Principles of Government



Principles of Government

Chapter 1 - Class Notes

Government and the State (Section 1)

What is Government?

• Government is the institution through which a society ______________ and _______________ its public policies.

• Public Policies = all those things that a government _______________ to do (i.e. taxation, defense, education, crime, health care, transportation, civil rights, etc.)

Government Powers

• Power = the ability to command or prevent ____________, the ability to achieve a desired _____.

• ______________________ Power = the power to make law and to frame public policies

• ______________________ Power = the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

• ______________________ Power = the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settle disputes that arise within the society

These powers are often outlined in a country’s _____________________ – the body of

fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of government.

The State

• The state (more than _____ in the world today) can be defined as having these four characteristics:

1. POPULATION

A state must have _______________, the number of which does not directly relate to its existence.

2. TERRITORY

A state must be comprised of ___________ – territory with known and recognized boundaries

3. SOVEREIGNTY

Every state is sovereign. It has supreme and absolute ___________ within its own territory and decides its own foreign and domestic ______________.

4. GOVERNMENT

Every state has a government – that is, it is politically ___________________.

Origins of the State

The Force Theory

• The force theory states that one person or a small group took ______________ of an area and forced all within it to ____________ to that person’s or group’s rule.

The Evolutionary Theory

• The evolutionary theory argues that the state evolved __________ out of the early family.

The Divine Right Theory

• The theory of divine right holds that God ______________ the state and that God gives those of _______________ birth a “divine right” to rule.

The Social Contract Theory

• The social contract theory argues that the state arose out of a _______________ act of “free” people.

The Purposes of Government

The main purposes of government are described in the _______________ of the Constitution of

the United States:

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish

Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, 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.”

Government and the State

Section 1 – Reading and Critical Thinking Questions

1. What is the difference between a government and a state?

2. What is the purpose of a constitution?

3. The United States is sovereign, but the city of Santa Clarita is not. Do you think your community should be sovereign? Why or why not?

4. Describe the Social Contract Theory. Who developed it? When was it developed? How did it influence the development of the United States?

Explain, in your own words, each of the following “purposes of government” as outlined in the Preamble of our Constitution.

Forms of Government (Section 2)

Classifying Governments

Governments can be classified by three different standards:

1. _________ can participate in the governing process.

2. The ___________________ distribution of the governmental power within the state.

3. The relationship between the __________________ (lawmaking) and the ___________________ (law-executing) branches of the government.

Classification by Who Can Participate

Democracy

• In a democracy, supreme political authority rests with the ________________.

• A “direct democracy” exists where the ________ of the people is translated into ________ directly by the people themselves.

• In an “indirect democracy”, a small group of persons, _____________ by the people to act as their _____________________________, expresses the popular will.

Dictatorship

• A dictatorship exists where those who rule cannot be held _____________________ to the will of the people.

• An autocracy is a government in which a ______ person holds unlimited political power.

• An oligarchy is a government in which the power to rule is held by a _________, usually self-appointed _________.

Classification by Geographic Distribution of Power

Unitary Government

• A unitary government has all powers held by a __________, ___________ agency.

• Example =

Confederate Government

• A confederation is an alliance of _______________________ states.

• Example =

Federal Government

• A federal government is one in which the powers of government are ____________ between a central government and several local governments.

• An authority _________________ to both the central and local governments makes this division of power on a geographic basis.

• Examples =

•

Classification by the Relationship between Legislative and Executive Branches

Forms of Government

Section 2 – Graphic Organizer and Reviewing Key Terms

Basic Concepts of Democracy (Section 3)

Foundations

The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions:

1. A recognition of the fundamental __________ and _____________ of every person;

2. A respect for the _________________ of all persons;

3. A faith in _________________ rule and an insistence upon minority _____________;

4. An acceptance of the necessity of ____________________; and

5. An insistence upon the widest possible degree of individual _________________.

Democracy and the Free Enterprise System

• The free enterprise system is an ____________________ system characterized by private or corporate ___________________ 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 _________________ and __________________.

