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Foundations of government

Foundations of government. What is Government?. Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies. The State. Four characteristics: Population Must have people who agree to separate Territory Must have land with recognized boundaries Sovereignty

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Foundations of government

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  1. Foundations of government

  2. What is Government? • Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies

  3. The State • Four characteristics: • Population • Must have people who agree to separate • Territory • Must have land with recognized boundaries • Sovereignty • Must have supreme power within its territory • Government • Must be politically organized

  4. Origins of the State • Force Theory • One person or small group took control & forced all within it to submit to that person or group’s rule • Evolutionary Theory • Evolved naturally out of the structure of the family • Divine Right Theory • Argues that God created the state; gives those of royal birth the “divine right” to rule. • Social Contract Theory • State arose out of a voluntary act of free people

  5. The Purpose of Government • Defined in the Preamble of the Constitution • Government = protection of the people “We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure Domestic Tranquility, provide for the Common Defense, 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.”

  6. Classifying Governments • 3 ways:

  7. 1. Classification by who can Participate • Democracy • Sovereignty rests with the people • Direct Democracy • The citizens themselves actively create laws • Indirect Democracy • Representatives are chosen by the people • Dictatorship • Sovereignty rests with elite group of rulers • Autocracy • a single person holds power • Oligarchy • Power to rule is held by a small group

  8. 2. Classification by Where Power is held • Unitary Government • All power held by a single, central agency • Confederation • A loose alliance of independent states • Almost no central government at all • Federal Government • Powers of government are divided between central and local governments

  9. Presidential Relationship Voters elect the Legislature Voters also elect an Executive Legislative and Executive branches are independent Parliamentary Relationship Voters elect the Legislature to represent them The Legislature chooses someone from among them to be the Executive (Prime Minister) 3. Classification by balance between Legislative and Executive

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