1. Why is government necessary?
Governments serves many functions
Protects the people from outside attacks
Protects people from inside violence (crime)
Ensures that all people have their basic needs met
Provides education
Ensures adequate healthcare
Protect individual liberties
What are some other functions of gov?

2. Government Basics:
Government: the institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies
Public Policy: all the decisions that a government makes for its people
Government must have POWER to make & carry out its public policies
Types of Powers:
Legislative Power: the power to make law/policy
Executive Power: the power to carry out & enforce law/policy
Judicial Power: the power to define & interpret the law and the power to settle disputes
Constitution: a country’s basic beliefs about government including its principles, structure, framework, and processes – usually written.
Politics: the process thru which government is conducted

3. The State: The State is the dominate political unit
A State must have the following:
Population: the people living in a state.
Homogeneous: all people share a common culture, language, ideology, etc
Heterogeneous: people come from different cultures, languages, etc.
Defined Territory: the land a state occupies w/set & recognized boundaries
Organized Government: a way of making & enforce laws
Sovereignty: supreme and absolute power w/in own boundaries – no other state can claim power over it

4. Development of Government
Evolutionary Theory:
Developed naturally from the family structure
One family member gained more respect/power & became the designated leader
Force Theory:
Developed as one person or group took control through military strength
Divine Right Theory:
The belief that the right to rule came from their God
Social Contract Theory:
The belief that government is a “contract” between the people & the leaders
Leaders provide order & protection
People give up certain rights
Developed by Thomas Hobbes & John Locke
Development of Government

5. Types of Governments: Republics Autocracies
Republic: a government ruled by the people
Democracy: a government in which the supreme authority rests with the people
Direct democracy: all citizens rule (New England townships)
Indirect/Representative Democracy: citizens rule thru elected representatives (USA)
Constitutional Monarch:
King/Queen acts as a figurehead
Governing power held by an elected representative assembly (Great Britain)
Autocracies
(Totalitarian Regimes)
Dictatorships: a type of government controlled by 1 person w/absolute control (North Korea)
Absolute Monarchy: a type of government controlled by a king/queen (Saudi Arabia)
Oligarchy:
a type of government controlled by small group
(China, former USSR)

7. Distribution of Power Unitary System of Government
Most power held by a strong central government
State/local government serve only to carry out the duties of the central government
Examples: Great Britain (England) & France
Federal System of Government
Power is held equally between a central government and state/local governments
Division of Powers – each level has specific powers that they can exercise independently
Examples: United States & Germany
Confederation
An alliance between independent states to work together
Extremely strong state governments
Central authority holds little true power, usually only authority of trade and defense
Examples: the European Union & United Nations

8. Systems of Power Distribution
Unitary
Central gov
State & Local gov
Federal
State & Local gov
Central gov
Central gov
State & Local gov
Confederation

9. Presidential v. Parliamentary Systems
Presidential System
Executive & legislative branches are independent of each other
President is chosen by the people
Each branch has separate authority
Legislative & executive can check the other’s authority
Example: USA
Parliamentary System
The executive (Prime Minister) is the leader of the legislative branch
The PM is under the parliament’s authority
Can be removed from office via a “no confidence” vote by parliament
Example: Great Britain

10. Five Basic Beliefs of American Democracy
Recognition of the fundamental worth of the individual
Respect for the equality of all persons
Faith in majority rule w/respect to minority rights
Understanding of the necessity to compromise
Insistence on individual freedoms

11. The Basic Beliefs Explained…
Worth of the Individual:
Each individual is a separate & distinct being
Sometimes the rights of the individual must give way to the whole
Equality for all persons:
American gov. guarantees two types of equality
Equality of opportunity: no person can be held back on basis of gender, race, religion, etc.
Equality under the law: law applies equally to all persons
Recognizes that all men are not created “equally,” but they should still be treated “equally”

12. The Basic Beliefs Continued
Majority Rule/Minority Rights:
Will of majority is what decides public policy thru elections
Assumes that the majority will is right more that it is wrong
To protect the “minority” will, laws are in place to protect the minorities from discrimination
Necessity of Compromise:
Compromise is the blending or adjusting of beliefs to meet the needs of the most people
Individual Freedom:
People must be as free as possible
A person’s rights extend only as far as they do not interfere in another’s rights
“…my right to throw a punch ends
where another’s nose begins…”

13. Purposes of American Government
Located in the PREAMBLE to the Constitution
Preamble lists the goals & objectives of the US 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 Defense
Promote the General Welfare
And to Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America