in government). This is typically found in the tripartite system that was introduced by the Frenchman, Baron de Montesquieu in 1748.


06/09/2019

11


Rule of the Many


Rule of One (Autocracy)

• monarchy• dictatorship

Rule of the Few (Oligarchy)

• aristocracy• junta• meritocracy• plutocracy• theocracy

Rule of the Many (Democracy)

• direct democracy

• representative democracy

06/09/2019

12


In this outcome, we will…

• 7.1 differentiate between models of governance

• 7.2 explain the development of governance systems from the Paleolithic to the Ancient Era

• 7.3 explain the concept of citizenship and how it developed in the ancient Era

7.2 Development of Governance Systems

Paleolithic Governance• Stone age peoples organized themselves in a far less formal manner than we do

today. That said, they based their societies around egalitarianism, shared decision making, and consensus building:

▫ Egalitarianism: the belief that all members of a group are more or less equal and deserve to be treated this way.

Most people had similar jobs, tasks, and status in the community (e.g., men would hunt and protect, women would gather and care for children, etc.)

Little to no specialization and small populations meant there were few relationships to manage.

06/09/2019

13


Paleolithic Governance

▫ Shared decision making and consensus building: being more or less equal meant that decisions likely affected most of society in similar ways. It was in the best interest of the group to do what was best for everyone to survive.

▫ People made decisions as a whole group and came to an understanding of what was best for the group to do together.

• Community membership was a matter of familial ties, making benefits enjoyed by the community more equitable.

Neolithic Governance

• For most of human history (i.e., prehistory), societies contained no form of identifiable government as we know it today.

• They were, in a sense, stateless societies:

▫ small cultural groups in which authority is shared by lineages of equal power instead of being exercised by a central government.

• The Neolithic Revolution and the establishment of permanent settlements would lead to city-states:

▫ A city and its surrounding lands functioning as an independent political unit.

▫ People identified based on their city of origin (countries did not exist).


06/09/2019

14


• Remember! With the first agricultural revolution, society would go through considerable changes (food surplus, permanent settlements, and urbanization).

• Society would grow increasingly complex as civilization developed:

▫ Advanced cities brought larger populations and the need for increased trade.

▫ Specialization resulted in artisans producing specific goods for trade, but also provided noticeable differences among roles in the community (class systems developed).

▫ Advanced technology and record keeping made trade, defense, and other tasks more effective and diverse.



• Institutions would develop to make management of larger populations and fulfillment of community needs easier.

• Government would become formalized:

▫ Laws could now be written down and become more authoritative and consistent.

▫ Consensus building becomes more difficult in large groups, resulting in fewer people making decisions for whole community.


06/09/2019

15

Neolithic Governance• In Sumer (Mesopotamia) governance took the form of

autocratic rule, specifically a theocracy developed.

• As the religious and governmental institutions developed, the head of a religion assumed position of power and authority.

• These city-states were governed by rulers who were not only the heads of their communities, but the source of their power was separate from the community (divine).

• These leaders would conduct religious ceremonies to honour the gods, in addition to making decisions about trade, defense, and other aspects of daily life.

Third Dynasty of Ur, about 2100 BCE, from Babylon, southern Iraq.


Locate the ziggurat (massive temple) in this reconstruction of the Sumerian city-state of Ur.

How does the importance of the ziggurat change when we consider that Ur was a theocracy?

06/09/2019

16


Complete “7.2 - Development of Governance Systems” Activity

Ancient Greece

• By 750 BCE, the Greek city-state or poliswas the basis for political organization in areas around the Aegean Sea.

▫ A polis was made up of a city and surrounding countryside, including villages

▫ Most controlled 50-500 square miles of territory

▫ They were centered around a fortified hilltop called an acropolis

▫ Populations were usually < 10,000

7.2 Development of

Governance Systems

06/09/2019

17

Ancient Greece• Because Greek poleis were independent political units, many had

different forms of government:

▫ Monarchy (rule by a king). (e.g., Sparta is known for having two kings). Generally unpopular with the Greeks.

