Government Government StructuresStructures

American GovernmentAmerican Government

Purposes of Government: Purposes of Government: Why Have One?Why Have One?

• Maintain national defenseMaintain national defense• Provide public goodsProvide public goods• Provide orderProvide order• Provide Public ServicesProvide Public Services• Socialize citizens into political Socialize citizens into political

cultureculture• Collect taxes to pay for servicesCollect taxes to pay for services

Theories of GovernmentTheories of Government

• Divine right- power to rule comes Divine right- power to rule comes from God and can not be taken awayfrom God and can not be taken away

• Social Contract- People give power to Social Contract- People give power to one leader in exchange for protection- one leader in exchange for protection- you have to give up some rightsyou have to give up some rights

–Hobbes (any government OK)Hobbes (any government OK)–Locke (consent of the people)Locke (consent of the people)

POWER in GovernmentPOWER in Government

• Anarchy- No government, chaosAnarchy- No government, chaos

• Totalitarianism- Government Totalitarianism- Government controls everything – total control – controls everything – total control – job, education, etcjob, education, etc

• Limited Government - Government Limited Government - Government allows individual freedom/choiceallows individual freedom/choice

AutocracyAutocracy

• An autocracy is a government An autocracy is a government wherein a wherein a SINGLE INDIVIDUALSINGLE INDIVIDUAL is in is in powerpower

• There are two types of autocratic There are two types of autocratic leaders:leaders:

DictatorsDictatorsMonarchs Monarchs

DictatorshipDictatorship• Dictators gain their Dictators gain their

power through fear power through fear and/or force.and/or force.

• Many have Many have TOTALITARIAN TOTALITARIAN governments. governments. – control control every facetevery facet of social of social

and economic lifeand economic life– resort to the use of resort to the use of military military

powerpower to maintain authority to maintain authority

• Nazi Germany under Nazi Germany under Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler is an example…North Korea’s is an example…North Korea’s autocracy was run by autocracy was run by Kim Jong Kim Jong Il and now his son, Kim Jong-unIl and now his son, Kim Jong-un

MonarchyMonarchy• Monarchy is another form of Monarchy is another form of

government that is government that is USUALLYUSUALLY autocratic.autocratic.

• Absolute monarchs have Absolute monarchs have complete powercomplete power to rule to rule however they choose.however they choose.– Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia maintains an maintains an

absolute monarchy.absolute monarchy.

• Constitutional Constitutional monarchies are monarchies are governments where governments where power is sharedpower is shared between between the crown and elected the crown and elected officials.officials.– Great BritainGreat Britain is a constitutional is a constitutional

monarchy.monarchy.

OligarchyOligarchy• An oligarchy is a An oligarchy is a

system wherein system wherein power is maintained power is maintained by a small group of by a small group of people.people.

• Power can come from Power can come from – membership within the membership within the

dominate political party dominate political party (China)(China)

– Or by some combination of Or by some combination of wealth, military and social wealth, military and social connections (Russia)connections (Russia)

• Oligarchies often hold Oligarchies often hold elections, but only permit elections, but only permit candidates who have been candidates who have been approved by the approved by the establishment.establishment.

Vladimir Putin

DemocracyDemocracy• Democracy is Democracy is

government by government by the the people… people… and and power is held by power is held by manymany, rather , rather than a than a few.few.

• Our early government Our early government allowed for the allowed for the participation of only a participation of only a small numbersmall number of citizens. of citizens.

Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy• A A Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy is a is a

system in which every system in which every citizen can participate citizen can participate in every aspect of in every aspect of government.government.

• Our U.S. system has Our U.S. system has some some componentscomponents of direct democracy at of direct democracy at the local/state level—the local/state level—– InitiativesInitiatives—occur when citizens —occur when citizens

propose an amendment or law. If propose an amendment or law. If the proposal garners the required the proposal garners the required number of signatures, it can number of signatures, it can become law. become law.

– ReferendaReferenda—occur when voters —occur when voters (rather than legislatures) vote on (rather than legislatures) vote on a particular law.a particular law.

– RecallRecall—occurs when voters remove —occurs when voters remove elected officials from office. elected officials from office.

The “Terminator” became California’s Governor after a recall of the previous governor.

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracy

• Despite having Despite having components of direct components of direct democracy, the US is democracy, the US is primarily a representative primarily a representative democracy.democracy.

• In a In a representative representative democracydemocracy, voters elect , voters elect representatives and give representatives and give them the power to make them the power to make laws and conduct laws and conduct government. government.

• The vast majority of our The vast majority of our laws are passed by laws are passed by representatives. representatives.

TheocracyTheocracy

• In a theocracy, the government In a theocracy, the government is run by a is run by a religious religious institution.institution.

• The fundamental laws are The fundamental laws are based on based on scripture.scripture.

– Vatican City is ruled by the Vatican City is ruled by the Pope,Pope, and law is rooted in canon (Church) and law is rooted in canon (Church) law.law.

– Although Iran has an elected Although Iran has an elected president (former Pres president (former Pres Mahmoud Mahmoud AhmadinejadAhmadinejad), he must answer to ), he must answer to Ali KhameneiAli Khamenei, an Islamic cleric and , an Islamic cleric and the Supreme Leader of the country.the Supreme Leader of the country.

• Iranian law is based on Iranian law is based on Sharia LawSharia Law—which —which Muslims believe is God’s law.Muslims believe is God’s law.

Governing SystemsGoverning Systems• Unitary- national government rulesUnitary- national government rules

• China, United KingdomChina, United Kingdom

• Confederation- State government rulesConfederation- State government rules• The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - formerly known as The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - formerly known as

the Soviet Union; U.S. under the Articlesthe Soviet Union; U.S. under the Articles

• Federal State- State and national Federal State- State and national governments share power to rulegovernments share power to rule

• United States, Germany, AustraliaUnited States, Germany, Australia

US GovernmentUS Government

•Representative DemocracyRepresentative Democracy•Democratic RepublicDemocratic Republic•Limited GovernmentLimited Government•Federal SystemFederal System

Principles of DemocracyPrinciples of Democracy

• Individual Individual WorthWorth

• Civil Liberties Civil Liberties and Rightsand Rights

• Representative Representative GovernmentGovernment

• Majority Rule Majority Rule with Minority with Minority RightsRights

• Rule by LawRule by Law

• Limited PowerLimited Power