PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Section

PRINCIPLES OF GOVERNMENT Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Section 1 GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE

What is government and its purpose?

What is government? GOVERNMENT • The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. POWERS OF EVERY GOVERNMENT • Legislative – power to make laws and to frame public policies • Executive – power to execute, enforce, and administer law • Judicial – power to interpret laws, determine meaning of laws, and to settle disputes that arise within the society

What is a constitution? Constitution • The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government.

STATE State • Defined as a body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically (government), and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority Examples of States

What makes a state? FOUR CHARACTERSITICS OF A STATE Every state in the world possesses four characteristics, each of which may vary widely from state to state. Population Territory Large or small, every state must be inhabited – that is, have a population. Every state must have land, with known and recognized borders. Sovereignty Government The state has absolute power within its territory. It can decide its own foreign and domestic policies. Government is the mechanism through which a state makes and enforces its policies. States are often called “nation” or a “country”.

Is Florida a state? Why is Florida not a “state”? • Florida has: • • Defined territory Population Government But lacks, sovereignty Why do we call Florida a “state”? • Underneath the Articles of Confederation, the individual states had the power.

U. S. A vs. Florida POPULATION TERRITORY GOVERNMENT SOVERIEGNTY USA FLORIDA √ √ √ √

Origins of the State • Many theories have been developed to explain the origins of the state. • These include the force theory, the evolutionary theory, the divine right theory, and the social contract theory.

The Force Theory • The force theory holds that an individual or group claims control over a territory and forces the population to submit. • The state then becomes sovereign and those in control form a government.

Evolutionary Theory • The evolutionary theory says that a population formed out of primitive families. • The heads of these families became the government. • When these families settled in one territory and claimed it as their own, they became a sovereign state.

Divine Right Theory • The divine right theory holds that God created the state, making it sovereign. • The government is made up of those chosen by God to rule a certain territory. The population must obey their ruler.

Social Contract Theory • Checkpoint: What is the Social Contract Theory? • The social contract theory was developed by philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean Jacques Rousseau and has had the greatest influence on United States government. • This theory holds that the people chose to give the state enough power to promote the well-being of everyone and that all political power comes from the will of the people.

Social Contract Theory, cont. • Social contract theory holds that the people can withhold power from an unjust government. • In the political cartoon, what types of government might restrict people from “having it as good as this”?

Preamble of the Constitution We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.

Purpose of government Form a More Perfect Union “belief that in a union there is strength” Establish Justice Insure Domestic Tranquility Laws must be reasonable and fair Provide for the Common Defense Promote General Welfare Secure the Blessings of Liberty Keeping peace within our borders; keeping peace “at home” Protecting the nation against foreign enemies Provides benefits to the people of the state; public schools, clean drinking water, safe food, etc… Protects our rights and liberties as citizens of the USA

Chapter 1 Section 2 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

What are some forms of government in the world today?

Who Can Participate? Democracy Dictatorship • Supreme political authority rests with the people. • Exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. • Direct • Indirect • Autocracy • Oligarchy

Who Can Participate? DEMOCRACY Direct (Pure) Indirect (Representative) DICTATORSHIP (oldest form of government) Oligarchy Autocracy • Occurs when • A group of • Government in the will of the person chosen which the which a single people is by the people power to rule person holds translated into to express the is held by a unlimited laws directly by will of the small, usually power. the people. self-appointed • Works only on • Widely used on elite. a small, local a national, level. State, and local level. Example: Town meetings Example: Legislator votes Example: Soviet Union (Communist Example: Hitler

Where is the Power? Distribution of Power can be distributed between central (national) and local governments in three different ways. Federal Government Confederate Government Local Central Unitary Government Central Local Central Powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments. The National government and the State are co-equal partners in the federal system. Is an alliance of independent states Most power belongs to the local (regional) governments. The central government has only limited power. Local All powers held by the government belong to a single, central government Power resides with the central government, which creates local governments.

What is the Relationship between the Executive and Legislative Branch? Presidential Parliamentary • Separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. • Branches are independent of one another, but coequal. • Chief executive is chosen independently of the legislature. • Example: USA • Executive branch is made up of the prime minister or premier • Prime minister and cabinet members are a part of the legislative branch • The chief executive is chosen by the leading party in the legislature. • Example: Costa Rica

1. Who can participate? Democracy/Dictatorship 2. Where is the power? Unitary/Federal 3. What is the relationship between the legislative and executive branches? Presidential/Parliamentary DEMOCRACY PARLIAMENTAR Y Botswana Costa Rica UNITARY FEDERAL PRESIDENTIAL PARLIAMENTAR Y France India PRESIDENTIAL Brazil United States

1. Who can participate? Democracy/Dictatorship 2. Where is the power? Unitary/Federal 3. What is the relationship between the legislative and executive branches? Presidential/Parliamentary DICTATORSHIP PARLIAMENTAR Y Cuba UNITARY FEDERAL PRESIDENTIAL PARLIAMENTAR Y Syria PRESIDENTIAL

Chapter 1 Section 3 BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY

What are the basic concepts of democracy?

Democracy Worth of an Individual Equality of All Persons Individual Freedom Democracy Majority Rule; Minority Rights Necessity of Compromise

Democracy Worth of an Individual Equality of all Persons • Each individual is a separate and distinct being • “All men are created equal” Ø Thomas Jefferson • Concept of equality means that every persons is entitled to: 1. Equality of opportunity 2. Equality before the law (no one should be held back based on race, religion, color, or gender) Ex. Brown v. Board of Education

Democracy Majority Rule, Minority Rights Necessity of Compromise • Majority will be right more often than it will be wrong; however, democracy requires majority rule restrained by minority rights • The majority must be willing to listen to a minority’s argument, to hear its objections, to bear its criticisms, and to welcome suggestions. • Compromise is the process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests. • Compromise has two essential parts: 1. Democracy puts the individual first; individuals are equal 2. Questions usually only have two sides

Democracy Individual Freedom • Each individual must be as free to do as he or she pleases as far as the freedom of all will allow. • “The right to swing my fist ends where the other man’s nose begins” • Justice Oliver Wendall Holmes

Duties and Responsibilities of Citizenship Duties Responsibilities Serving on a jury Voting Serving as a witness when called Volunteering Attending school Participating in civic life Paying taxes Understanding the workings of our government Registering for the draft (men only) Obeying local, State, and national laws Respecting the rights of others