What is Government?

• Govern: to rule over by right of authority.• To hold in check, to control

• Origin: from Latin gubernāre to steer , to guide, to rule

• Synonyms• 1. reign, rule

2. control, sway, influence, conduct, supervise, superintend.

Purpose of Government

• "Why has government been instituted at all? Because the passions of men will not conform to the dictates of reason and justice without constraint.” - Alexander Hamilton

• "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness --That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men…” Thomas Jefferson (The Declaration of Independence)

Government in Daily Life• Roads Constructed by State and Local Govt.• Traffic Laws/ State • Driving Test./ State• Police, Fire, Local Govt.• Military Protection to citizens Federal • Water , Electricity, State and Local Govt. controls• Air quality. Federal Govt. controls• School . State Govt. law • Eat out…Federal Law governs safety of food• Groceries… Federal Law governs food safety • Hair Stylist, Doctor, Dentist, Teachers.. Other professionals have licenses by government• Work… minimum wage, hours worked.. @ Federal Laws• Radio, TV… Federal government law prevents stations from interfering with each other’s

signals• Parks and Recreation.. Local Govt. controls• Citizenship, Voting Rights.. Federal Govt.

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http://home.earthlink.net/~kingsidebishop/id2.html

-archy

The greek suffix –archy means to rule .

Denotes politics, and government, chief or rule

anarchy

• 1.a state of society without government or law.

• an- prefix meaning not, without• arch: a leader, chief , ruler• -y: suffix meaning : characterized by

democracy

“Demos” common people-cracy: ( greek) Kratos, to rule

• Government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.

• CAUTION: Majority rule , minority has no voice or representation.

matriarchy

• a form of social organization in which the mother is head of the family, and in which descent is reckoned in the female line, the children belonging to the mother's clan; matriarchal system.

• Origins:• Matri- mother• -archy: chief . ruler

Monarchy

• a hereditary sovereign, as a king, queen, or emperor.

• mon- or mono- : meaning single or one• -archy: to rule, chief

Absolute Monarchy• Absolute monarchy • noun• a monarchy that is not limited or restrained by laws or a constitution.

• The rise of absolute monarchies dates back to the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, when several monarchs in western and eastern Europe increased the power of their central governments. In doing so, these kings, emperors, or sultans secured their position as the supreme ruler and possessor of all power. They surrounded themselves with followers and advisors who were strong advocates of royal absolutism. For those that opposed their behavior and seizure of power they replied that they had been granted the divine right of kings.

• The historical form of absolute monarchy is retained only in Brunei, Oman, Qatar,• Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and Vatican City.

Constitutional Monarchy• As Head of State The Queen has to remain strictly

neutral with respect to political matters, unable to vote or stand for election

• The Queen does have important ceremonial and formal roles in relation to the Government of the UK.

Autocracy

• government in which one person has uncontrolled or unlimited authority over others.

• the government or power of an absolute monarch.

• auto- self imposed• -cracy to rule, chief

Oligarchy

• a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.

• Olig- a few, or little• -archy: to rule, chief

• Example: Myanmar( Burma)

Patriarchy

• a form of social organization in which the father is the supreme authority in the family, clan, or tribe and descent is reckoned in the male line, with the children belonging to the father's clan or tribe.

• Pater: father• -arch: to rule, chief

Plutarchy or Plutocracy

• Plu"tar*chy n. [Gr. wealth + -archy.] Plutocracy; the rule of wealth. [R.]

• Plutos: wealth• -cracy: to rule

Theocracy

• a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical author

• Theo or theos: meaning god• -cracy: to rule, chief

• Examples: Vatican , Iran, Sudan

Types of Government and Economic Systems

• http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/find_out/guides/world/united_nations/types_of_government/newsid_2151000/2151570.stm

Anarchy

Anarchy is a situation where there is no government. This can happen after a civil war in a country, when a government has been destroyed and rival groups are fighting to take its place. Anarchists are people who believe that government is a bad thing in that it stops people organizing their own lives.

Capitalist

• Economic System• In a capitalist or free-market country, people

can own their own businesses and property. People can also buy services for private use, such as healthcare.

• But most capitalist governments also provide their own education, health and welfare services.

Autocracy

• Government by a single person having unlimited power; despotism (domination through threat of punishment and violence) .

Communist

• Economic System• In a communist country, the government owns

property such as businesses and farms. • It provides its people's healthcare, education

and welfare.

Democracy

• A democracy is determined either directly or through elected representatives.

• Everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to have their say over who runs the country.

• However, it is also possible for a minority to be oppressed by a "tyranny of the majority" in the absence of governmental or constitutional protections of individual or group rights.

Dictatorship

• A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control.

• In a military dictatorship, the army is in control

• Examples: Libya , Zimbabwe

Junta

• 1. a group of military officers holding the power in a country, esp. after a coup d'état

• 2. Also called: junto a small group of men; cabal, faction, or clique

• Examples:• Congo, Honduras•

Federal Government

• The USA is a type of this, called a federal republic.

• In this type of system, a central government shares power with a number of small local governments.

Monarchy

• A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or empress.• The ruling position can be passed on to the ruler’s

heirs. • In some traditional monarchies, the monarch has

absolute power. Examples: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait• But a constitutional monarchy, like the UK, also has a

democratic government that limits the monarch's control.

• Example, United Kingdom

Queen Elizabeth II

Regional or Local

• This is a government or council that controls a smaller area within a country.

• Some local governments have very limited powers and are mainly controlled by the central government.

• Others are powerful enough to make their own laws, like individual states in the USA.

Republic• A republic is a country that has no monarch. • The head of the country is usually an elected

president. • In a true republic, the minority has a say in the

government. Majority and Minority interest are considered

• A republic is a state that does not practice direct democracy but rather has a government indirectly controlled by the people. This is known as representative democracy.

• Examples: USA , France, Costa Rica.

Revolutionary Government

• If a government is overthrown by force, the new ruling group is sometimes called a revolutionary government.

Totalitarian state

• This is a country with only one political party. • People are forced to do what the government

tells them and may also be prevented from leaving the country.

Transitional• Transitional A country that is changing from one type of government

to another has a transitional government.• For example, a dictatorship may turn into a democracy after the

dictator dies.• The change between governments can take several years.

• Current Examples:• Egypt, Libya

•

Dictatorship

• A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control.

• ry ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control.

• A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control.

autocracy

• Government by a single person having unlimited power; despotism (domination through threat of punishment and violence).