Unit I Unit I

Foundations of American Foundations of American Government Government

ObjectivesObjectives;;

1.1. Define Government and examine Define Government and examine the purposes of government.the purposes of government.

Government is the institution through Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces which a society makes and enforces its public policies.its public policies.

Purposes of GovernmentPurposes of Government;;Form a more perfect unionForm a more perfect unionEstablish Justice. Establish Justice. Insure domestic tranquilityInsure domestic tranquilityProvide for common defenseProvide for common defensePromote general welfarePromote general welfareSecure blessings of liberty.Secure blessings of liberty.Every government has 3 basic powers;Every government has 3 basic powers;LegislativeLegislativeExecutiveExecutiveJudicialJudicial

Objective 2Objective 2;;

Differentiate between state and national Differentiate between state and national governments and recognize the governments and recognize the essential features of a state.essential features of a state.

StateState- -

Body of people living in a defined Body of people living in a defined territory, organized politically and with territory, organized politically and with the power to make and enforce laws the power to make and enforce laws without the consent of a higher without the consent of a higher authority.authority.

Features of a stateFeatures of a state;;

PopulationPopulation

TerritoryTerritory

Sovereignty – supreme and Sovereignty – supreme and absolute authority within it’s absolute authority within it’s boundaries.boundaries.

GovernmentGovernment

Objective 3Objective 3;;

Compare and contrast various Compare and contrast various theories of government, including theories of government, including Evolutionary, Force, Divine Right, Evolutionary, Force, Divine Right, and Social Contract.and Social Contract.

Evolutionary TheoryEvolutionary Theory

Force TheoryForce Theory

Divine RightDivine Right

Social ContractSocial Contract

Objective 4;Objective 4;

Understand the development of Understand the development of Social Contract theory as Social Contract theory as expressed by Thomas Hobbes in expressed by Thomas Hobbes in LeviathanLeviathan and John Locke in and John Locke in Two Two Treatises on GovernmentTreatises on Government..

Social Contract;Social Contract;

Hobbes said that people were Hobbes said that people were originally free in nature.originally free in nature.

No one was subject to a superior No one was subject to a superior power.power.People owned what they took by People owned what they took by force.force.No authority existed to protect people No authority existed to protect people from others.from others.People agreed to create a state for People agreed to create a state for protection.protection.People agreed, by contract, to give People agreed, by contract, to give the state as much power as it needed the state as much power as it needed to protect them.to protect them.

Social contract theory argues that Social contract theory argues that the state arose out of the voluntary the state arose out of the voluntary act of free people.act of free people.

The state only exists to serve the The state only exists to serve the will of the people and they are the will of the people and they are the sole source of political power.sole source of political power.

People are free to give or withhold People are free to give or withhold that power as they choose.that power as they choose.

Objective 5Objective 5;;

Classify the types of government Classify the types of government including autocracy (dictatorship including autocracy (dictatorship and absolute monarchy), and absolute monarchy), oligarchy, theocracy, anarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, anarchy, democracy (direct and democracy (direct and representative)representative)

AutocracyAutocracy;;Government in which one person Government in which one person holds unlimited power.holds unlimited power.Can be a dictatorship or an absolute Can be a dictatorship or an absolute monarchy. monarchy. DictatorshipDictatorship;;Exists where those who rule cannot Exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the be held responsible to the will of the people.people.Oldest and most common form of Oldest and most common form of governmentgovernment

Kim Il JongKim Il Jong

Momar KhadafyMomar Khadafy

OligarchyOligarchy;;

Government in which power is Government in which power is held by a small, usually self-held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.appointed elite.

TheocracyTheocracy;;

Government ruled by religious Government ruled by religious leaders.leaders.

IranIran

AnarchyAnarchy;;No formal government.No formal government.SomaliaSomaliaDemocracyDemocracy;;DirectDirect – everyone is involved in – everyone is involved in decision making process. (Ancient decision making process. (Ancient Athens)Athens)RepresentativeRepresentative – people vote for – people vote for representatives to represent them representatives to represent them in their government. in their government.

