Principles and Origins of American Government

1. Principles and Origins of American Government

2. Government and the State

3. Government • Government is the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies. • Who makes up government? • People who exercise power, and who have authority and control over people.

4. Public Policies • Public policiesof a government are all of those things a government decides to do. • EXAMPLES: • Taxation • Defense • Healthcare • Education

5. Power • Poweris the ability to command or prevent action, the ability to achieve a desired end. • Every government has and exercises (3) basic kinds of power:

6. Power • Legislative: • Power to make law and frame public policies. • Executive: • Power to execute, enforce and administer law. • Judicial: • Power to interpret laws and settle disputes.

7. Constitution • The powers of government are often outlined in a country’s constitution: • body of laws setting the principles, structures, and processes of a government.

8. Difference? • What is the main difference between a dictatorship and a democracy? • The former, government is not responsible to the people. • The latter, supreme authority rests with the people.

9. The State • Over the course of human history, the state as emerged as the dominant political unit in the world. • Definition: • Body of people, living in a defined territory, organized politically, with power to make/enforce laws.

10. The State • There are more than 190 states in the world today and they posses 4 main characteristics: • Population • Territory • Sovereignty : • authority to rule • Government

11. Force Theory • Belief that the state was born of force by a person or a small group. • The person or group forced all within the area to submit to their will or rule.

12. Evolutionary Theory • The state developed naturally out of the early family. • The primitive family had a “head” that was the government was the first stage in political development. • How did this grow? • Marriages

13. Divine Right Theory • This theory was widely accepted in much of the Western world from the 15th to 18th centuries. • EXPLAIN this theory • God gave those of ‘royal birth’ divine right to rule. • This theory began to be questioned in the 17th century and help pave the way for modern democracy.

14. Social Contract Theory • Argues that the state arose out of a voluntary act of free people and that the state only exists to serve the will of the people. • What role were the people to play in this theory? • Sole source of political power

15. Purpose of Government • What does government do? • The following are listed in the Constitution of the United States:

16. Purpose

17. Purpose

18. Forms of Government

19. Classifying • No two governments are ever alike because they are products of human needs and experiences. • Over time, political scientists have developed many bases upon which to classify (describe, compare, analyze) governments.

20. Participate? • To many, the most meaningful classification is who can take part in the governing process. • Democracy versus Dictatorship.

21. Democracy • In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with people. • What is direct or puredemocracy? • Will of people is turned into law by the people themselves.

22. Democracy • What is indirect or representative democracy? • Representatives are elected by the people to express the popular will. • Some people feel the United States is a republic: • where power is in the hands of the voters and decisions are made by representatives.

23. Dictatorship • Exists where those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people. • What is the difference between an autocracy and oligarchy? • Former is one, latter is a small group.

24. Dictatorship • All dictatorships are authoritarian – those who hold absolute and unchallengeable power. • Italy (1922-43);Germany (1933-1945);USSR (1917-1989) • What are dictatorships like today? • Militaristic ; that gained power by force.

25. Geographic • Geographic distribution of power. • In every system of government the power to govern is located in one or more places, geographically.

26. Unitary • Often described as a centralized government and all powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency. • What is the role of local governments? • Focus on small/local issues • Great Britain is a classic example of a unitary government.

27. Federal • Powers are divided between a central government and several local governments. • These powers cannot be changed by the local or national governments alone.

28. Federal • The United States was the first federal form of government. • What ‘stands’ above both levels of government? • The United States Constitution.

29. Confederate • An alliance of independent states; the central government gets it powers (usually very limited) from the states. • Identify confederations in the modern era. • Articles of Confederation (1781) • Confederate States of America (1861)

31. Relationship • Presidential Government: • Executive and legislative branches are separate, independent of one another and coequal. • Chief executive (president) is chosen independently of the legislature to a fixed term and the 2 branches can block each other.

32. Relationship • Parliamentary Government: • Executive (prime minister) is a member of the legislature (parliament). • Who becomes prime minister and how long do they serve? • Leader of majority party; as long as they are in majority.

33. Basic Concepts of Democracy

34. Foundations • Democracy exists in the US because the American people believe in its basic concepts: • Worth of Individual • Equality of all persons • Majority Rule, Minority Rights • Necessity of Compromise • Individual Freedom

35. Worth of Individual • Democracy is firmly based upon the belief in the fundamental importance of the individual (each is a separate and distinct being) • Give examples of when we must give it to rights of many: • Paying taxes • Obey traffic laws

36. Equality of All Persons • Democracy does NOT insist on equality of condition for all persons nor does it believe all people should have a share of worldly goods. • The (2) concepts of equality that Democracy focuses on? • Equality of opportunity • Equality before the law

37. Majority Rule, Minority Rights • Democracy argues that that a majority of the people will be right more often than they will be wrong. • And that the majority will also be right more often than will any one person or small group.

38. Majority Rule, Minority Rights • What is the key word that describes the majority’s decision? • SATISFACTORY • However, it is vital in a democracy for the majority to listen to the minority arguments and criticisms.

39. Necessity of Compromise • Compromise is an essential part of the democratic process for two major reasons: • Each individual is equal to others. • Few public questions have only two sides.

40. Individual Freedom • Absolute freedom can only exist in a state of anarchy – the total absence of government. • Democracy does insist that each individual must be free to do as he or she pleases as far as freedom of all will allow. • What is the dilemma here? • Balancing individual rights with the good of society as a whole.

41. Free Enterprise • Democracy and the free enterprise system are related. • Free enterprise: economic system characterized by the private ownership of capital goods, free market and private decisions.

42. How the System Works • Does not rely on government to decide what items are to be produced, how much should be made, and the price. • What is the law of supply and demand? • Supple of goods/services is plentiful, prices drop; when supplies are scarce, prices rise. • What do democracy and capitalism have in common? • Based on the concept of individual freedom

43. Government’s Role • American economic system relies on a free market; but the government does play a role and always has. • Define Mixed Economy: • Private enterprise exists with government regulation.

44. Democracy and Internet • What is the role of the internet in Democracy? • Provide citizens with information • What is a major problem with the Internet and information? • Accuracy

45. The Coming of Independence

46. Britain’s Colonial Policies • Parliament took little part in the management of the colonies, instead they were more interested in matters of trade. • What did the great distance between the colonies and England lead to? • The colonists became used to governing themselves.

47. Britain’s Colonial Policies • When King George III came to the throne in 1760, he began to deal more firmly with the colonies • Restricted trading, new taxes, and troops in the colonies. • How did the colonists react? • Strongly opposed and objected to these taxes.

48. Colonial Unity • Unity among colonies was growing. • In order for a successful revolt, cooperation between colonies was a key.

49. Early Attempts • In 1643 the New England Confederation was formed; a confederation is a joining of several groups for a common purpose. • What was the common purpose in 1643? • Defense against Native Americans

50. The Albany Plan • A meeting in Albany, New York to discuss the problems of colonial trade. • And also the danger of attack by the French and their Native American allies.