Principals of Government

1. Principals of Government Setting Our Semester Stage

2. What Is Government? • Definition: an institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies (that is that things governments decide to do) • 3 Basic Powers • Legislative: Creates Laws • Executive: Enforces Laws • Judicial: Interprets Laws • Governments have Constitutions • Body of fundamental laws setting out the principals, structures, & processes of government • Power is held by one or a small group of people (dictatorship) or by a majority of the population (democracy)

3. Government • One of the oldest human institutions • Humans have need of being regulated • First record in 6th Century B.C. Egypt • 2300 years ago the Greek scholar Aristotle wrote • “man by nature is a political animal”

4. The State • Definition: a body of people living together in a defined territory, organized politically with a government, which has the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of a higher authority • 190 Global States • All have FOUR things in common • Population • Territory • Sovereignty • Government

5. Population • A state must have a population • Size of the population does not determine the existence of a state • World’s Smallest State: Vatican City (Pop. 800) • World’s Largest State: the PRC, China (Pop. 1.3 Billion) • The U.S. ranks third with over 300 million people • Populations may or may not be homogeneous • Language, culture, religion, etc. may all be the same or different • Does the U.S. have a homogeneous or heterogeneous population?

6. Territory • A state must have land with recognized boundaries • Vatican City’s area: 0.2 miles square • Russia’s area: 6.6 million miles square • The U.S. total area: >3.8 million miles square

7. Sovereignty • Supreme and absolute power within its’ borders and can decide its’ own foreign and domestic policies • States can establish their own frame of government, economic systems, etc. • Distinguishing characteristic over lesser political units • Example: • The United States are not sovereign in a legal, international sense • Subordinate to the U.S. Constitution

8. Government • Political organization = A government • Entity in which the state exerts its power to accomplish goals • Includes both the people and machinery that help rule • Government is to provide protection, services, and care for its people • Thomas Hobbes wrote: • “the war of every man against every man” • “[without government]…continual fear and danger of violent death and life [would be] solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”

9. Major Political Ideas • Scholars have debated how governments first came into existence • Four Main Theories • Force • Evolutionary • Divine Right • Social Contract • All must have: Population, Territory, Sovereignty, & a Government

10. Force & Evolutionary • The Force Theory • One person or a small group capture/control a small area and subjugate the inhabitants • The Evolutionary Theory • Developed out of the family • Family head was the “government” • Over time network of related families come together • The CLAN • More families merge into a Tribe • Agricultural living made for stationary living and the state was born

11. Divine Right • A supreme being created that state and gave the “divine right” to rule to those of royal birth • Obeying the ruler is obeying the god(s) • Disobedience is treason and a sin • Ancient China, Egypt, Central & South America • Japan held this belief until 1945 • Western European traditional until the late 18th Century • Age of Enlightenment • American and French Revolutions

12. Social Contract • Arose Voluntarily • Before the state people lived in a “State of Nature” • Only had themselves • People gave up power to the state and established a constitution • State was to serve the people • The population had the power to give and take power from the state • Influenced Revolutionary America • Declaration of Independence • Popular Sovereignty, Limited Government, & Individual Rights

13. The Purpose of Government “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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” -Preamble to the Constitution

14. Form A More Perfect Union • U.S. faced challenges in the Post-Revolutionary Years • 1781, Articles of Confederation established • Meant to create a, “firm league of friendship:” • Only created thirteen individual countries • The Government was powerless • 1787, Constitution created • Linked states together • Unity created strength

15. Establish Justice • Jefferson wrote that justice was, “the most sacred of the duties of government”. • Justice is a concept, an idea, and an invention • The Law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial • This has not always been met • Martin Luther King Jr. said, • “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

16. Insure Domestic Tranquility • Order is essential to a society • Peace at home is a prime function of our government • With anarchy a state cannot function • Examples of Times of Anarchy • French Revolution (Late 1700’s), Somalia & Egypt Today • The Federalist No. 51 Madison wrote • “If men were angels, no government would be necessary”

17. Provide For The Common Defense • Nation defense is a major responsibility • Mentioned more than any other function in the Constitution • Defense and foreign policy go hand-in-hand • U.S. is powerful but it must remain vigilant and armed

18. Promote The General Welfare • The Government is the servant of the citizenry • Provides public school, Social Security, medical care, & clean air, water, and food • These programs benefit all if not most of the people • Provides services that may or may not be provided by a private investor or company

19. Secure The Blessings Of Liberty • Liberty is not absolute • No one is completely free to do what he or she wants • Your actions cannot interfere with the liberty of others • Every generation must learn and understand the guarantees of liberty • Patriotism • Protection of the homeland or its rights • Good citizenship • Jefferson wrote, • “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty”

