Government - Chapter 1

People and Government

What are the four main purposes of government?

How do various theories explain the origin of government?

Section One Objectives: Principles of Government

Aristotle – Greek scholar, one of the first students of government

State: political community that occupies a definite territory and has an organized government with the power to make and enforce laws without approval from any higher authority.◦ If we use this definition, what qualifies as a “state”?

The State

Any sizable group of people who are united by common bonds of race, language, custom, tradition, and sometimes religion.

◦Often the territorial boundaries of states and nations are the same. If they ARE, they are called nation-states.

Nation

1. Population – pretty obvious, but there have to people living there.

If there is consensus (agreement about

basic beliefs) then the government will be stable.

o What are some issues about which we have consensus in the United States?

Essential Features of a State

There have to be established boundaries (borders)

3. Sovereignty The idea that the state has supreme and

absolute authority within its territorial boundaries. What does this mean?

2. Territory

The institution through which the state maintains social order, provides public services, and enforces decisions that are binding on all people living within the state.

4. Government

1. Evolutionary Theory: states evolved from the family

2. Force Theory: government emerged when all the people in an area were brought under one person’s authority

3. Divine Right Theory: the idea that rulers have been chosen by God; to oppose the ruler was to oppose God

4. Social Contract Theory: theory by Thomas Hobbes

Theories of the Origin of the State

According to Hobbes Before government, everyone lived in the

state of nature. Life was VERY difficult. In order to gain protection, a contract was formed: people surrendered their power and the government agreed to protect the people. Hobbes said the people did NOT have the right to break this contract.

Social Contract Theory

According to Locke People have natural rights: life, liberty and

property. He said that if the government fails to preserve these rights, the people have the right to break the contract they have entered with the government.

Locke’s ideas were the inspiration behind the American Revolution.

Social Contract Theory

1. Maintain Social Order: Government maintains social order because people can’t do it on their own.

◦Make and enforce laws◦Levy taxes◦Provide a court system◦Providing law and order

Purposes of Government

Lincoln said the job of government is to do for people what they can’t do for themselves.

◦ Build roads◦ Create sewer systems◦ Inspect food and drugs for public safety◦ Pass laws to be sure that only safe drivers get

licensed

2. Providing Public Services

Protect people against attacks by other states◦Control of the military◦Make sure the country is defended and

secure◦Deals with foreign countries◦Make treaties

3. Provide National Security

Government passes laws that shapes the economic environment of the country◦Pass laws regarding public services and

benefits◦Try to control inflation◦Encourage trade◦Regulate the development of natural

resources

4. Making Economic Decisions

What are the similarities and differences between a unitary government and a federal government system?

What are the main purposes of a constitution?

Section Two Objectives:The Formation of Governments

1. Unitary system: all key power is held by the national or central government. Limited sovereignty can be given to local governments. (Example: Great Britain, Italy, France)

Government Systems

2. Federal system: Power is divided between the central/national government and the states or provinces. Each level has sovereignty in some areas.

In what areas are the 50 states sovereign?

Government Systems continued

3. Confederacy: a loose union of independent states. This is the type of government we had right after the Revolutionary War. It didn’t work, so we wrote the Constitution and built a stronger government.

Government systems continued

Constitution: a plan that provides rules for the government. Can be written or unwriten.

Purposes of a Constitution:1. Sets out the ideals that people believe in 2. Establishes the structure of the

government and defines its powers and duties

3. Provides the supreme law for the country

Constitutions and Government

The oldest living constitution in the world Written in 1787 Creates a “constitutional government” for

our country (places limits on the powers of those who govern)

Creates limited government

THE U.S. CONSTITUTION

1. It can’t possibly spell out all the laws, customs and ideas

2. It doesn’t always reflect the actual practice of government in a country

The Constitution is an incomplete guide

The Preamble: Introduction to the Constitution. It lays out the goals of the American government

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK :)

“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 secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

A statement of goals

Lays out a plan for the government

Describes the relationship between the federal government and the states

Describes how it can be changed (AMENDMENTS!)

Main body is divided into parts called Articles (our Constitution has 7 Articles)

A framework for government

The Constitution provides the supreme law of the land

Constitutional law: interpreting and applying the Constitution

The highest law

Politics: the effort to control or influence the conduct or policies of government

◦ Who has a role to play in politics? Why?