▫ Aristocracy (rule by a small group of landowning noble families) was more common.

▫ Over time, trade would grow with further specialization and trade routes, leading to a new class of wealthy merchants and artisans. Sometimes these people were dissatisfied with the power of noble families and took it for themselves or shared it with them. This is an example of an oligarchy (rule by a few powerful people). (e.g., Thebes).

Death mask of Agamemnon mythical king of Mycenae (c. 12th

century BCE)

Aristocrats in ancient Greece.

7.2 Development of Governance

Systems

Democracy begins in Athens

• As mentioned, there were often power struggles between groups in Greek city-states (rich vs poor, aristocracy vs wealthy merchants, etc.). This can result in a tyrant(powerful or influential person) gaining support of the common people to overthrow government.

• This is an early example of representative government – when the power of leaders is based on support of the populace.

• This would develop further in Athens as key reforms were brought in by influential people and helped to avoid political upheaval.


06/09/2019

18

Draco• Draco was a nobleman who took control of Athens in 621 BCE.

• Developed a legal code that dealt very harshly with those deemed criminals:

▫ The punishment for most crimes was death!

▫ His example gives us the term Draconian, which refers to the use of extremely cruelty.

• Though his measures were harsh, Draco based his legal code on the idea that all members of the Athenian city-state were equal under the law, regardless of wealth or position.

• All laws were to be written and displayed so the literate public could learn them.

• The code of law also supported debt slavery (if a debtor owed money to a creditor, he would work as a slave until the debt balance was paid).


Solon• In 594 BCE, Solon extended reforms to the Athenian political system.

• Solon overturned and outlawed the practice of debt slavery, declaring that no citizen should own another.

• The people of the city-state of Athens (Athenians) were organized into social classes according to wealth (the more one had, the higher the government position one could hold). The lowest class, the thetes, were common labourers who could not hold government positions.

• The ecclesia – the Athenian assembly – was opened to include all citizens and was responsible for making decisions affecting the city (e.g., war, nominating and electing magistrates, lawmaking).

• Solon introduced the idea that any citizen could bring charges against wrongdoers.


06/09/2019

19

Cleisthenes• Around the year 500 BCE, another leader of Athens, Cleisthenes, introduced

more reforms.

• He organized citizens into ten groups (demes) based on where people lived, and not on their wealth. This was an attempt to reduce aristocratic power.

• He increased the power of the ecclesia by allowing all citizens to submit new laws to be debated and passed in the assembly.

• Cleisthenes created the Council of Five Hundred – 500 citizens chosen randomly that would counsel the ecclesia in its decision making.

• He is widely considered the person who brought democracy (rule by the people) to Classical Greece and the world.


Pericles• Led Athens through much of its “Golden Age” (461-429 BCE).

• Pericles sought to strengthen the democracy of his polis.

• He increase the number of officials who were paid salaries for their public works.

▫ This meant more people could afford to take part in public life, not just the wealthy. Even the poorest could be involved.

▫ This gave Athens more citizens involved in government than any other city-state in Greece at the time.

• He introduced direct democracy, in which citizens rule directly and not through elected representatives. This was rare and still is today.

▫ Male citizens who served in the ecclesia developed policy that affected the community. 6,000 gathered once monthly to vote on new laws and policy.


06/09/2019

20

Citizenship in Athens • Citizenship involved rights and protections under the law.

• In the 4th century BCE the population of Athens was about 250,000.

• Citizens included only adult males who were able to vote and be involved in public decision-making (approx. 30,000 of the population).

• The rest of the population were excluded from political involvement (not citizens):

▫ slaves, freed slaves, children, women, and metics (foreigners living in Athens, usually merchants and artisans)

▫ women had limited rights and privileges compared to men, lacked the same freedom of movement and association in public, and were often segregated from the men

▫ Citizenship could sometimes be awarded to those who did great service to the state.

