Government and the State Magruder’s American Government Chapter 1 Chapter 1 American Government.

Government and the StateMagruder’s American Government Chapter 1

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Why government?

• Do you think society needs a government? Why or why not?

• What are the main differences between a dictatorship and a democratic form of government?

• Do you remember the three parts of the US government?

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Government and Politics• Government includes

the institutions that make and enforce public policies.

• It is made up of people who have authority and control over people.

• Politics is the process of resolving disputes.

• According to Harold Laswell,“ Politics is who gets what, when, and how.”

The State• We often use the

term state and country to mean the same thing.

• A state is a body of people living in a defined territory.

• A state is organized with a government with the power to enforce laws.

Sovereignty• Every state is

sovereign, meaning it has power within its own territory.

• A state can decide its own domestic and foreign policies.

• A democracy, where people make decisions, has popular sovereignty.

Forms of Government

Dictatorship• A government ruled by a

single all powerful ruler• Although similar to an

absolute monarch, a dictator does not inherit power

• A dictator takes power through force or persuasion (e.g. Hitler)

Democracy• Rule by the people• Originated in Greece and

Rome• A republic is a

democratic government in which people elect representatives

Theories of Government

Monarchy• Divine Right of

Kings• Monarchs rule with

power from God

Democracy• Social Contract

Theory• State is created to

serve the people..• Written Laws are a

Constitution.• People can vote to

change a government

Preamble of US Constitution Outlines Purpose of Government• Create a union of states• Establish justice with fair laws• Insure domestic tranquility, fair laws• Provide for common defense• Promote general welfare: services• Secure blessings of liberty: individual freedoms

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Three Parts of Government• US established three

branches of government:

• Legislative branch makes the laws

• Executive branch carries out the laws

• Judicial branch interprets the laws.

The US is a Federal System of Government• The Founders made

the US a federal system of government in which power is shared between the national government and the states.

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National and State Power

National Power• The US Constitution

grants the national or federal government to be in charge of:

• Coining Money• Interstate Commerce• Raising an Army• Declaring War

State Powers• The 10th amendment to

the Constitution states that powers not belonging to the federal government are reserved for the states such as:

• Police Powers• The running of schools

Confederate Forms of Government• A confederate form of

government gives supremacy to the states and not the national authority.

• Prior to the US Constitution the US had a weak central government under the Articles of Confederation.

Unitary Forms of Government• A unitary form of

government is one in which the national government has power over the local governments.

• National policy is carried out by regional and local governments.

• For example, in Britain and France the central government dictates school policy

• In the US, most school policy is up to the states and the local school boards.

The US has a Presidential System

Britain has a Parliamentary systemThe British Parliament chooses the Prime Minister.

Basic Concepts of Democracy• Worth of the

Individual• Individual Freedom• Equality of all

persons• Majority Rule• Minority Rights• Necessity of

Compromise

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Free Enterprise or Capitalism• Private ownership of

businesses• The profit motive• Competition in the

market place• Individual initiative

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Government and Markets• Government

regulation of business

• We don’t have pure capitalism but a mixed economy

• Government builds roads, schools, and provides services

Democracy and Capitalism• Do individual

freedom and economic freedom go hand in hand?

• Must a democratic government have a capitalist economic system?

• Can dictatorships be capitalist? (e.g China)

• Can socialist countries be democratic? (e.g Sweden)

• How much is our political system dependent upon our economic system?