Transcript Alegre - Foundations of Government Ch1

FOUNDATIONS OF
GOVERNMENT
Chapter 1
SECTION 1 – THE PURPOSES OF
GOVERNMENT
• What is Government?
• Why do we need it?
• Characteristics of State: a political unit with the power to make and enforce
laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory.
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Population
Territory
Government
Sovereignty– power; independence;
FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT
• Security
• Maintain Order
• Resolve Conflict
• Provide Service
• Provide for the Public Good
THEORIES OF RULE
• Divine Right – ruler chose by God
• Natural Law and Natural Rights – rational order and human behavior
• Social Contract Theory - Agreeing among yourselves to allow yourself to be
governed.
PHILOSOPHERS
• Hobbes – Leviathan = “state of nature” without government or laws.
• John Locke – government is a product of social contract. Even in a
state of nature they are governed by natural laws they consent to.
• Limited government – life liberty and property need to be protected from the
government
• Rousseau – state of nature people were happy and it was
government that corrupted human condition and introduced
inequality.
• The Social Contract (1762) – only solution is a social contract based
government that responded to the will of the people.
SECTION 2 – FORMS OF
GOVERNMENT
MONARCHY
• Inherit the thrown
• Supreme authority
• Absolute – unlimited and unchecked
Autocracy – one person rules
DICTATORSHIP
• One person or small group has control
• Often violent
• Usually authoritarian
• Most extreme form is TOTALITARIAN
• All aspects of life
• Nazi Germany
• Oligarchy – rule of few, small group
• Often theocracies – religion
DEMOCRACY
• “demos” = people
• Direct – like in ancient Greece
• Republic – aka indirect or representative like the US
UNITARY AND FEDERAL
• Unitary governments - uni- means one.
• Federal – government is divided and power is shared locally and nationally
c
PRESIDENTIAL AND
PARLIAMENTARY
• One president chosen by the people with a separate legislative branch
• Parliamentary systems do not show a division between the executive and
legislative branches.
• IDEALS
• Liberty
• Equality
• Self Governance
BASIC CONCEPTS OF DEMOCRACY
AND PURPOSES OF GOVERNMENT…
• PRINCIPLES
• 1. Fundamental worth of the individual – free to live life people can reach their highest
potential
• 2. Rule of Law – limits on power
• 3. Majority Rule/Minority rights – minority rights are protected against the majority
• 4. Necessity of Compromise – give up a little and come to an agreement
• 5. Citizen Participation – self-government requires participation; citizens must be informed
• FREE ENTERPRISE – make own economic choices.
DO WE HAVE A DEMOCRACY?
• Majoritarian theory
• Elitist theory
• Pluralist theory
• Bureaucratic theory
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• If citizens are fit to select political leaders, why may they be unfit to govern
themselves without such leaders?
• What is the difference between power, authority and legitimacy?
• What is democracy, and why is democracy alone not sufficient to protect
people?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
• U.S. political culture and political socialization help create shared
fundamental values including liberty (freedom), equality, private property
and order. The dilemma of modern government is to balance freedom,
order and equality.
• The changing face of America – aging and ethnic changes, family structure
and education…what will the impact be on politics?
POLITICAL SPECTRUM
PURPOSE OF GOV’T - PREAMBLE
• P. 29 #9 – Read the preamble; What are the purposes of government?
Explain each statement.
• Chapter 1 Review Ch. 29 #1-7