Chapter 1 Notes. What is Civics? A branch of political science which focuses on the study of the...
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Chapter 1 Notes
Chapter 1 Notes. What is Civics? A branch of political science which focuses on the study of the rights and duties of citizens. Rights and duties presupposes
What is Civics? A branch of political science which focuses on
the study of the rights and duties of citizens. Rights and duties
presupposes a reciprocal give (obligation) and take (receive)
relationship. Between whom?
Slide 3
Citizen : a persons membership into a political community
Political (politic) : the social relationship involving government
power (the ability of one to get another to act in accordance with
the firsts intentions) and/or authority (the right to use power).
The process in which government makes and carries out decisions.
(How does it use its power?) Question: What is the difference
between power and authority?
Slide 4
Legitimacy In all human relationships, power is found.
Doctor/patient, car-mechanic/car owner, bully/bullied, police
officer/citizen But some have the right to power through legitimacy
(conferred or agreed upon power). Why do we confer power on any one
person or group? Why do we give power to another? What is gained?
Instead of answering the above question, lets consider a different
question:
Slide 5
What if there was no government? Assignment: -One Page Essay
(Paragraphs) -Introduction: Introduce the topic -what is the topic
(a time without government)? -Insert your Thesis Statement (Answer
the questionthe purpose of your essay.) -Body: Evidence to support
your thesis (Explains why your thesis is a factual statement)
-Conclusion: What is to be understood or learned from this essay?
-What if government just stopped in your country?!?
Slide 6
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) English Political Writer
Pro-Monarchy. Why? English Civil War (1641-1651) Early
Enlightenment writer/thinker. Wrote The Leviathan (1651)
Slide 7
The Leviathan (1651)
Slide 8
The Leviathan When was it written? What is a civil war? What
would life be like during a civil war? Why? Thomas Hobbes was one
of the earliest Enlightenment thinkers. The Enlightenment: A period
of intellectual thought that used reason and logic (scientific
method) to be applied to politics and society to challenge
traditional belief systems (to improve society). Period from 1650
to 1800. Primary source vs. Secondary Source Primary Source: a
physical source (documents, creative work, artifact) from the time
period under study. Secondary Source: interprets and analyzes
(explains) primary sources.
Slide 9
In-Class Assignment Read the segment of The Leviathan given to
you in small groups of 3 to 5. Answer the questions using the
reading. The questions are written in order with the reading. I
will help you in class, but you are on your own at home. Use time
wisely. Answers to questions are due at the beginning of next
class.
Slide 10
The State of Nature A hypothetical condition of humanity before
the creation of state, government, legitimate authority, and law.
(Hypothetical: Define?) The State of Nature => Need for a
legitimate authority Hobbes political philosophy ( attempt to
acquire knowledge by a logical means about topics that are not
based in scientific fact) or belief was that the Leviathan (great
power) should be a Monarch (king). Government serves to protect us
from the natural state. Natural rights- individuals are born with
natural rights that their mind and body are capable of doing.
Hobbes would argue that every man has the right to every thing in
the state of nature. Self-preservation is at the center of those
powers. Law creates an obligation and duty to another (to society)
because it forbids an action that we would otherwise naturally
choose. We must give (duty) our natural rights (freedoms and
liberties) to the government (authority) in order to be removed
from the state of nature (right) and continues to promote our
self-preservation. The State of Nature is why individuals submit to
a government power.
Slide 11
Example of State of Nature
Slide 12
Functions of Government 1. Maintain Order: Secure the people
and their property within the state. Creation of and enforcement of
laws (Resolve Conflicts among citizens through different systems
put in place). 2. Provide Services: Public services (education),
projects (highway system), and policies (Medicare). 3. Ensure
National Security: Guard its territory by providing foreign
diplomacy and defense. 4. Provide for the Public Good (General
Welfare): Balance the Public Good of all the select populations
within the nation. Regulate ( regulation: constrains rights and
defines responsibility), research, use of resources. o An abstract
process for determining what is the public good. o Public Policy:
government action to achieve a community goal o Budget: plan for
collecting and spending money to achieve public policy.
