1. 1 GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE Government – the institution through which a society makes and enforces public policies Public policies – all things a government decides to do - range from taxation, defense, education, crime, healthcare, transportation, the environment, civil rights, and working conditions (list is nearly endless)

2. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE Three basic kinds of power – Legislative – power to make law and frame public policies Executive – power to execute, enforce, and administer law Judicial – power to interpret laws and determine meaning 2

3. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE Responsibility for the exercise of these powers can be held by a single person – DICTATORSHIP- those who rule are not held responsible to will of the people When responsibility rests with the majority of the people – DEMOCRACY – supreme authority rests with the people 3

4. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE Politics Process by which society decides how power and resources will be distributed Allows society to decide who will reap the benefits, who will pay the costs of public policies The means by which government is conducted 4

5. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE Politics & government are very different Politics is a process – government is an institution 5

6. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE STATE-The dominant political unit in the world Defined as a body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically within a government, with the power to make and enforce law More than 190 states in the world today 4 characteristics of the state – 1)population 2) territory 3)Sovereignty 4) government 6

7. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE POPULATION China – worlds most populous state – more than 1.3 billion people (India 2 nd, USA 3 rd ) People who make up a state may or may not be homogenous – members of a group who share customs, language and ethnic background 7

8. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE TERRITORY State cannot exist without land Russia world’s largest state – 6.6 million square miles 8

9. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE SOVEREIGNTY Every state is sovereign – has supreme and absolute power within its own territory Can decide its own foreign and domestic affairs USA is a sovereign state – the states within USA are not- they are subordinate to the Constitution 9

10. GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT Every state has a government Necessary to avoid “war of every man against every man” 10

11. PURPOSE OF GOV’T FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION 1781 – Articles of Confederation – loose association of 13 individual states Government was powerless Constitution written in 1787- built on belief that in union there is strength 11

12. PURPOSE OF GOV’T ESATBLISH JUSTICE Jefferson – “to provide justice is the most sacred duty of the government” Justice difficult to define- it means what people make it mean Means the law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial 12

13. PURPOSE OF GOV’T INSURE DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY Order is essential to the well-being of any society Keeping the peace at home has always been prime function of government 13

14. PURPOSE OF GOV’T PROVIDE FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE Defense is mentioned in the Constitution far more often than any of the other functions of government Defense of the nation & foreign policy – the security of the United States One of the government’s greatest responsibilities 14

15. PURPOSE OF GOV’T PROMOTE THE GENERAL WELFARE The government is a servant to its citizens E.g. – public schools, protecting quality of food, etc. etc. Services that the government provides in the US are those that benefit all or most people 15

16. PURPOSE OF GOV’T SECURE THE BLESSINGS OF LIBERTY Jefferson – “the God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time” Franklin- “They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” The inspiration to protect our rights and liberties arises from deep feelings of patriotism 16