1.2 The Formation of Government

1. 1.2 The Formation of Government

2. Government Systems • Unitary—key powers given to central government then that unit can then create state, or local governments. • May limit sovereignty • EX: Great Britain, Italy & France • Federal—divides power between the national & state government—each has sovereignty in some areas. • US did this after the 13 colonies became states-until then we were a confederacy—loose union of independent states • EX: Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia, India, & Russia

3. Constitutions & Government Constitution Written vs. Unwritten US—oldest written 1787 France, Kenya, Italy, India Unwritten Britain—based on precedent A plan that provides rules for government. Purposes are: • Sets ideals people believe in • Establishes structure of government • Provides supreme law of land Provides rules that shape the actions of the government

4. Constitutional Government • Government where constitution has authority to place clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who govern • Not People’s Republic of China—few limits on governments power even though they have a Constitution or former Soviet Union

5. Constitutions are Incomplete Guides • Impossible to include everything • FDR—President 4X—resulted in the 22nd Amendment—only allowed to serve 2 terms • Doesn’t always reflect actual government practice • People’s Republic of China says they have all kinds of rights but in reality or practice the people have few rights • Got better in 1980’s—then in 1989 the democracy movement was over—state and pro democracy people still argue

6. PreambleA statement of goals and purposes of government “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.”

7. Framework for Government • Plan for government • In a federal state like we have in the US the Constitution describes relationship between state & federal government • Main body divided into articles or sections • US 7 Articles=22 sections • French 89 articles • Indian 100’s of articles (longest in the world)

8. Highest Law • Constitution is the supreme law of the land • Authority usually comes from elected • Constitutional law studies questions about interpreting the Constitution • EX: how far government power extends

9. Politics and Government • Politics—the effort to control or influence policies of government • People participate because government has the potential to influence their lives—everyone wants something different from the government • Conflicts are managed through politics—working together to come up with compromises that everyone can accept • Special interests—some think the general welfare of the people is compromised by these people

10. Governing in a Complex World • Hard to define boundaries of government because of the inequalities of countries • Industrialized nations—US, Japan, Canada, France—have large industries, adv. technology, comfortable way of life • Developing nations—just starting to develop industrially; poor, political turmoil, starvation, disease are common • In between are newly industrialized nations like Mexico, S. Korea, Kenya

11. International Organizations Grouped together because the operate beyond national boundaries Types are • National liberation organizations • Aim to establish an independent state for a particular ethnic or religious group. • IRA—make Ireland & N Ireland one country under one gov’t. • PLO wants to establish a Palestine state in Middle East

12. International Organizations con’t • Terrorist organizations • Al-Qaeda (mostly Islamic radicals) staged the 9/11 attacks on US • Multinational organizations • Huge companies with office all over the world—influence politics because of all the $$$ they generate • EX: GM, Nabisco, AT&T

13. International Organizations con’t • Organizations of states of the world • Members are other nations—build coalitions and partnerships with other nations • WTO—they 150 nations that negotiate trade matters • UN—members discuss sticky issues and provide disaster relief, and peacekeeping functions

14. International Organizations con’t • Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) • Private groups set these up to achieve a goal that affects multiple nations • Greenpeace—wants to change policies that deal with the environment • Doctors without Borders—provide medical care and service to those suffering from civil war, disease and natural disasters