Chapter 1, Governments. What is government? Why governments exist Types of governments

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1 Chapter 1, Governments What is government? Why governments exist Types of governments

2 What is a government? A govt is an institution which makes and enforces public policies Public policies are rules and laws

3 Why do we have government? Govt. preserves a common culture. Government protects us. Government solves problems we have problems solving otherwise.

4 What is the closest government to us at this very moment? The school is the closest govt. to us at the moment. What makes Hudson ISD a government?

5 What do governments do? A government makes rules and laws. A government enforces the laws and rules with police and the army.

6 3 Ways Governments Exercise Power The legislature makes laws or statutes The executive branch enforces laws The judicial branch interprets law.

7 Countries -Nation States - can have 2 levels of govt. There are national govts. such as those of United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. Within these national govts. can be state or provincial governments such as Texas or Sonora or Alberta. Some nations only have a national government and local government is limited

8 Theories of Govt Origins Force Theory govt. comes about because one group is stronger and more powerful than another Evolutionary Theory govt. comes from the family

9 Theories on Govt. Origin Divine Right Theory God created the government Social Contract Theory man voluntarily creates govt. to handle problems he can not easily fix as an individual. England s Glorious Revolution in 1688 and American Revolution examples of Social Contract Theory.

10 Types of Governments Democracy people hold ultimate power Republic certain rights are inviolate Constitutional Monarchy king or queen with limited power UK and Canada this makes it a democracy.

11 Characteristics of Govts. Absolute Monarchy king or queen hold total power Saudi Arabia often tied to divine right of kings Aristocracy power is passed down through families Theocracy govt. run on religious lines, such as Iran

12 Characteristics of Govts. Authoritarianism a person or group have total control - no restraint of the govt. any or all dictators - Tsarist Russia, Imperial Japan, Iraq under Saddam Hussein, absolute monarchies

13 Despotism ruler has absolute power and behaves tyranically in other words, they rule by whim or without reason Totalitarianism govt. controls all facets of life Stalin in the Soviet Union, Mao in China, Castro in Cuba,

14 Characteristics of Govts. Socialist Govt. govt. owns key industries and resources such as transportation and communications; political and socio economic needs dictate the use of these resources, regardless of profit or loss

15 Characteristics of Govts. Tribal Govt. A govt. unique to a community of people; in America is associated with various Native American Indian tribes and are recognized as governing structures of the territory or reservation held by the tribe.

16 Characteristics of Govts. Classical republic representitive democracy in which a small group of leaders, elected by voters represent the concerns of the voters; interests of the majority take precedent over the minority, but not to the extent that anything goes Greece & Rome

17 Where the power lies determines the type of government Democracy people hold ultimate power Dictatorship dictator or government holds ultimate power Unitary Government national government holds the power (can still be deomcratic) Federal Government power is shared between the national government and several regional governments Confederacy states or regional governments hold more power than the national government Direct Democracy citizens vote on all issues of govt. directly no need for legislatures, councils, etc

18 2 Types of Democracy Parliamentary Democracy Elected legislature Legislature picks the executive branch usually headed by a Prime Minister Legislature may use a vote of no confidence to fire a prime minister and executive branch Judiciary is independent

19 Presidential Democracy People elect the legislature People elect the executive separately from the legisalture Only the people may fire the executive Independent judiciary

20 Basic Concepts of Democracy Compromise must happen Widest degree of individual freedom Every person has worth and dignity Equality of people before the law Majority rule restrained by individual rights

21 Major Thinkers Hammarabi 1 st recorded code of laws in Western Civilization Moses The Ten Commandments and other laws in the Bible which govern personal code of conduct; lay a foundation for modern American laws on Judeo Christian beliefs

22 Major Thinkers Thomas Hobbes wrote Leviathan ; he believed the contract once made was irreversible; majority must protect the rights of the minority

23 Major Thinkers: John Lock in his Second Treatise on Government said the contract could be altered by the people; believe in life liberty and property; held to the concept of natural rights or natural law; strong influence on Thomas Jefferson

24 Charles Montesquieu believed in checks in balances that came with the separation of power into three different branches. Jean Jacques Rousseau French philosopher wrote of the Social Contract theory as well

25 William Blackstone English judge and professor who wrote down his views on English Common Law which are part of the foundation of Modern American Law Blackstone Wrote the 4 volume essay Commentaries on the Laws of England

26 Blackstone s Commentaries Rights of Person: describes the relationship between the government and individual citizens Rights of Things: describes property rights Private Wrongs: deals with citizen on citizen issues Public Wrongs: deals with crimes and punishments