Chapter 1

Chapter 1Chapter 1

Government and Government and the Statethe State

What is GovernmentWhat is Government

Government is the Government is the institution through which institution through which a society makes and a society makes and enforces its public enforces its public policies.policies.

Every Government has and Every Government has and exercises three basic kinds of exercises three basic kinds of power:power:

1.1. Legislative power: power to Legislative power: power to make law and to frame public make law and to frame public policies.policies.

2.2. Executive power: power to Executive power: power to execute, enforce and execute, enforce and administer lawadminister law

3.3. Judicial power: power to Judicial power: power to interpret laws, to determine interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the disputes that arise within the society.society.

Four Four Characteristics of Characteristics of

the Statethe StatePopulation A state must have people, the number of which does not directly relate to its existence.

Territory A state must be comprised of land—territory with known and recognized boundaries.

Sovereignty Every state is sovereign. It has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and decides its own foreign and domestic policies.

Government Every state has a government — that is, it is politically organized.

Major Political IdeasMajor Political Ideas The Force Theory The Force Theory The Evolutionary TheoryThe Evolutionary Theory The Divine Right TheoryThe Divine Right Theory The Social Contract TheoryThe Social Contract Theory

The Force TheoryThe Force Theory The force theory states that one person or a small The force theory states that one person or a small

group took control of an area and forced all within group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule.it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule.

The Evolutionary TheoryThe Evolutionary Theory The evolutionary theory argues that the state The evolutionary theory argues that the state

evolved naturally out of the early family.evolved naturally out of the early family.The Divine Right TheoryThe Divine Right Theory The theory of divine right holds that God created The theory of divine right holds that God created

the state and that God gives those of royal birth a the state and that God gives those of royal birth a “divine right” to rule.“divine right” to rule.

The Social Contract TheoryThe Social Contract Theory The social contract theory argues that the state The social contract theory argues that the state

arose out of a voluntary act of free people.arose out of a voluntary act of free people.

Purpose of GovernmentPurpose of Government Form a More Perfect UnionForm a More Perfect Union Establish JusticeEstablish Justice Insure Domestic TranquilityInsure Domestic Tranquility Provide for the Common DefenseProvide for the Common Defense Promote the General WelfarePromote the General Welfare Secure the Blessings of LibertySecure the Blessings of Liberty

As stated in the Preamble As stated in the Preamble

Classifying GovernmentsClassifying Governments Who can participateWho can participate The geographic distribution of The geographic distribution of

governmental power within the stategovernmental power within the state The relationship between the The relationship between the

legislative and the executive legislative and the executive branches of the governmentbranches of the government

Who Can ParticipateWho Can ParticipateDemocracyDemocracy

In a democracy, supreme political authority In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with the people. rests with the people.

A direct democracy exists where the will of A direct democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into law directly by the people is translated into law directly by the people themselves.the people themselves.

In an indirect democracy, a small group of In an indirect democracy, a small group of persons, chosen by the people to act as persons, chosen by the people to act as their representatives, expresses the popular their representatives, expresses the popular will.will.

Who Can ParticipateWho Can ParticipateDictatorshipDictatorship

A dictatorship exists where those who A dictatorship exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people.will of the people.

An An autocracyautocracy is a government in which is a government in which a single person holds unlimited a single person holds unlimited political power.political power.

An An oligarchyoligarchy is a government in which is a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, the power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.usually self-appointed elite.

Geographic Distribution Geographic Distribution of Powerof Power

Unitary Government: All powers held by the Unitary Government: All powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency.government belong to a single, central agency.

Federal Government: Powers of government Federal Government: Powers of government are divided between a central government and are divided between a central government and several local governments.several local governments.

Confederate Government: An alliance of Confederate Government: An alliance of independent states. A central organization, the independent states. A central organization, the confederate government has the power to confederate government has the power to handle only those matters that the member handle only those matters that the member states have assigned to it.states have assigned to it.

Relationship Between Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Legislative and Executive

BranchesBranches

Basic Concepts of Basic Concepts of DemocracyDemocracy

The American concept of democracy rests on The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions:these basic notions:

1.1. A recognition of the fundamental worth A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every personand dignity of every person

2.2. A respect for the equality of all personsA respect for the equality of all persons3.3. A faith in majority rule and an insistence A faith in majority rule and an insistence

upon minority rightsupon minority rights4.4. An acceptance of the necessity of An acceptance of the necessity of

compromisecompromise5.5. An insistence upon the widest possible An insistence upon the widest possible

degree of individual freedomdegree of individual freedom

Democracy and the Free Democracy and the Free Enterprise SystemEnterprise System

The The free enterprise systemfree enterprise system is an economic system is an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control; and private decision rather than by state control; and determined in a free market.determined in a free market.

Decisions in a free enterprise system are determined Decisions in a free enterprise system are determined byby the the law of supply and demandlaw of supply and demand..

An economy in which private enterprise exists in An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion is called a government regulation and promotion is called a mixed economymixed economy..