Before class please pick up the papers from the cart On the small colored piece of paper, please define a state in the political theorists sense
Purpose of Government
You tell me… What are some of the purposes of government? We will lump all of them into 5 categories
Keep Societies Ordered Keeping the peace at home is a primary role of gov’t How do they maintain order? Police National guard Prisons Laws
Provide Public Services Government acts as a servant of its citizens by providing services What types of services? Public education Health care Public transportation Social Security Welfare Environmental protection Labor offices Libraries Roads
Provide for National Security Government acts to protect the nation against foreign enemies of from internal subversion How? Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard FBI, CIA, DIA, Homeland Security Forming alliances Foreign diplomats
Promote Standards of Behavior Rules of conduct are established and a means to enforce them are found How? Laws Police Court System Socialization in public schools
Make Economic Decisions Government decisions concerning economic factors vary How/ what ways? Taxes Interest rates Controlling money supply Federal Reserve System Regulating trade Regulating natural resources Budgeting for government spending
Do all governments equally carry out those duties?
What types of government are there? Anarchism “without rule” No gov’t Authoritarianism Oppressive state, lacks consent of the people Ex. Police state, communism, fascism Autocracy One leader with unlimited power Tyrant, monarch, dictator Democracy Majority rule “rule by the people”
What types of government are there? Oligarchy Small group controls society “few rule” Ex. Aristocracy Republic State led by representatives who do not exceed the power given to them by the people Ex. Federal republic, constitutional republic Theocracy “rule by God” Religion plays dominant role Tribalism Society divided into small independent tribes No organization beyond local Oldest form of gov’t