Forms of government

Forms of Government

3 Levels of Government

•Local Government

•State Government

•National Government

3 Levels of Government

• Local Government

• Responsible for city and county

• Addresses smaller issues that affect people in a town, city or county.

• Does not handle ANYTHING with foreign countries.

3 Levels of Government

• State Government

• Responsible for the State, such as Maryland

• Addresses larger issues that affect the people of a specific state.

3 Levels of Government

• National Government

• Responsible for the entire country

• Addresses major issues that affect EVERYBODY.

• Works with foreign countries on just about everything.

Power Systems

•3 systems for allocating power between Local, State, and National Governments

•Unitary, Confederate, and Federal.

•The US has a federal system.

Government Systems

• Unitary System

• Majority of power is given to National Gov.

• States have NO power.

• Advantage: efficient decision making

• Disadvantage: national government doesn’t know local needs.

Unitary Government

Government Systems

•Confederate System / Confederacy

•Most power is with States

•National still exists w/ low power

•Advantages: small states know what their people need.

•Disadvantages: States don’t work together and small size means weak defense.

Confederate Government

Government Systems

•Federal System / Federalism

•Power is SHARED between state and national government

•Advantage: More money, more ideas, more ways to address issues.

•Disadvantage: States MUST follow national laws, and two power sources = arguments.

Federal Government

UnitaryUnitary ConfederatConfederatee

FederalFederal

LocalLocal

StateState

NationalNational

Who has the power?

x

x

x

x xx

x

Unitary Confederate Federal

Advantage

Dis-advantage

efficient decision making

small states know what their people

need

More money, more ideas,

more ways to address issues

national government

doesn’t know local needs

- states don’t work together - small size

means weak defense

- states MUST follow national laws - two power sources =

arguments.