Principles of Government Chapter 1
Principles of Government
Chapter 1
What is Government?• Government is the
institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies.
• Government is made up of those people who exercise its powers, all those who have authority and control over people
What are public policies?
• The public policies of a government are, in short, all of those things a government decides to do.
• Public policies cover issues ranging from taxation, defense, education, crime and health care to transportation, the environment, civil rights, and working conditions.
Powers of Government
• Legislative power-power to make laws
• Executive power-power to execute, enforce, and administer law
• Judicial power-power to interpret government
What is a constitution?
• A constitution is the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government.
What is a democracy?
• A democracy is a government in which powers rests with a majority of the people.
Types of Democracy
• Direct Democracy- In a direct democracy, citizens vote on all public policy decisions themselves. Direct democracy does not exist at the national level anywhere in the world today.
• Representative Democracy- In a representative democracy, a small group of persons are chosen by the people to act as their representatives. This is the type of democracy we have in America.
Basic Concepts of Democracy
• The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions:– A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of
every person– A respect for the equality of all persons– A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority
rights– An acceptance of the necessity of compromise – An insistence upon the widest possible degree of
individual freedom
Geographic Distribution of Power
• Unitary government- All powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency.
• Confederate government or Confederation- All or almost all powers of the government belong to independent states
• Federal government-Powers of the government are divided between federal (national), state, and local governments
Unitary Government
• A unitary system is a system of government in which power is centralized in the national government.
• Regional governments only exercise powers given by the national government.
Confederate Government
• A Confederate government is a system of government in which power resides in the regions, which are independent states.
• The central gov’t gets power from regional governments.
Federal System of Government • In a federal system of gov’t,
the constitution divides power between the national, state, and local governments.
• Main advantage = the flexibility it gives state and local gov’ts in meeting their specific needs, while assuring that the national government can address widespread goals and issues.