Magruder s American Government

Transcription

1 Presentation Pro Magruder s American Government C H A P T E R 1 Principles of Government 2001 by Prentice Hall, Inc.

2 S E C T I O N 1 Government and the State How is government defined? What are the basic powers that every government holds? What are the four defining characteristics of the state? How have we attempted to explain the origin of the state? What is the purpose of government in the United States and other countries? Chapter 1, Section 1

3 What Is Government? Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies Every government has and exercises three basic kinds of power 1) Legislative power: the power to make law and to frame public policies 2) Executive power: the power to execute, enforce, and administer law 3) Judicial power: the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society. The powers of government are outlined in a country s constitution. Politics is a process, while government is an institution Chapter 1 Section 1

4 The State The state can be defined as having these four characteristics: Population A state must have people, the number of which does not directly relate to its existence. Sovereignty Every state is sovereign. It has supreme and absolute power within its own territory and decides its own foreign and domestic policies. A dictatorship can exist in a sovereign state. Territory A state must be comprised of land territory with known and recognized boundaries. Government Every state has a government that is, it is politically organized Chapter 1, Section 1

5 Origins of the State The Force Theory The force theory states that one person or a small group took control of an area and forced all within it to submit to that person s or group s rule. Typically how dictator s gain power The Evolutionary Theory The evolutionary theory argues that the state evolved naturally out of the early family. The Divine Right Theory The theory of divine right holds that God created the state and that God gives those of royal birth a divine right to rule. The Social Contract Theory The social contract theory argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people. The state exists only to serve the will of the people Chapter 1, Section 1

6 The Purpose of Government The main purposes of government are described in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States: We the People of the United States, in Order (1)to form a more perfect Union, (2)establish Justice (the law, in both its content and its administration, must be reasonable, fair, and impartial), insure (3)domestic Tranquility (peace), (4)provide for the common defense (defend the nation from foreign nations), promote the (5)general Welfare (act as a servant to its citizens---public schools, protecting the water and food we consume etc.), and (6)secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. Chapter 1, Section

7 Patriotism It is up to each generation to preserve and protect the guarantees granted in the Constitution. Patriotism fosters that: The love of one s country; the passion that drives one to serve one s country It s the defining characteristic of a good citizen 1 2 3

8 S E C T I O N 2 Forms of Government How can we classify governments? How are systems of government defined in terms of who can participate? How is power distributed within a state? How are governments defined by the relationship between the legislative and executive branches? Chapter 1, Section 2

9 Classifying Governments Governments can be classified by three different standards: (1) Who can participate in the governing process. (2) The geographic distribution of the governmental power within the state. (3) The relationship between the legislative (lawmaking) and the executive (law-executing) branches of the government Chapter 1, Section 2

10 Classification by Who Can Participate Democracy In a democracy, supreme political authority (sovereignty) rests with the people. A direct democracy exists where the will of the people is translated into law directly by the people themselves. (not possible today because of large populations) In an indirect democracy, a small group of persons, chosen by the people to act as their representatives, expresses the popular will. (our government today) Dictatorship A dictatorship exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. Have complete authority over the people An autocracy is a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power. An oligarchy is a government in which the power to rule is held by a small, usually selfappointed elite Chapter 1, Section 2

11 Classification by Geographic Distribution of Power Unitary Government A unitary government has all powers held by a single, central agency. Confederate Government A confederation is an alliance of independent states. Only have powers to handle matters that the member states have assigned to it. Possess little authority to act on their own. Federal Government A federal government is one in which the powers of government are divided between a central government and several local governments. An authority superior to both the central and local governments makes this division of power on a geographic basis. (In the U.S. the Natl. Govt. has certain powers and the 50 states have others----they are defined in the Constitution Chapter 1, Section 2

12 Presidential Government (relationship b/t Legislative and Executive branches) Features a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches. The two branches are independent of one another and coequal The chief executive (president) is chosen independently of the legislature (by the citizens via vote) and holds office for a fixed term. The executive and legislative branches each can check the actions of the other branch. The President has a number of significant powers not subject to the direct control of the legislative branch. The U.S. is the world s leading example of presidential government

13 Parliamentary Government (relationship b/t Legislative and Executive branches) The executive is made up of the prime minister and that official s cabinet. The prime minister and cabinet themselves are members of the legislative branch (Parliament). The prime minister is the leader of the majority party in Parliament and is chosen by that body. Therefore, he/she is subject to the legislature's control With parliament s approval, the prime minister selects the members of the cabinet from among the members of parliament. The prime minister and cabinet remain in office only as long as their policies and administration have the support of a majority in parliament. If parliament defeats the prime minister and cabinet on an important matter, the government may receive a vote of no confidence and the prime minister and the cabinet then must resign

14 FORMS OF GOVERNMENT 1 2 3

15 Classification by the Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Branches Chapter 1, Section 2

16 S E C T I O N 4 Basic Concepts of Democracy What are the foundations of democracy? What are the connections between democracy and the free enterprise system? How has the Internet affected democracy? Chapter 1, Section 3

17 The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions: (1) A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of every person; (2) A respect for the equality of all persons; (does not claim that all people are born with the same mental and physical abilities) Equality of opportunity and equality before the law are guaranteed. (3) A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority rights; the will of the many is elevated above the interests of a few. Democracy doesn t say that the majority will always be right. (4) An acceptance of the necessity of compromise; it is vital in the decision-making process of democracy. Compromise helps serve the varied needs of citizens when forming public policies. (5) An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual freedom (still have to do things we don t want to.like pay taxes.b/c the govt. needs to be able to provide services for its citizens.) Chapter 1, Section 3

18 Being A Good Citizen Duties of being a good citizen all revolve around your commitment to obey the law. Do you believe in the core beliefs on which democracy is based in this country? Personal responsibilities: take care of yourself (responsible for own behavior, taking care of yourself and family, and being considerate of others) Civic responsibilities: Your role as a citizen of a larger community (obeying the law, paying taxes, being informed and voting (easiest way to be involved in politics), respecting the rights of others, being a juror, and serving in the military). Part of every citizen s responsibility is to serve the public good

19 Democracy and the Free Enterprise System The free enterprise system (capitalism) 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 Chapter 1, Section 3

20 Democracy and the Internet However, all data on the World Wide Web is not necessarily true, and the long-term effects of the Internet on democracy has yet to be determined. Democracy demands that the people be widely informed about their government. Theoretically, the Internet makes knowledgeable participation in democratic process easier than ever before. The ability to get information quickly does not guarantee its reliability Chapter 1, Section 3