[ 1.1 ] Principles of Government [ 1.1 ] Principles of Government
Key Terms
• Government - the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
• public policies - all of the things a government decides to do
• legislative power - the power to make laws
• executive power - the power to execute, enforce, and administer laws
• judicial power - the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society
[ 1.1 ] Principles of Government
Key Terms
• constitution - he body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government
• dictatorship - form of government where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people
• democracy - form of government where supreme authority rests with the people
• sovereign - a state’s supreme and absolute power within its own territory
•
What is a State?
[ 1.1 ] Principles of Government
• “country” or “nation” are more commonly used terms for the type of state being described here.
How States Arose
[ 1.1 ] Principles of Government
• The United States government finds it’s origins in Social Contract Theory.
What is the mission of a government?
• Form a More Perfect Union
• Establish Justice
• Insure Domestic Tranquility
• Provide for the Common Defense
• Promote the General Welfare
• Secure the Blessings of Liberty
• Patriotism
[ 1.1 ] Principles of Government
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government [ 1.2 ] Types of Government
Classifying Governments
• All governments are classified based on three questions…
• Who can participate in the government?
• What is the geographic distribution of power?
• What is the relationship between the Legislative Power (making the laws) and Executive Power (enforcing the laws)?
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government
Who Can Participate? Democracy
• Direct Democracy - Every person can create and vote on public policies.
• Direct Democracy doesn’t exist at the national level anywhere, is only used in small groups.
• Indirect Democracy - People vote for representatives to run the government on their behalf.
• The United States is an Indirect Democracy
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government
Who Can Participate? Republic, Dictatorship and Theocracy
• Republic - Government is run by representatives of the people.
• Dictatorship / Authoritarian - A single person (autocracy) or small group of people (oligarchy) run the government and the people have no say.
• Theocracy - Government based on religious law
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Centralized / Unitary Government Only having one government in a country
• Example - Great Britain
• Central and Local / Federal Government - Having multiple levels of government (ie National, State and Local)
• Example - United States
• Confederate States - A loose association of sovereign states
• Example - The European Union
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government
Geographic Distribution of Power
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government
Legislative and Executive Branches
• Presidential or Separation of Powers Between Branches of Government
• Voters elect a President (Chief Executive) and Legislature (Congress) separately
• Written Constitution are used to outline the separations of powers within a government
• Parliamentary Government
• Voters elect a Legislature (parliament), that then selects a Prime Minister (Chief Executive)
[ 1.2 ] Types of Government[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
Key Terms• majority rule - running a government based on
the will of the people as represented by what the largest group of people want.
• compromise - an adjustment of opposing principles or systems by modifying some aspect of each in order to find the position most acceptable to the majority
[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
Foundations of Democracy• American Democracy relies on 5 Basic Concepts
• Worth of the Individual
• Equality of All Persons
• Majority Rule, Minority Rights
• Necessity of Compromise
• Insistence upon Individual Freedom
[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
Responsibilities, Duties, and Obligations of Citizenship
• In order for a democracy to thrive, the citizens involved must be informed and educated.
• A multitude of news sources are available today through the internet, television and radio.
• Citizens must use critical thinking skills to make sure the information they receive is valid and useful.
[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
Democracy and the Free Enterprise System• The four pillars are the basis for free enterprise, or
capitalism, in the United States.
[ 1.4 ] The Basics of Democracy
Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
• Free Enterprise System - An economic system, not a political system, based on four concepts: Private Ownership, Individual Initiative, Profit, and Competition. (aka Capitalism)
• The US has a mixed economy based on the Free Enterprise System.
• The main role of government in our mixed economy is to Regulate and Promote the economy.
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