Slide 13
Theories of Rule Why do we grant some members of society the
power to rule us over other members? Where does the right to rule
stem? 1. Divine Right: the ruler is chosen by God. A ruler receives
their authority and rules on behalf of a divine being. 2. Natural
Law (Rights): the belief that the natural world has a natural order
(possibly derived from God). That order provides for Natural Rights
(mans power). In order to have self-preservation, we allow a
government to exist to protect us from ourselves. 3. Social
Contract: legitimate authority is a result of the peoples agreement
or contract with the government.
Slide 14
Types of Government 1. Authoritarian: power is held by an
individual or group who are not accountable to the people they
govern. Totalitarian: control of all aspects of peoples lives.
Slide 15
A. Autocracy Rule belongs to a single individual. a) Absolute
Monarchy: government with hereditary ruler - Unlimited authority -
Example: King Louis XIV b) Dictatorship: removal by opposition - no
means for new leader - example: Adolf Hitler
Slide 16
B. Oligarchy Ruled by a few or small group. Example: Military
of North Korea
Slide 17
2) Democracy Government by which the people rule Etymology:
Greek- Demos = people, mob, or many Kratos= rule or power A) Direct
Democracy (Pure Democracy): power is placed in the assembly of all
citizens who participate. - Ancient Athens: citizens (free males)
would meet on a hill to discuss and vote on policy. -
Problems?
Slide 18
Athenian Democracy
Slide 19
B) Representative Democracy Citizens choose a smaller group of
citizens to represent and govern on their behalf. Majority Rule :
the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can
make decisions that bind the whole group. Plurality: system in
which the winner is the person with the most votes, even if s/he
does not receive a majority. Problems? A RepublicAnd to the
Republic for which it stands Parliamentary Form: A system of
government in which the ministers of the executive branch get their
legitimacy from the legislature, and are accountable to that body
such that the executive and legislative branches are run by the
same political party. Executive is the Prime Minister Elected by
the legislature which is elected by the people Presidential Form: A
system of government in which the president of the executive branch
is chosen by the people and is independent of the legislature.
Slide 20
Governments in b/t the Spectrum A) Theocracy: Political power
is controlled by religious leaders. B) Constitutional Monarchy :
Monarch limited by a constitution and laws. Example: Iran
Slide 21
Who are Citizens?
Slide 22
14 th Amendment All persons born or naturalized in the United
States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of
the United States and of the State they reside. Who are citizens?
Losing citizenship: Improperly obtained citizenship Voluntarily
give it up (cant get it back)
Slide 23
Aliens: non-citizens within the borders Immigrant: person who
moves to a new country. Emigrant: person who moves from a country.
Legal immigrants get most services that citizens get except: no
jury duty, no vote, no federal government jobs, and have to carry
an I.D. card. Nativism: political movement against
immigration.
Slide 24
What makes the United States a Nation? - Post it!
Slide 25
A Nation A nation can refer to a country. A nation can refer to
a community or people who share a common territory or government. A
nation can refer to an ethnic group with a common language, race,
religion, or history. Sweden is 81% Swedes Denmark is 90% Danes
Bosnia, Israel, Croatia, Albania
Slide 26
Nationalism 1. the positive attitude members have towards their
national identity. 2. The actions that members of a nation take
when seeking to achieve self-determination (the right of a nation
to govern itself).
Slide 27
What makes the United States a nation?
Slide 28
United States- What is a State? State: a political unit with
the power to make and enforce laws over a group of people living
within a clearly defined territory. Defined by population,
territory, and sovereignty Sometimes called: country or
nation-state States are politically organized => Have a
government with sovereign power Sovereignty: supreme or ultimate
political authority; a sovereign government is one that is legally
and politically independent of any other government.
Slide 29
What does all of this mean for us? Politically, the United is
pulled in many directions. How big is our government? What powers
should the government have? What rights should the people have? We
need to understand: Our foundations and traditions The system weve
created Alternatives to our system/How to make changes Our role in
the system