FOUNDATIONS OF GOVERNMENT

Chapter 1

SECTION 1 – THE PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT

• What is Government?

• Why do we need it?

• Characteristics of State: a political unit with the power to make and enforce laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory.• Population • Territory• Government • Sovereignty– power; independence;

FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT• Security

• Maintain Order

• Resolve Conflict

• Provide Service

• Provide for the Public Good

THEORIES OF RULE

• Divine Right – ruler chose by God

• Natural Law and Natural Rights – rational order and human behavior

• Social Contract Theory - Agreeing among yourselves to allow yourself to be governed.

PHILOSOPHERS

• Hobbes – Leviathan = “state of nature” without government or laws.

• John Locke – government is a product of social contract. Even in a state of nature they are governed by natural laws they consent to.• Limited government – life liberty and property need to be protected from the

government

• Rousseau – state of nature people were happy and it was government that corrupted human condition and introduced inequality.• The Social Contract (1762) – only solution is a social contract

based government that responded to the will of the people.

SECTION 2 – FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

MONARCHY

• Inherit the thrown

• Supreme authority

• Absolute – unlimited and unchecked

Autocracy – one person rules

DICTATORSHIP

• One person or small group has control

• Often violent

• Usually authoritarian• Most extreme form is TOTALITARIAN

• All aspects of life• Nazi Germany

• Oligarchy – rule of few, small group• Often theocracies – religion

DEMOCRACY

• “demos” = people

• Direct – like in ancient Greece

• Republic – aka indirect or representative like the US

UNITARY AND FEDERAL

• Unitary governments - uni- means one.

• Federal – government is divided and power is shared locally and nationally

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PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY

• One president chosen by the people with a separate legislative branch

• Parliamentary systems do not show a division between the executive and legislative branches.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY AND PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT…• IDEALS

• Liberty• Equality• Self Governance

• PRINCIPLES

• 1. Fundamental worth of the individual – free to live life people can reach their highest potential

• 2. Rule of Law – limits on power

• 3. Majority Rule/Minority rights – minority rights are protected against the majority

• 4. Necessity of Compromise – give up a little and come to an agreement

• 5. Citizen Participation – self-government requires participation; citizens must be informed

• FREE ENTERPRISE – make own economic choices.

DO WE HAVE A DEMOCRACY?

• Majoritarian theory

• Elitist theory

• Pluralist theory

• Bureaucratic theory

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• If citizens are fit to select political leaders, why may they be unfit to govern themselves without such leaders?

• What is the difference between power, authority and legitimacy?

• What is democracy, and why is democracy alone not sufficient to protect people?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

• U.S. political culture and political socialization help create shared fundamental values including liberty (freedom), equality, private property and order. The dilemma of modern government is to balance freedom, order and equality.

• The changing face of America – aging and ethnic changes, family structure and education…what will the impact be on politics?

POLITICAL SPECTRUM

PURPOSE OF GOV’T - PREAMBLE

• P. 29 #9 – Read the preamble; What are the purposes of government? Explain each statement.

• Chapter 1 Review Ch. 29 #1-7