Transcript What is Government?

What is Government?
What is Government?
Purpose
Enforce Public Policies (what are they?)
Security v. Freedom
Characteristics
3 Branches
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
• Most bound by a constitution
State
What is a 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.
Nation v. Country
Characteristic of a State
Population
Territory
Sovereignty
Government
Origins of Government
Force Theory
Evolutionary Theory
Divine Right Theory
Social Contract
Classifying Governments
1. Who can participate?
2. The geographic distribution of
governmental power within the state
3. The relationship between the legislative
and executive branches of government
Who can participate?
Democracy
Despotism
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Who can participate? Democracy
Supreme political authority rests w/ people
People hold sovereign power and
government is conducted only by & with
the consent of the people
“government of the people, by the people
and for the people.” –Abraham Lincoln
Who can participate? Democracy
Direct- (pure democracy)- people
themselves create the policies
Practical for small communities
Indirect- (representative democracy)group of people are chosen to represent
specific populations
Who can participate? Democracy
Who can participate? Despotism
Those who’s rule cannot be held
responsible to the will of the people
Oldest and most common throughout
history
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Totalitarian
Usually gain power through force
Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
Federal Government
Confederate Government
Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
Centralized
Great Britain—Parliament
Local Governments only to relieve burden of
menial tasks
Doesn’t mean Dictatorship!!!
Geographic Distribution of Power
Federal Government
Division of Power
Ex: USA, Australia, Canada, Mexico,
Germany, Switzerland, India and 20+
others
Geographic Distribution of Power
Confederate Government
Alliance of independent states
Ex: USA Between 1781-1789, EU
Relationship between Legislative and
Executive Branches
Presidential Government (USA, France)
Executive and legislative branches of the
Government are separate
Independent
Equal
Parliamentary (Great Britain, India)
Executive is the leader of the majority party
Types of Government
Anarchy
Democracy
Autocracy
Monarchy
Dictatorship
Oligarchy
Stratocracy
Theocracy
Plutocracy
Positives and Negatives of Government