What is government? Every person must write a word or phrase on
the board.Get out a half sheet and answer the following
questions:Based on your own thoughts and maybe combining what your
peers wrote on the board, what is a government?We know governments
exist, but are they essential?Provide 2 reasons why they are and 2
reasons why they may not beLearning Targets for the dayI can define
government and the basic powers every government holdsdescribe the
four defining characteristics of the stateidentify four theories
that attempt to explain the origin of the stateunderstand the
purpose of government in the United States and other
countriesGovernmentThe institution through which a society makes
and enforces its public policies.What are public policies?Public
PoliciesAll of the things a government decides to doTherefore, what
types of issues does government have to deal with?Rank the above in
order of importance to you (9 = most
important)TaxationDefenseEducationCrimeHealth careThe
environmentCivil rightsWorker rightsWelfareTackling these issues is
a part of the political game. PoliticsMan is by nature a political
animal. -AristotleIs politics a bad word?So where does all of this
(government, public policy, politics) take place?The
StatePopulationTerritorySovereigntyGovernmentHow did the state come
about?Major Political IdeasThe Force TheoryThe Evolutionary
TheoryThe Divine Right TheoryThe Social Contract TheoryForce
TheoryOne person or a group claimed control over an area and forced
all within it to submit to that persons or groups rule.Evolutionary
TheoryThe state was born naturally out of the family unit concept.
One person was the head of a household (little government), then a
network of related families formed clans (a little bigger
government), then the clan became a tribe (much larger government),
then the tribe took to agriculture and tied itself to the land.
Then the state was born.Divine Right TheoryPeople were bound to
obey the ruler as proscribed by sacred religious beliefs, and then
heredity.Social Contract TheoryThomas HobbesIn the state of nature
profit is the measure of right.John LockeGovernment has no other
end, but the preservation of property.Jean Jacques RousseauMan is
born free, and everywhere he is in chains.Purpose of Government (at
least ours- What does each really mean? Does America accomplish
these?)Form a More Perfect UnionEstablish JusticeInsure Domestic
TranquilityProvide for the Common DefensePromote the General
WelfareSecure the Blessing of LibertyRead Section 1: Government and
the StateHave them answer the two questionsForms of GovernmentI
canClassify governments according to three sets of
characteristicsDefine systems of government based on who can
participateIdentify different ways that power can be distributed,
geographically, within a stateDescribe a government by how power is
distributed between the executive branch and legislative
branchhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOOTKA0aGI0&feature=player_embedded
Who Can
Participate?DemocracyAutocracyDictatorshipOligarchyCurrent
Autocrats
What an oligarchy might look like.
Geographic Distribution of PowerUnitaryFederalConfederate23
Relationship Between Legislative and Execute
BranchesPresidential SystemParliamentary SystemWhat are the
differences? Which is better?
Think-pair-share the three views of the presidency.Basic
Concepts of DemocracyI canUnderstand the foundations of
democracyAnalyze the connections between democracy and the free
enterprise systemIdentify the role of the Internet in a
democracyWhat does this image say about democracy? Do you
agree?
Basic Notions of DemocracyA recognition of the fundamental worth
and dignity of every personA respect for the equality of all
personsA faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority
rightsAn acceptance of the necessity of compromiseAn insistence
upon the widest possible degree of individual freedomWhat Hart Adds
to This DefinitionControl over government decision about policy is
constitutionally vested in elected officialsElected officials are
chosen in frequent and fairly conducted electionsPractically all
adults have the right to votePractically all adults have the right
to run for elective officeCitizens should have the rights to
express themselves without danger of severe punishmentCitizens have
a right to seek out alternative sources of informationCitizens have
the right to form relatively independent associations or
organizationsPopularly elected officials cannot be overridden by
unelected officialsThe polity must be self-governingWhat does this
say about democracy? Do you agree? Solutions?
