Unit 1Unit 1Chapter 1, Chapter 1, Section 3Section 3

American Government 2American Government 2ndnd-5-5thth

Mr. YoungMr. Young

Essential QuestionEssential Question Why did the Why did the

Founding Fathers Founding Fathers want America to be want America to be a Republic and not a Republic and not a Monarchy or a a Monarchy or a Democracy?Democracy?

What are the 5 What are the 5 important factors important factors that democracy to that democracy to grow within a state?grow within a state?

Major Types of Major Types of GovernmentGovernment

Greek philosopher Greek philosopher AristotleAristotle asked “Who asked “Who governs the state?”governs the state?”

3 major types of 3 major types of gov’tgov’t

1.1. Autocracy- rule by Autocracy- rule by one personone person

2.2. Oligarchy- rule by Oligarchy- rule by few peoplefew people

3.3. Democracy- rule be Democracy- rule be many personsmany persons

3 Major Types of 3 Major Types of Government Government

1) Autocracy1) Autocracy- Any - Any system of gov’t in system of gov’t in which the power and which the power and authority to rule are authority to rule are in the hands of a in the hands of a singlesingle individual individual

OldestOldest and most and most common form of common form of governmentgovernment

3 Types of autocratic 3 Types of autocratic governmentsgovernments

A. Absolute PowerA. Absolute Power TotalitarianTotalitarian

dictatorship- ideas dictatorship- ideas of single leader are of single leader are glorified and glorified and government seeks government seeks to control all to control all aspects of social aspects of social and economic lifeand economic life

Examples: Hitler, Examples: Hitler, Stalin, NapoleonStalin, Napoleon

B. MonarchyB. Monarchy King, queen, or King, queen, or

emperor exercises emperor exercises supreme powers of supreme powers of governmentgovernment

AbsoluteAbsolute Monarchs- Monarchs- complete and complete and unlimited power to unlimited power to rule rule

Example: Example: Western Western Europe 1400-1700Europe 1400-1700

C. Constitutional C. Constitutional MonarchsMonarchs

Monarchs that Monarchs that share government share government powers with elected powers with elected legislature or serve legislature or serve mainly as the mainly as the ceremonial leaders ceremonial leaders of their governmentof their government

Examples: Examples: Great Great BritainBritain, Sweden, , Sweden, JapanJapan

3 Major Types of 3 Major Types of GovernmentGovernment

2) Oligarchy2) Oligarchy- Any - Any system of government system of government in which a in which a small groupsmall group holds the powerholds the power

Derives power from Derives power from wealth, military wealth, military power, social power, social positions, religion, or positions, religion, or a combo of them all.a combo of them all.

Example: Communist Example: Communist countries todaycountries today

3 Major Types of 3 Major Types of GovernmentGovernment

3) Democracy3) Democracy- - System of System of government in government in which rule is by which rule is by the the peoplepeople

Key Idea: People Key Idea: People hold hold sovereignsovereign powerpower

Two Types of Two Types of DemocraciesDemocracies

1.1. Direct Direct DemocracyDemocracy- - people govern people govern themselves by themselves by voting on voting on issues issues individually as individually as citizenscitizens

Two Types of Two Types of DemocraciesDemocracies

2) 2) Indirect/RepresIndirect/Representativeentative Democracy- Democracy- people elect people elect representatives representatives and give them and give them the powerthe power

Democracy Cont.Democracy Cont. RepublicRepublic- voters are the - voters are the

source of the source of the government’s authority government’s authority (requires citizen (requires citizen participation)participation)

Founding fathers wanted Founding fathers wanted a a republicrepublic because it because it would promote would promote citizencitizen participationparticipation

Not every Not every democracydemocracy around the world is a around the world is a republic, i.e. Great republic, i.e. Great BritainBritain

Characteristics of Characteristics of DemocracyDemocracy

1.1. Individual LibertyIndividual Liberty2.2. Majority Rule with Minority rightsMajority Rule with Minority rights3.3. Free ElectionsFree Elections4.4. Competing Political PartiesCompeting Political Parties

