GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE

The Basics of Government

What is Government?

Institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies (all the things government decides to do)

What is a State?

-a body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically (with a govt) and with the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authorityStates!!!

Why do we call Kansas a State?

When we founded the “United States” it was meant to be States (governments) that were United

Over time we went from being states the were united (plural) to being “The United States” (singular)

What is a Nation?

Group of people with a common culture and identity

Word Breakdown

State=govt ruling a certain territory (sometimes a country)Ex. Germany, USA, Japan, Kansas, New York

Nation=culture group with common ideas and way of life Ex. Christian Nation, Osage Nation, Viking Nation, Americans

Nation-State-BOTH a Nation and a State (a Country) Ex. USA, Great Britain, Kenya, India, Turkey, Japan, Korea

Stateless Nation- a culture group (nation) that is ruled by someone else…(a culture without a home country) Ex. Kurds, Palestinians,

State, Nation, Nation State, Stateless Nation?

Which of the above words apply to … USA? Pawnees? Palestinians? Catholics? Germany? Russian Federation?

Four Characteristics of the State

PopulationTerritorySovereigntyGovernment

Population

You need people to create a state! San Marino- 27,000 people China- 1.3 Billion people

Territory

You need a piece of land to set your state up on

San Marino 24 sq milesRussia 6.6 million sq miles

Sovereignty

Uuuhhhhhhmmmm……what

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5xVRXLgLxw

Sovereignty

Sovereignty: the right to govern yourselfOfficial def: when a state has supreme and

absolute power within its own territory and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies. Its neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority

Ex. USA is responsible for USA, Mexico is responsible for Mexico.

Government

You have to have an organized structure….no anarchy.

How did humans come to rely on social organization and why did they create governments (States)?

4 theories Force Theory Evolutionary Theory The Divine Right Theory Social Contract Theory

The Force Theory

Pretty much exactly what it sounds likeA person or a group of people take a plot of

an areaThey then make/force people to submit to

that person’s/people’s rule

The Evolutionary Theory

States that states evolved from the family unit over time

The head of the household has powerGovernmental structures arose from this

organizational system

Divine Right Theory

States that God (divine power) created the state

Those born into royal families have the right to rule based on this

Basically, God gave them the power to rule

Which theory is currently the foundation of our existing government?

Social Contract TheoryThis theory was developed in the 1600s and

1700s by Thomas Hobbes Jean Jacques Rousseau John Locke

Which Theory were these guys mainly challenging? Divine Right Theory

What is this period of time called? Enlightenment

John Locke and Thomas Jefferson

John Locke wrote Two Treatises of Government in which he discussed what may happen if a “Social Contract” is broken

Thomas Jefferson used these ideas in explaining why the Colonies were declaring independence from Britain, when he wrote…. The Declaration of Independence

Purposes of Government

Form a more perfect union Unite the people

Establish justice Fair for all

Insure domestic tranquility Peace at home

Provide for the common defense Protect us from out enemies

Promote the general welfare Life is good for all

Secure the blessings of liberty Freedom

Quick History of US Government US Govt Documents (1770s-1790s)

Declaring Independence from BritainWrote and Established Articles of

Confederation-FAILConstitutional Congress writes the

Constitution Wasn't going to pass unless a “Bill of Rights” was

going to be added that restricted the Governments power.

Constitution was ratified (accepted)Bill of Rights is immediately added to it (1st

Ten Amendments)

Constitution

A constitution is the body of fundamental laws setting out principles, structures and processes of a government

THE CONSTITUTION is the US main structure and foundation of government-”The Supreme Law of the Land”

The Constitution

Preamble:“We the People of the United States, in order to

form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”

School House Rock-Preamble

Three Branches

LegislativeExecutive Judicial

Legislative Branch

Make Laws/Write Laws/LegislateHouse of Rep. + House of Senate= CongressHOR-435, 2 year term, based on populationSenate-100 6 year term, 2 per state

Executive

Carries out the laws/enforces the lawsPresident, VP, and his cabinets4 year terms, 2 term max

Judicial

Interprets laws and Settles disputesSupreme Court and Court Systems

The Roberts Court, 2010Back row (left to right): Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen G. Breyer, Samuel A. Alito, and Elena Kagan. Front row (left to right): Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia, Chief Justice John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Forms of Government

Democracy – People hold the power and allow the government to rule

Direct Democracy – People vote on all lawsIndirect democracy – A small group of people

chosen by the people vote and make laws (representative democracy) Consent of the governed

Which of the two do we use?

Forms of Government

Dictatorship – those who rule do not have to listen to the people

Autocracy – One person holds the power and makes the rule for everyone else Unlimited political power for one

Oligarchy – a small group of people hold the power over everyone else

Distribution of Power in Government

Unitary Government – All the power in one central location

Confederate Government – Alliance of independent states

Federal Government (Federalism) – Powers of the government are divided between a central government (federal) and regional governments (state and local)

The constitution is superior to both

Relationship Between Legislative Branch and Executive Branch

Presidential – Legislative and Executive branches are distinct and equal President is chosen separately from the legislature

and there is a system of checks and balancesParliamentary – People (voters) elect the

legislature who selects the chief executive (Prime Minister, typically) from the majority party Executive can be removed through a vote of no

confidence

Relationship Between Legislative Branch and Executive Branch

Chart of Some Countries

Foundations of Democracy

A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person Worth and dignity must be acknowledged by all Welfare of one may be subordinated by the

interest of the manyA respect for the equality of all persons

Equal opportunity Equal in the eyes of the law

A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority rights Majority is most likely right most of the time Majority must listen to minority

Foundations of Democracy

An acceptance of the necessity of compromise Find what is best and acceptable for the largest

number of people possibleAn insistence upon the widest possible

degree of individual freedom Freedom cannot be absolute (anarchy will

happen) My freedoms end at the freedoms of another

Democracy and Free Enterprise

The free enterprise system is an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods; investments that are determined by private decision rather than by state control; and determined in a free market.

Decisions in a free enterprise system are determined by the law of supply and demand.

An economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion is called a mixed economy.