Politics and Government

There are major inequalities between states (industrialized vs. developing nations)◦ Industrialized nations: large industries, advanced

technology, stable governments, more comfortable way of life

◦ Developing nations: Low per capita income, poverty, few resources, little manufacturing, political turmoil

States are becoming more interdependent◦ What does this mean????

Governing in a Complex World

There are also Nonstate International Groups that play a role in politics:

◦Political movements (Palestinian Liberation Organization)

◦Multinational corporations (McDonald’s, Sony, GM)

◦International organizations (like the United Nations)

Non-state International Groups

Objectives◦What are the main characteristics of a democracy?

◦Why is free enterprise conducive to the growth and preservation of a democracy?

Section Three – Types of Government

Autocracy – power and authority are held in the hands of a single individual. Most autocrats rule because of inheritance or the use of force.◦ Totalitarian dictatorship – single person rules all

aspects of social and economic life (Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini)

◦ Monarchy – rule by a king, queen or emperor Absolute monarch Constitutional monarch

Types of Government

Oligarchy – system of government where a small group holds power◦ Power comes through wealth, military power, or

social position Today most Communist countries are oligarchies

Democracy – system of government in which rule is by the people

◦ The people hold sovereign power◦ Lincoln defined it as “government of the people,

by the people, and for the people”

Two types of democracy:◦ direct democracy – people make all decisions

directly (can only happen in small towns)

◦ representative (indirect) democracy – people elect representatives who have the responsibility to make laws and run the government

1. Individual Liberty2. Majority Rule with Minority Rights3. Free elections “one person, one vote” candidates have the right to express their views

freely, giving voters a clear choice Citizens can help candidates and support issues Legal requirements for voting are kept to a

minimum 4. Competing Political parties – in the US, they are

the Democrats and the Republicans

Characteristics of a Democracy

Active citizen participation

A favorable economy

Widespread education

Strong Civil Society

A social consensus

Factors that lead to the success of a democracy

Objectives

◦ In what three ways has the United States modified its free enterprise system?

◦ According to Karl Marx, what was the ultimate goal of true communism?

Section Four: Economic Theories

The study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly unlimited wants through the use of limited resources.

What are these resources?◦ Land◦ Labor◦ Capital

Economics

1. What and how much should be produced?

2. How should goods and services be produced?

3. Who gets the goods and services that are produced?

Questions all economies must answer:

5 main characteristics:

Private ownership of property and resources Free enterprise Competition among businesses Freedom of choice Possibility of profits

Capitalism

Two ideas led to the development of capitalism:◦ The idea that people could work for economic

gain◦ The idea that wealth should be used

aggressively

◦ Free Market : buyers and sellers are free to make unlimited economic decisions in the marketplace

Origins of Capitalism

Wrote The Wealth of Nations in 1776

Scottish philosopher and economist who advocated a free market economy

laissez-faire: government should stay out of the economy except to ensure free competition

Adam Smith

Government influence over the economy has increased greatly since the 1900s◦ It is now the largest buyer of goods and services

in the country◦ There are greater government regulations than

ever before◦ The Great Depression changed the role of the

government in people’s lives. HOW????

American free enterprise and the role of the government

Free enterprise is combined with and supported by government decisions in the marketplace

Mixed Market Economy

Three main goals:

◦ Equal distribution of wealth and economic opportunity

◦ Government control of all decisions about production

◦ Public (government) ownership of most land, factories and means of production

Socialism

System where people have basic human rights and some control through free elections and multiparty systems. The government still owns the means of production.

Examples today: England, Denmark, Norway, Sweden Government owns steel mills, railroads, airlines,

provides health care HIGH TAXES!

Democratic socialism

Karl Marx German thinker and writer Published the Communist Manifesto in 1867 Divided society into bourgeosie

(capitalists/owners) and the proletariat (workers) The ruling class use their economic power to

force their will on the workers and keep the profits the workers earn for them

Described history as a class struggle, and eventually the workers would revolt. When they did, a new government would form and take over the means of production

Communism

One class will evolve Property is held in common No need for government

Communism is a command economy◦ Government decides what and how much to produce,

how to distribute goods and services◦ State owns the land, natural resources, industry, banks

and transportation. Also controls mass communication

Communism continued