1) Individual Liberty1) Individual Liberty People are as People are as

free as free as possible to possible to develop their develop their own own opportunities opportunities for successfor success

2) Majority Rule/Minority 2) Majority Rule/Minority RightsRights

In democracy people In democracy people usually accept the usually accept the decisions of decisions of majoritymajority of of voters in electionsvoters in elections

Constitution helps to Constitution helps to ensure the rights of ensure the rights of individuals in the individuals in the minorityminority will be will be protectedprotected

Easy to Easy to saysay, hard to , hard to maintainmaintain

Court Case: Endo v. Court Case: Endo v. United StatesUnited States

3) Free Elections3) Free Elections Democratic Democratic

governments governments receive their receive their legitimacylegitimacy by by the consent of the consent of the governedthe governed

5 5 characteristics characteristics that mark free that mark free electionselections

5 Characteristics of Free 5 Characteristics of Free ElectionsElections

1.1. ““One One personperson, one , one votevote”: every vote ”: every vote the samethe same

2.2. All candidates can express their All candidates can express their views views freelyfreely

3.3. Citizens free to Citizens free to helphelp candidates or candidates or support support issuesissues

4.4. Legal requirements for voting are Legal requirements for voting are kept to a kept to a minimumminimum

5.5. May vote freely by May vote freely by secretsecret ballot ballot

4) Competing Political 4) Competing Political PartiesParties

Political Parties- Political Parties- A A group of individuals group of individuals with broad common with broad common interests who organize interests who organize to nominate candidates to nominate candidates for office, win for office, win elections, conduct elections, conduct government, and government, and determine public policydetermine public policy

Those out of power Those out of power help keep a help keep a checkcheck on on those in powerthose in power

Soil of DemocracySoil of Democracy Five general criteria where a Five general criteria where a

democracy is more likely to grow democracy is more likely to grow 1.1. Active citizen participationActive citizen participation2.2. Favorable economyFavorable economy3.3. Widespread educationWidespread education4.4. Strong civil societyStrong civil society5.5. Social consensusSocial consensus

1) Active Citizen 1) Active Citizen ParticipationParticipation

Citizens must be Citizens must be willing to willing to participate in participate in civiccivic life, such as life, such as voting, serve on voting, serve on juries, and run juries, and run for government for government officesoffices

2) A Favorable Economy2) A Favorable Economy Need a good, large Need a good, large

middlemiddle class class Need a stable, growing Need a stable, growing

economyeconomy People not worried People not worried

about politics if their about politics if their economiceconomic life is out of life is out of handhand

Free enterpriseFree enterprise- the - the opportunity to control opportunity to control one’s own economic one’s own economic decisiondecision

3) Widespread Education3) Widespread Education Needs a country Needs a country

where its people where its people are well educatedare well educated

It is the It is the dutyduty of of government to government to provide education provide education for citizens if it for citizens if it wants to be a wants to be a democracy.democracy.

4) Strong Civil Society4) Strong Civil Society Groups and Groups and

organizations that exist organizations that exist separatelyseparately and and independently of the independently of the governmentgovernment

Give citizens opportunity Give citizens opportunity to express to express viewsviews, make , make opinionsopinions heard, and heard, and participateparticipate in their in their democracydemocracy

Examples: Red Cross, Examples: Red Cross, NRA, local churches and NRA, local churches and newspapersnewspapers

5) Social Consensus5) Social Consensus Democracy is more Democracy is more

likely to grow in a likely to grow in a country where country where people accept the people accept the democratic values democratic values within a country, within a country, such as individual such as individual liberty, equality for liberty, equality for all, and limits of all, and limits of gov’t powergov’t power

Essential QuestionEssential Question Why did the Why did the

Founding Fathers Founding Fathers want America to be want America to be a Republic and not a Republic and not a Monarchy or a a Monarchy or a Democracy?Democracy?

What are the 5 What are the 5 important factors important factors that democracy to that democracy to grow within a state?grow within a state?