Roots of Government

1. Roots of Government

2. What is Government • A government is the formal instrument or vehicle through which policies are made and the business of the state are conducted.

3. Philosophies of Government • Prior to U.S. most countries in Europe were run by a king. • During the Enlightenment , people began to question the “divine right” of kings. • Q: What is meant by “Divine Right”? • Two English philosophers and one French philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau espoused the “social contract theory – requires all people to give their consent to be governed.

4. Social Contract – An agreement between the people and the government signifying their consent to be governed. • Mayflower Compact – Document written by the Pilgrims enumerating the scope of their government and its expectations of citizens.

5. Thomas Hobbes • One of two English social contract theorists. • Leviathan – treatise on government • Humanity’s natural state is one of war. • Without government life would be chaos. • “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short” • Struggle to survive against the evil of others. • Therefore, governments had to step on peoples rights and liberties: • to control society. • To provide safeguards for property. • Single ruler to protect weak against the strong.

6. Jean-Jacques Rousseau • More optimistic about the state of nature. • Man has been corrupted by governments. • Governments were a source of power and inequality which cause human alienation and corruption. • The inequality in our lives would have been avoided by preserving the simple and solitary life that nature intended for us.

7. John Locke • His position is between Hobbes and Rousseau. • Social contract to replace state of nature with a system of government. • Believed in chief executive to administer laws. • This person should be limited by law or “social contract” with the people governed. • Natural rights of men – Life, liberty, property • Thomas Jefferson based the Declaration on Locke’s arguments.

8. Montesquieu • Adopted the idea of a “social contract” • Believed that the best government is one that fits the “peculiar character of its people.” • Theory of liberty – power to govern is best when divided into branches with a system to check power with power.

9. These philosophies and debates about government underlie current debates about the appropriate role of government. • 1. Government is the solution to human needs and problems. • 2. Government is often part of the problem. • 3. Government creates the social order that protects its citizens. • 4. Government limits our freedoms.

10. Purposes of Government • Community and nation-building – common language, norms and values, national identity. • Security and Order – internal and external • Protecting rights – social rights, political rights, economic property rights. Locke considered property rights of extreme importance for a prosperous community. • Promoting Economic Efficiency and Growth – can ease results of market failure.

11. Provide public goods ( clean air, national defense ) • Control externalities – costs not borne by the producer or consumer ex. Effects of toxic waste. • Social Justice – redistribute wealth and resources. • Protecting the weak – protect individuals and groups that cannot speak for themselves.

12. Government as the Problem • Skepticism of government persists. • Two political and philosophical traditions are critical of government. • 1. Libertarianism – criticize encroachment of government on individual liberties. • 2. Anarchism – concerned with threats posed to social communities.

13. A. Destruction of communities – government destroys natural communities. • Implies power and inequality among humaan beings. • Stronger government becomes, the greater the inequalities of power. • Strong governments create a “client society”

14. B. Violations of basic Rights – can use power to violate essential rights. • Examples – Nazi Germany, Stalin and the Soviet Union, the Taliban. • Madison’s dilemma – create a government strong enough to be effective but not too strong.

15. C. Economic Inefficiency – can distort and restrict economic potential. • Many Third World countries the leader has destroyed the economy for personal gain. • Can disrupt trade and lower peoples incentive to produce ( examples are Soviet Union and China. • Government run industries are likely to be inefficient and complacent.

16. D. Government for Private Gain – “rent-seeking” • Government intervenes in the economy for personal gain and profit. • Can turn into corruption. • Serious problem in underdeveloped countries. • “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.

17. E. Vested interests and Inertia – benefits to people in power leads to resistance to change. • Benefits of government programs want to maintain the status quo. • Example- Military observation post established during Spanish Armada remained for 400 years.

18. Types of Government • Direct Democracy – members of the polity (decision makers) meet to discuss policy decisions and agree to majority rule. • Indirect Democracy – citizens elect representatives to govern on their behalf. • Authoritarian systems – policy makers chosen by someone other than the citizens. • Monarchy – rule by hereditary kings. • Totalitarian – leader who rules in his own self-interest.

19. Oligarchy – participation is conditioned by wealth or property, or privilege.

20. Geographic Distribution of Power • Unitary Government – centralized government. • All power held by a central agency • Local governments only have those powers given to them by the central agency. • Example is Great Britain – all power is held by Parliament. • Not to be confused with dictatorship.

21. Federal government – powers divided between a central government and local governments. • An authority superior to both governments makes this division of powers. • In U.S. this is set up by the Constitution. • Other examples – Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Australia.

22. Confederate Government – a confederation is an alliance of independent states. • A central government only handles those matters assigned to it by the states. • Have little law-making power. • Vary rare in today’s world. • European Union is the closest to a confederation today.

23. Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches • Presidential government – branches are separate, independent of one another, and coequal. • Have powers that can be used to block actions by the other branch. • U.S. is an example

24. Parliamentary government – prime minister or premier and a cabinet. • Both are members of the legislative branchg, or parliament. • Prime Minister is usually the leader of the majority party. • Cabinet members are chosen from Parliament. • Executive chosen by, part of, and controlled by the legislature.