• An economy in which private enterprise exists in ____________________ with a considerable amount of government ____________________ and promotion is called a mixed economy.

Democracy and the Internet

• Democracy demands that the people be widely ___________________ about their government.

• Theoretically, the Internet makes knowledgeable participation in democratic process _______________ than ever before.

• However, all data on the World Wide Web is not necessarily ______________, and the long-term effects of the Internet on democracy has yet to be determined.

Basic Concepts of Democracy

Section 3 – Tree Map and Critical Thinking Questions

A tree map outlines a main topic, its main ideas and its supporting details. Use the tree map below to outline the basic principles (foundations) on which American democracy rests. (5 points)

.

Review and Critical Thinking: Answer the following questions in the space provided.

6. Explain the significance of the term compromise as it relates to problem-solving in a democratic society.

7. What are the four factors underlying the free enterprise system?

8. List three examples of governmental actions that tend to promote the free market.

9. List three examples of governmental actions that might interfere with the free market.

10. What are some possible advantages and disadvantages of Internet voting?

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Government and the State (Section 1)

For much of history, and in many parts of the world, leadership was passed from one person to another on the basis of “divine right” to rule. That is, people believed God gave certain individual the right to rule. Study the cartoon and answer the questions that follow.

1. Those with the divine right were generally of royal birth. These individual would then be succeeded by their children. Which part of the cartoon demonstrates this concept?

2. Those under royal rule believed that they must obey the king as they would obey God. How does the position of the king in this cartoon give him a God-like presence?

3. Is the cartoonist in favor of or opposed to the theory of divine right? How do you know?

4. What do you think is the difference between a king and a dictator? Explain how the cartoon illustrated this distinction.

POLITICAL CARTOONS

Basic Concepts of Democracy (Section 3)

The concept of democracy lies at the heart of the American way of life. One important ingredient needed to maintain a successful democracy is compromise. Sometimes referred to as “an art,” compromise is not always easily achieved. Study the cartoon below and answer the questions that follow.

[pic]

1. Describe what is happening in this cartoon.

2. Which of the five basic concepts of democracy is being ignored by the mechanics?

3. What other concept of democracy, if applied here, would have allowed the mechanics to come to a conclusion on how to fix the car?

4. Does the cartoon appear to be arguing that businesses should be governed as democracies? Explain.

Purposes of Government

Group Project

In groups of 3, create a collage of the purposes of government as outlined in the Preamble (Section 1 – pages 9-10). Use the newspapers, magazines and art supplies provided to show examples of how government carries out each particular purpose on a daily basis. Use both current and historical examples as you depict the government’s ability to fulfill the obligations established in the Preamble to the Constitution.

Each person in your group should focus on 2 of the six purposes. Use words and pictures to create your group’s collage. You can draw your own pictures, cut out headlines and use pictures from the newspapers/magazines.

Create one note card per purpose that explains the purpose in your own words. Attach the note card over the headlines, stories and pictures related to that purpose. If you don’t want to use note cards, just write the purpose and definition before you cut and paste your pictures and stories.

It will be worth 70 points – ten points for how well your collage explains and gives examples of each purpose and ten points for the overall visual quality of your collage. Everyone in your group will earn the same grade so work together to complete the project in a timely manner. You are welcome to bring in your own images from other magazines, newspapers or the Internet. This project will be due at the end of the period on Friday (remember that Friday periods are shorter) so use your time accordingly.

An example of a possible layout for your poster collage is shown below…

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Form a More Perfect Union

Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Promote the General Welfare

Provide for the Common Defense

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Establish Justice

Foundations of Democracy

Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Promote the General Welfare

Provide for the Common Defense

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Establish Justice

Form a More Perfect Union

Definition: In union there is strength so the government works to create connections between the federal government, the states and the people.

Within the rest of this space are the pictures, headlines, drawings that provide examples of this purpose.

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