CHAPTER 1 Principles of government f

WHAT IS GOVERNMENT?  The institutions through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.  Public policies  All the things a government decides to do (taxes, defense, education, healthcare)  Governments are made up of people who exercise its powers, they have authority  Governments have 3 basic kinds of power needed to carry out public policies  1. Legislative Power  Make laws frame public policies.  2. Executive Power  Execute, enforce the laws  3. Judicial Power  Interpret Laws (meaning) settle disputes  These powers of government are outlined in a Constitution  The body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures and processes of a government.

 The ultimate responsibility for the exercise of these powers may be held by:  Dictatorship  Power in the hands of a single person or a small group  Those that rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people  Democracy  The exercise of power rests with a majority of the people.  Supreme authority rest with the people.  What is the difference between government and politics  Government is the institutions  Politics is a process by which a society decides how power and resources will be distributed within the society  Enables a society to decide who will get the benefits and who will pay the costs of its public policies.

The State  A body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically, and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority.  4 characteristics of a state. (pages 5-6-7)  1. Population A. A B. B  2. Territory 1. A. 2. B.  3. Sovereignty 1. A 2. B  4. GovernmentA.B.

THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT  1. Form a More Perfect Union  A. In union there is strength  B. We want to link the people and the State together as one  2. Establish Justice  A.  B.  3. Insure Domestic Tranquility  A.  B.

 4. Provide for the common Defense  A.  B.  C.  5. Promote the General Welfare  A.  B.  C.  6. Secure the Blessings of Liberty  A.  B.  C.

Origin of the State Theories  1. Force Theory  The state was born by force  One person or a small group claimed control over an area and forces all within it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule.  2. Evolutionary Theory  State developed naturally out of the early family  Primitive family, of which one person was the head and thus the government, was the first stage in political development.  Overtime the original family became a network of related families which became a tribe.

 3. Divine Right Theory  God created the state and that God had given those of royal birth a divine right to rule.  People were bound to obey their ruler as they would God.  Opposition to the divine right of the ruler was seen as both treason and a mortal sin.  4. Social Contract Theory  The State arose out of a voluntary act of free people. It holds that the State exists only to serve the will of the people, and they are the sole source of power, and they are free to give or to withhold that power as they choose.  In the contract (constitution) the members of the State create a government to exercise the power they have voluntarily given to the State.

 Philosophers who created this theory, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Rousseau  In the state of nature all people are free and no authority existed to protect one person from the aggressive actions of others. Thus, individuals were only safe as their own physical strength and intelligence could make them.  People overcame their unpleasant conditions, says the social contract theory, by agreeing with one another to create a State. By contract, people within an area agreed to give up to the State as much power as was needed to promote the safety and well-being of all.

Classifying Governments  No two governments are exactly alike because they are the products of humans needs and experiences.  Governments can be classified according to many basic features (3 of them are very useful and important)  1. who can participate in the governmental process  2. Geographic distribution of governmental power  3. Relationship between the legislative and executive branches

1. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE  Democracy  Supreme political authority rest with the people, they hold the sovereign power, and government is conducted only by the consent of the people.  Direct democracy  The will of the people is translated into public policy directly by the people themselves in mass meetings (New England)  Indirect democracy (REPRESENTATIVE REPUBLIC)  a small group of people are chosen by the people to act as their representatives, and they are responsible for carrying out the day to day working of the government. They are accountable to the people.  Elections  Sovereign power is held by those eligible to vote.

Dictatorship  Those that rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people, the government is not accountable for its policies or how they are carried out.  Autocracy  Government in which a single person holds unlimited power  Oligarchy  Government in which the power to rule is held by a small group.  All dictatorships are authoritarian-those in power hold absolute and unchallengeable authority over the people.  Totalitarian exercise complete power over nearly every aspect of human affairs the people have little to no freedoms.  A lot of them give an outward appearance of democracy  They are mostly militaristic and they use force the keep power.

2. Geographic Distribution of Power  In every system of government the power it holds is located in different places.  Unitary Government  Power is centralized- all power is held by the government belongs to a single central agency (France) (Great Britain)  Central government creates local units of government for its convenience  Local governments have only the power the national government gives them.

 Federal Government  Power of government is divided between a national and many local governments (USA, Canada, Mexico)  Division of power between the federal and state governments  Constitution sets which powers belong to what government  Both levels of government act directly on the people with their own laws and agencies.

 Confederate government  Alliance of independent states  Central government only handles those matters that the member state assign to it.  National government is weak and holds limited power  Sovereignty rest with the member states.

Relationship between the Legislative and Executive Branches  Presidential Government  The branches are separate, independent, and co equal  Several powers are held by both branches that are used to check or block actions by the other branch.  A Constitution provides for the separation.

 Parliamentary Government  The executive is made up of the prime minister  The prime minister and the cabinet are also members of the legislative branch. (parliament)  Executive is chosen by the legislature, is a part of it, and is subject to its direct control.  Prime Minister remains in office only as long as their policies have the confidence of the majority in parliament.  If the Prime Minister is defeated in a important matter they receive a vote of no confidence and he or she must resign and a new government must be formed and all seats in the parliament go before an election.