GOVERNMENT CLASS Unit 1 Foundations of Government Talking

GOVERNMENT CLASS Unit 1 Foundations of Government

Talking Points… What is Government and what does it do? What is the difference between GOVERNMENT and POLITICS?

What if… We were all transported to an island. Just our class. The island has no government, completely abandoned. Everyone is free, there is no one person “in-charge” of another when we arrive. We have no way to contact anyone in any other part of the world… What would life be like with no rules or gov’t? Would we have rights or duties? Who enforces rights? Duties? What might happen to the stronger and smarter people on the island? What might happen to the weaker and lessintelligent people on the island? Would we be willing to trade some freedom for a society with order and gov’t?

Let’s write for a minute… � Do we need gov’t? – 1 sentence � Why or why not? – 1 sentence � What would it be like with NO GOVERNMENT? – 1 sentence

GOVERNMENT � � GOVERNMENT – INSTITUTION THROUGH WHICH A SOCIETY MAKES AND ENFORCES PUBLIC AUTHORITY 4 Purposes for government 1. Maintain Social Order 2. Provide Public Services 3. Provide National Security 4. Make Economic Decisions

POLITICS EFFORT TO CONTROL OR INFLUENCE THE CONDUCT OF GOVERNMENT

The State � STATE – DOMINANT POLITICAL UNIT IN THE WORLD (1 st Studied by Aristotle) �NOT LIKE GEORGIA OR ALABAMA �THERE ABOUT 200 STATES (or nations) IN THE WORLD �THE UNITED STATES COUNTS AS ONE OF THESE

CHARACTERISTICS OF A STATE TERRITORY – GOTTA HAVE LAND POPULATION – GOTTA HAVE PEOPLE GOVERNMENT – GOTTA HAVE A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION SOVEREIGNTY – GOTTA HAVE POWER OVER ITSELF

How did the USA expand it’s State’s Borders? � � � Purchase – Louisiana Purchase, Gadsden Purchase War – England, France, Spain, Mexico, Native Americans Negotiation – England, Mexico, France, Spain

STATE TRIVIA Largest China State - Population – 1. 33 billion people Largest State - Size Russia Smallest State – Population and Size Population 829 people / Size - Vatican City –

How states usually get started… 1. Evolutionary Theory – (family –clan – tribe) gov’t started with the oldest male member of the family � 2. Force Theory – 1 man seizes control of a group and puts himself in power � 3. Joseph Stalin Divine Right Theory – “God” put me in-charge � 4. Arab Nations / Jewish Nations / Native Americans Pharaoh, some kings and queens Social Contract Theory – group of men come up with a plan to govern according to the will of the people � The Constitution of the United States

Basic Forms of Government 1. 2. 3. UNITARY – one main central government (national gov’t) � Great Britain CONFEDERATION – alliance (loose union) of independent states � Confederate States of America FEDERAL – shared powers between levels of government � United States of America

Types of Government **Autocracy – Rule by one person 1) 2) 3) Totalitarian – Total control by government, people have no rights Monarchy – King OR Queen Dictatorship – 1 person rules (force theory) **Oligarchy – Rule by a small group of leaders 1) 2) Aristocracy – Rule by the wealthy (educated) Timocracy – Rule by the military Coup d`etat – military overthrow **Democracy – Rule by the people (VERY BROAD TERM) 1) 2) Direct Democracy – People vote themselves (is this efficient? ) Representative Democracy – People have someone (that they choose) vote for them **Aristotle’s Classifications** - (based on the # of rulers) In America…Representative Democracy / Republic / Constitutional Republic PEOPLE ARE THE SOURCE OF THE GOVERNMENT’S POWER

Say what? Mark Twain on Patriotism: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it. ” What is he saying exactly?

Concepts of Government brought from England Ordered Gov’t Structure Sheriff, Coroner, Justice of the Peace Counties, Townships, Cities, etc. Limited Gov’t is NOT all-powerful People enable the government Magna Carta – no taxation w/o representation Representative Gov’t People have a voice in government – thru representatives

5 Basic Concepts of Democracy � � � Majority Rules / Minority Rights – majority will “have their way” – but – the MINORITY still has a right to their opinion Compromise – both sides make a sacrifice Individual Freedom – Each person has personal freedoms (speech, religion, etc) Worth and Dignity of an Individual – treat others with respect – everyone’s life is worth something Equality – all are equal under the law – doesn’t matter what religion, gender, political preference, etc

Let’s talk about EQUALITY Do the following have true “EQUALITY” in our government/country? Y / N: Handicapped Y / N: Smokers Y /N: Unborn Children Y / N: Minors / Children Y / N: Gays and Lesbians Y / N: Women Y / N: African-Americans Y / N: Terminally Ill

In a Paragraph… � Explain… �What is a democracy? �What is the difference between direct democracy and representative democracy?

The Soil of Democracy 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. ACTIVE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION The people are participants in the processes that go into a democracy (Example: Jury Duty, Party Members, run for office) FAVORABLE ECONOMY Strong Middle Class – not polar Free Enterprise / Private Ownership of Business and Property WIDESPREAD EDUCATION Promotes independent thinkers STRONG CIVIL SOCIETY People are active in helping each other, rather than relying on the gov’t to “do it all. ” (Example: Red Cross, Humane Society, Church Groups, etc. ) SOCIAL CONSENSUS The vast majority of the people agree on limitation of gov’t, liberty, personal freedoms, etc.

Economic Theories � � � Communism Developed by Karl Marx Command Economy where the gov’t controls resources and the citizens are subservient to the gov’t Communist Countries – best example 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. � � Capitalism Private Ownership of property and resources Free Enterprise Competition b/n businesses Freedom of choice Possibility of profits Adam Smith – developed the philosophy of capitalism More concerned with citizens, and less with gov’t

United States’ Concepts of Gov’t � Constitution – �A plan that provides rules for the gov’t � Provides USA with supreme law � Sets out ideals that bind believers � Establishes basic structure of gov’t � Defines powers and duties of those in gov’t � Constitutional Law is concerned with: 1. Power that the government holds 2. Rights that the citizens possess � � Federalism – Power divided b/n state level and National level John Locke – Influenced America’s Founding Fathers

The Constitution Our “Contract” with the government Preamble: States the purpose of the document… 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