Government The Foundations Of U S Government Why

Government The Foundations Of U. S. Government

Why Does Government Exist? �Government Exist for one reason and one reason only: Protection

What is Government? �Government is the institution through which public policy is made and enforced.

2 Basic Forms of Government �Democracy �Authoritarian Rare in history of mankind Considered “a dictatorship of the majority” More common More Durable

Democracy �Not a U. S. invention. It was practiced in Ancient Greece and not so Ancient England �Athens Greece is the Birthplace of Democracy. �Demo is a Greek word meaning people. Cracy is to rule. �Therefore Democracy means “People Rule”!

Hammurabi � 1 st to codify law. �Examples: If a son has struck his father, his hands shall be cut off. If a man has knocked out the eye of a patrician, his eye shall be knocked out.

Aristotle “ Man is by nature a political animal. ” Lord of the Flies

Anarchy �Anarchy – A total lack of government.

Personal Responsibility (AP only) �Where does power lie? �In people or government. �Why do we blame others for our behavior �Can govt. exist without people support. Mr. G. does not support political refugees. People have the power to change their govt.

The State �A body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically, and having the power to make and enforce law without the consent of a higher authority. (No 2 States are the Same) (Is Texas a State Under This Definition? )

The State �Four Parts: �Population �Territory �Government �Sovereignty Laws: Rules of Behavior

The State The largest State in terms of territory: Russia The largest State in terms of population: China

The State �Is the dominate political unit in the world.

The State – Other Terms � Country is Geographic � Nation is Ethnic

THE 4 THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF STATES � 1. Force Theory – The belief that one person or a small group of people claimed control and forced people to submit to rule.

THE 4 THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF STATES � 2. Evolutionary Theory – Over the years an original family became a network of families (clan) then to a tribe, settled down and turned to agriculture.

THE 4 THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF STATES � 3. Divine Right Theory – God gave those of royal birth the right to rule. �Accepted in the 17 th and 18 th Centuries. Today’s govt. exists as an argument against this theory. �Magna Carta – The beginning of the end of Divine Right Rule.

THE 4 THEORIES OF THE ORIGIN OF STATES �Social Contract Theory – Belief that people gave up some of their sovereignty in order to promote the safety and well being of all (protection).

Legacies of Social Contract Theory �Popular Sovereignty �Limited Govt. �Individual Rights

3 People Who Contributed To The Social Contract Theory �Thomas Hobbes – People created a state to improve their lives because life was nasty short and brutish. � People surrendered ALL of their freedoms in order to do so.

3 People Who Contributed To The Social Contract Theory �John Locke – People had natural rights to life, liberty, and property – � they agreed to obey govt. and pay taxes and follow reasonable laws if the ruler protected their natural rights.

3 People Who Contributed To The Social Contract Theory �Jean Jacques Rousseau – If govt. does not look after the best interest of its people, the people have a right to rebel.

Classifications of Government �A. Geographic Distribution: � 1. Unitary � 2. Federal � 3. Confederate �B. The Nature of the Relationship between the Legislative and Executive Branches � 1. Presidential � 2. Parliamentary �C. The Number of People Who Participate �Authoritarian �Democracy

Geographic Distribution (Where The Power Is) � 1. Unitary – (Centralized Govt. ) Form of Govt. in which all powers are held by a SINGLE agency. Local units have only those powers the central govt. gives it. �Ex: Great Britain (England) – Parliament

Geographic Distribution (Where The Power Is) �Federal – Govt. in which powers are divided between a central govt. and several local govts. , but are still controlled by an authority superior (constitution) to both the central and local govts. �Ex: The United States

Geographic Distribution (Where The Power Is) �Federalism - Means Power is Shared. �THE CONSTITUTION IS THE SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND

Geographic Distribution (Where The Power Is) �Confederate – An alliance of independent states. �The central organ of this state has only those powers that the member state gives it. �Ex: The U. S. under the Articles of Confederation. (Valley Forge) The South during the civil war. (Today: The United Nations)

The Nature and the Relationship Between the Legislative and Executive Branches �Presidential: �Separation of Powers �Executive is Chosen Independently of the Legislature �Fixed term �Broad Powers Not Subject To Direct Control of the Legislature �Ex: U. S.

The Nature and the Relationship Between the Legislative and Executive Branches �Parliamentary – Executive is made up of a prime minister or Premier and a cabinet. �They are all members of the legislative branch. �The leader has an indefinite term, and comes from the majority party in power or a coalition of parties.

Montesquieu � 1 st Person to suggest that government be broken into 3 separate branches. �Executive – Enforces the Law �Judicial – Interprets the Law �Legislative – Makes the Law

C. Number of People Who Participate � 1. Authoritarian – System in which those in power hold absolute control over the people. �A. Dictatorship – Power is held by one person or a small group. (oldest and most common, usually gained by force) � (sometimes dictatorships have outward appearance of democracy by holding elections. Ex: Hitler) �B. Totalitarian – Controls every aspect of human affairs. �C. Monarch – Power is inherited. �D. Oligarchy – Rule by the few. �E. Aristocracy – Rule by the wealthy and well educated.

C. Number of People Who Participate � 2. Democracy – Power rests with the people. �A. Direct Democracy – (Pure) System of Govt. in which the people participate directly in the decision making process by voting. (Does not exist on a national level. ) Ex: Town Meeting �Representative Democracy – (Republic) System of govt. in which people elect officials to represent them INDIRECTLY in making laws. Periodic elections hold officials accountable. �World’s Largest Democracy is India.

Other Terms You May Have Heard �Socialism, Communism, and Capitalism, are all economic systems, but questions of Politics and Economics are INSEPARABLE.

Capitalism �Capitalism – Economic system based on the private ownership of land, individual initiative, profit, and competition. �Laissez Faire – French term “to let alone” government does not interfere in economic affairs.

Socialism �Socialism – Economic and political system based on the public ownership of the means by which goods and services are produced, distributed, and exchanged.

Communism �Based on theories of Karl Marx. �A more extreme form of socialism, where government owns all the land, and means of production.