Introduction to Government

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About “Government”

Introduction and Introduction and

Chapter 1, Chapter 1, Section 1Section 1

…well, almost.

Just what exactly is a “government”?

A group that exercises A group that exercises authorityauthority over a over a particular group of people in a particular area.particular group of people in a particular area.

AuthorityAuthority is the power to make decisions; is the power to make decisions; And also the power to make and enforce And also the power to make and enforce laws that people must obeylaws that people must obey

How Are Governments Able to Exercise Their Authority?

Use either Use either legitimacylegitimacy or or forceforce (or both) to compel people to follow (or both) to compel people to follow the lawthe law LegitimacyLegitimacy means the belief among citizens that their means the belief among citizens that their

government has the right to rule them.government has the right to rule them.**Democratic governments derive **Democratic governments derive mostmost of their ability to rule of their ability to rule

from this source…from this source… Governments which Governments which do notdo not have consent from the people to rule have consent from the people to rule

must use must use forceforce to control their people to control their people Dictatorships, for exampleDictatorships, for example

Why Do We Have Governments? As we saw when we took away the handbook, the As we saw when we took away the handbook, the

teachers and the administrators, human beings teachers and the administrators, human beings want/need someone to make and enforce rules so that a want/need someone to make and enforce rules so that a group or society can accomplish its goals (peace, group or society can accomplish its goals (peace, stability, life, liberty, happiness, property, progress, stability, life, liberty, happiness, property, progress, etc…)etc…)

““Without government, there can be no progress, no art, no music, Without government, there can be no progress, no art, no music, no writing, no architecture, no literature…”no writing, no architecture, no literature…”

Creates a stable environment where people can feel Creates a stable environment where people can feel relatively safe and secure in their everyday lives and relatively safe and secure in their everyday lives and society can progresssociety can progress

Another way of looking at it…

Imagine a 9 year-old’s birthday party…Imagine a 9 year-old’s birthday party…

Now imagine that there are no parents there…Now imagine that there are no parents there…

What might happen?

So We Know We Need Them… But Where Do Governments Come From?

**We really cannot be certain…**We really cannot be certain… There are several theories that have been There are several theories that have been

developed to explain the origin of governmentsdeveloped to explain the origin of governments Evolutionary theoryEvolutionary theory Force theoryForce theory Divine Right theoryDivine Right theory Social Contract theorySocial Contract theory

Evolutionary Theory This is the theory that governments This is the theory that governments

evolved from the family unitevolved from the family unit Family to tribe, tribe to clan, clan Family to tribe, tribe to clan, clan

to societyto society Father/Mother becomes tribal Father/Mother becomes tribal

leader, and so forth…leader, and so forth… The right to rule is based on the The right to rule is based on the

position of the father/mother as head position of the father/mother as head of the family…of the family…

This is perhaps the cause/reason for the earliest, smallest and simplest governments in history.

Force Theory This theory states that This theory states that

governments formed when governments formed when one person or group used one person or group used force to bring a group of force to bring a group of people under their control.people under their control.

The right to rule is based on the person or The right to rule is based on the person or group’s ability to use group’s ability to use forceforce to compel to compel others to follow their rulesothers to follow their rules

Divine Right Theory This theory states that a This theory states that a

government’s (or leader’s) government’s (or leader’s) authority comes from God or authority comes from God or gods.gods. The ruler believes that God The ruler believes that God

has appointed them to rulehas appointed them to rule Opposition to the ruler is Opposition to the ruler is

considered opposition to considered opposition to GodGod

This theory was used to justify the rule of the This theory was used to justify the rule of the kings of Europe, Central and South America, Asia kings of Europe, Central and South America, Asia and the Middle Eastand the Middle East

Social Contract Theory

The idea that governments are created when free people The idea that governments are created when free people agreeagree (consent) to give up their (consent) to give up their totaltotal freedomfreedom and be and be bound by bound by rulesrules which are enforced by a which are enforced by a governmentgovernment they they create and choose.create and choose. **Why would people agree to be bound by these rules?**Why would people agree to be bound by these rules?

The government gets its authority from the consent of the The government gets its authority from the consent of the governed…the “governed…the “peoplepeople”” Sound familiar?Sound familiar?

First devised by philosophers First devised by philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke Thomas Hobbes and John Locke in the 1600s…in the 1600s…

What do governments do for their citizens? Every government attempts to accomplish Every government attempts to accomplish

four main purposes or goals.four main purposes or goals. **Maintain social order**Maintain social order Provide public servicesProvide public services Provide for national security/common Provide for national security/common

defensedefense Provide for/influence the economic Provide for/influence the economic

systemsystem

Maintain Social Order

The ability to make and enforce laws to maintain The ability to make and enforce laws to maintain social order makes the other functions of government social order makes the other functions of government possiblepossible

**What are the ways in which governments maintain **What are the ways in which governments maintain social order?social order?

This is the most This is the most important function of a important function of a governmentgovernment

Provide Public Services

Particularly those things that people Particularly those things that people cannot do on their own, cannot do on their own, individually…individually… **Can you think of any public **Can you think of any public

services the government provides services the government provides for us?for us?

Build roads, sewage systems, provide utilities, Build roads, sewage systems, provide utilities, monitor food safety, air quality, regulate monitor food safety, air quality, regulate businesses (airlines, automakers, mining, etc.)businesses (airlines, automakers, mining, etc.)

Provide National Security/Common Defense This seems pretty straightforward…This seems pretty straightforward…

How does the government accomplish How does the government accomplish this goal?this goal?

Provide For/Influence the Economy As we will learn, every country has an economic As we will learn, every country has an economic

systemsystem This system controls how we get what we want This system controls how we get what we want

and needand need Governments attempt to influence economic Governments attempt to influence economic

systems in order to benefit the people of their systems in order to benefit the people of their nationnation They pass laws to increase trade, create They pass laws to increase trade, create

currency, lower taxes, or may even try to currency, lower taxes, or may even try to control what you buy or sell and for how muchcontrol what you buy or sell and for how much

So, to Review…

What is “government”?What is “government”? What two methods enable governments to exercise What two methods enable governments to exercise

their authority over people?their authority over people? What is What is legitimacylegitimacy?? Give an example of how a government uses Give an example of how a government uses forceforce to to

exercise authority.exercise authority. Why do we have governments?Why do we have governments? Describe one theory about how governments originate.Describe one theory about how governments originate. Identify and give one example of the purposes of Identify and give one example of the purposes of

government.government.