• After Pericles, citizenship was restricted to those whose parents were both from the city of Athens.



Complete “7.2-7.3 -Comparison of Roman and Athenian Democracy” Activity

06/09/2019

21

The Roman Republic• According to legend, the city of Rome was founded in 753 BCE by

twins, Romulus and Remus. They were supposedly sons of Mars (the god of war). They were abandoned by the Tiber River and raised by a she-wolf.

• Historically, from 1000-500 BCE the Italian peninsula was inhabited by three dominant groups: the Latins, the Etruscans, and the Greeks. The Latins, or Latini, founded the city of Rome.

• Greek colonies in southern Italy, which prospered economically, brought the Latini and other groups in contact with Greek civilization.

• The Etruscans from the north also influenced the Latini and Rome:

▫ Skilled metal workers, use of the arch in architecture, and had their own alphabet.


The Roman Republic• For nearly 100 years from 600-509 BCE, Rome was rule by a

monarchy. These kings built temples to the gods, and public buildings for governance, the most famous being the Roman Forum.

• The last of these kings, Tarquin the Proud, was driven from power in 509 BCE. He had gained the throne through murdering opponents. He also ruled harshly without the advice of counselors and reduced senate positions and power.

• The Romans declared they would never again be ruled by kings. They established a republic (from the Latin res publica - “public affairs”)

• In a republic, citizens have the right to vote for their leaders. In the Roman Republic, voting rights were restricted to free-born males.


06/09/2019

22

The Roman Republic• Early on the republic was composed of two groups who vied for power:

▫ The patricians were wealthy and highly influential landowners (relatively few in number). Their power was inherited through family lines and many held government positions. They thought tradition justified their power.

▫ The plebeians were farmers, merchants, and artisans (the majority of the population). These were citizens with the right to vote, but could not make laws or hold vital government positions. Eventually tribunes, or officials elected from the plebeian numbers, were introduced in order to protect the rights of the plebeians and reduce abuses of power by patricians.

• By 451 BCE, Roman laws began to be written down (this lessened the chances that patricians would interpret oral laws to suit their own needs). The Twelve Tables were twelve tablets displayed in the Forum that outlined established laws. With this, all free citizens had the right to protection under the law.


Government under the Roman Republic:

• Romans thought their government combined the best parts of a monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy:

▫ Two consuls controlled the armies of Rome, but their power was limited:

A consul’s term was 1 year, after which they could not be elected to the position for another 10 years.

One consul could always veto or overrule the other’s decisions.

▫ The senate was a group of 300 patricians who had powers to create laws and oversee public affairs. Later plebeians could serve as senators.

▫ Plebeian assemblies elected tribunes and made laws for lower classes and later the whole republic.

▫ In emergency situations, a dictator with absolute power could be appointed to address issues.


06/09/2019

23

Roman Army and the Republic:

• Some political offices required ten years of military service prior to election (e.g., consuls).

• The army was organized into legions:

▫ 5000 infantry (foot soldiers) supported by cavalry (soldiers on horseback)

▫ A legion was divided into centuries – each century containing a group of 80 soldiers led by a centurion.

• By the 1st century BCE there were 50 legions!

• All land-owning citizens had to serve in the army.


06/09/2019

24

Citizenship in the Roman Republic• Adult male landowners over 15 years of age were

considered citizens, who could vote and hold public office.

• Women had limited citizenship:

▫ could not vote or hold public office

▫ wealthy women could own property, fund building projects, and hold religious ceremonies

• Slaves were considered property and were not citizens. They had few protections under the law.

• Freedmen were not automatically citizens and could not run for public office. Their children would, however, be born as free citizens.

• Roman citizens wore togas to distinguish themselves from noncitizens. During the later Roman Empire, the emperor wore a purple toga as the princeps, or “first citizen”.


Political Change - THESOCIALSGUY.COM

Documents

Transcript of Political Change - THESOCIALSGUY.COM