20. Governmental Classifications And yes, this is the same presentation

21. Classifications • Each government is different • Three Classifications that all governments are compared to: • Who can participate in the governmental process • Geographic distribution of governmental power • Relationship between the Legislative & Executive branches

22. Who Can Participate • Populace participation is known as Democracy • Greek demos “the people” and kratia “rule” • Political authority rests with the people • The government is conducted with the people’s consent • Two kinds of Democracy • Direct • Indirect

23. Direct Democracy • Known as a “pure democracy” • The people meet in mass to discuss issues • Everyone eligible to vote has a say and casts a ballot • Works in small communities • Exists in at the local government level in New England

24. Indirect Democracy • Known as a “representative democracy” • Elected officials express the popular will • Deal with day to day governmental functions • Elections are held periodically • Votes express approval or disapproval • Government of popular consent • System found in the U.S. • Also known as a Republic or a Democratic Republic

25. Dictatorship • Leaders are not held responsible for actions • Probably the oldest form of government • Two Kinds: • Autocracy-Rule by a single person • Oligarchy-Rule by a self-appointed group of elite • Usually Authoritarian & Totalitarian • Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, Iraq, the PRC • Total control is rare • Influence of military, religious groups, industrialists, etc.

26. …Continued • Elections are held but closely monitored and controlled • Militaristic in nature with little fear of using force • Use of military and police

27. Geographic Distribution Of Power • Unitary Government • Centralized power held by a single central agency • Central agency creates local government entities • Power given and taken by central group • Great Britain • Parliament holds the power • Local governments relieves the burden of Parliament • Unitary style but also democratic

28. Federal Government • Central government with several local governments established independently • Division of Powers • United States Example • National Government has powers and so do the States • Powers are set by the Constitution • State governments are Unitary and not Federal • Confederate Government • Alliance of independent states • Government has limited power (limited government) • States can choose matters to take interest in

29. …Continued • The European Union • Founded in 1993 • Currently 28 member states • Common currency (GB is the exception) and trade networks • Coordinates foreign and domestic policies • Still independent countries

30. Relationship Between The Leg. & Ex. Branches • Presidential Government • Separation of Powers • Independent but coequal in Leg. & Ex. • President chosen independently of the Legislature • Fixed Terms • Number of significant powers • System of Checks and Balances • Powers expressed through the Constitutional • The U.S. is the leading example • Mostly found in the Western Hemisphere

31. Parliamentary Government • Head of the government is the Prime Minister or Premier and their cabinet • Ex. is a member of the Leg. Branch • PM is the head of the leading party in Leg. • Chosen by Leg. assembly • Ex. holds power as long as he/she has the approval of the Leg. • “Vote of no confidence” • PM and cabinet resign • Leg. or the people reelect parliament • Found in the majority of the world • Prevents conflicts and dead locks • Con: No system of Checks and Balances

32. Concepts of Democracy We are almost done I promise

33. Concepts • Democracy does not exist simply because it is the “best” system • It exists because we allow it to • Basic Concepts • Worth of the Individual • Equality of all Persons • Majority Rule, Minority Rights • Necessity of Compromise • Individual Freedom

34. Worth Of The Individual • Fundamental importance of the individual • Everyone is a separate, distinct being • Individual welfare can be subordinate to that of the many • We are forced to pay taxes, register for the draft (males), or stop at a stoplight • Serves the interests of the many

35. Equality Of All Persons • Hand-in-hand to the worth of the individual • “All men are created equal” • Democracy understands equality in all cases is non-existent • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law • Race, religion, gender, etc. cannot hold a person back • Each must developed as fully as they can • Has everyone reached this?

36. Majority Rule, Minority Rights • Democracy argues that the majority will be right the most often • Democracy is an experiment in trial and error • Democracy looks for a satisfactory solution to problems • Majority must be able to hear the minority argument

37. Necessity of Compromise • Democracy is a blend and adjusting of competing views and interests • Compromising is a process in coming to an agreement • Essential for two reasons • The individual is important and equality of all • Decisions can only be made through compromise • Few public questions have two sides

38. Individual Freedom • Democracy thrive in a atmosphere of Individual Freedoms • Remember: Freedom/Liberty is not ABSOLUTE • Your freedom cannot infringe on another • Balance between freedom and order

39. Free Enterprise System • FES: economic system characterized by the private ownership of capital, goods and services, and investments, made by private individuals, not the government • Law of Supply & Demand: when supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop (& vice versa) • Mixed Economy: private enterprise with government oversight • Government • Protects the public • Preserves private enterprise