Objective 6Objective 6;;

Recognize the structures of Recognize the structures of government to include unitary, government to include unitary, confederate and federal systems; confederate and federal systems; and distinguish between and distinguish between presidential and parliamentary presidential and parliamentary systems of government.systems of government.

Unitary StructureUnitary Structure;;Commonly called a Centralized Commonly called a Centralized Government.Government.All power belongs to a single All power belongs to a single centralized government agency.centralized government agency.The National Government creates The National Government creates local governments for local governments for convenience.convenience.They only have powers given They only have powers given them by the National Government.them by the National Government.

Most governments in the world are Most governments in the world are Unitary.Unitary.

Ex; Ex; Great BritainGreat Britain

Parliament holds all power and Parliament holds all power and local governments exist to relieve local governments exist to relieve Parliament and aid it in governing Parliament and aid it in governing regarding local matters.regarding local matters.

Parliaments powers are limited by Parliaments powers are limited by Britain’s constitution however.Britain’s constitution however.

Federal Government StructureFederal Government Structure;;

Government in which powers are Government in which powers are divided between a central government divided between a central government and local governments.and local governments.

Both levels act upon people through Both levels act upon people through their own laws, officials, and their own laws, officials, and agencies.agencies.

A Constitution is the supreme law and A Constitution is the supreme law and cannot be changed unless all levels cannot be changed unless all levels agree.agree.

U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, India, Switzerland and about 20 India, Switzerland and about 20 other countries. other countries.

Confederate Government Confederate Government Structure;Structure;

Alliance of independent states.Alliance of independent states.

Usually a weak central Usually a weak central government that only has powers government that only has powers the states give it. the states give it.

Usually can’t make laws that apply Usually can’t make laws that apply to individuals because states have to individuals because states have this power.this power.

Confederations are rare.Confederations are rare.ExEx; European Union, U.S. under ; European Union, U.S. under the Articles of Confederation, the Articles of Confederation, Confederate States of America.Confederate States of America.Presidential GovernmentPresidential Government;;Features a separation of powers Features a separation of powers between the Executive Branch between the Executive Branch and Legislative Branch. and Legislative Branch. Chief Executive is chosen Chief Executive is chosen separately from the legislature.separately from the legislature.

All branches usually have All branches usually have separate powers spelled out in a separate powers spelled out in a constitution.constitution.

U.S. invented the Presidential U.S. invented the Presidential form of government.form of government.

Most are located in the Western Most are located in the Western Hemisphere.Hemisphere.

Parliamentary GovernmentParliamentary Government;;

Executive is the Prime Minister Executive is the Prime Minister and his/her cabinet.and his/her cabinet.

They are members of Parliament.They are members of Parliament.

Prime Minister is member of Prime Minister is member of majority party in Parliament.majority party in Parliament.

Cabinet members are selected by Cabinet members are selected by PM from members of Parliament.PM from members of Parliament.

Prime Minister and Cabinet are Prime Minister and Cabinet are known as known as “The Government”.“The Government”.

They stay in power as long as They stay in power as long as Parliament supports them. If they Parliament supports them. If they lose support of Parliament, they lose support of Parliament, they resign and Parliament selects resign and Parliament selects another PM. another PM.

People vote for members of People vote for members of Parliament NOT for the PM.Parliament NOT for the PM.

Majority of governments in world Majority of governments in world today are Parliamentary in form.today are Parliamentary in form.Parliamentary governments do not Parliamentary governments do not have deadlock between Executive have deadlock between Executive and Legislature that Presidential and Legislature that Presidential governments can have since PM and governments can have since PM and the majority party of Parliament are the majority party of Parliament are the same.the same.Parliamentary systems do not have Parliamentary systems do not have system of checks and balances system of checks and balances however.however.

Prime Minister of England, Gordon Prime Minister of England, Gordon BrownBrown

Benjamin Disraeli PM 1874-1880Benjamin Disraeli PM 1874-1880

Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill

Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher