American Government

Principles of Government

“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”

James Madison

Government

• The institution by which a society makes and enforces its public policies

• Public Policies – all of those things a government decides to do.

Three Basic Kinds of Power

• Legislative – power to make law• Executive - power to execute,

enforce and administer law.• Judicial – power to interpret law

and settle disputes.

Preamble to the Constitution

• The introduction – explains the purpose for government• Form a more perfect Union• Establish Justice• Insure domestic tranquility• Provide for the Common defense• Promote the General Welfare• Secure the Blessings of Liberty

State

• A defined body of people, living in a defined territory, organized by a government• Population – the people (smallest is

Vatican City – 900, biggest is China 1.3 billion)

• Territory (Russia is the largest 6.6 million square miles, compare to the U.S. with 3.7 million square miles)

• Sovereignty - not subordinate or responsible to any other authority. • i.e. the U.S. government is free to

make decisions about the U.S.

• Government – English Philosopher Thomas Hobbes said, “government is necessary to avoid the war of every man against every man”.

Origins of Government

• A question for you: what do you suppose was the earliest form of government?

Evolutionary Theory

• Government grew out of family structure and need for organization

• Development of clans and tribes.

Force Theory

• 1 person or group took over and claimed control of an area and forced everyone to submit to their rule.

Divine Right Theory

• God gave the right to certain people to rule

• Ie. The Royal Family

Social Contract

• A voluntary agreement of free people. Exists between people and their government. Government’s role is to serve the people.

• Written by Jacque Rousseau- The Social Contract

• Jefferson used this theory in the Declaration of Independence – arguing that King George III had violated the contract.

Types of Governments

• Presidential Government• The executive and legislative

branches are separate, independent of one another and COEQUAL.

• Parliamentary Gov’t• The executive is made up of a prime

minister or premier and the official’s cabinet.

• Federal gov’t• Powers of government are separated

by a central government and several local governments

• Aka Federalism• Confederation

• An alliance of independent states• No strong central government exists

• Dictatorship• A person or group in power doesn’t

answer to the will of the people• In other words, the leader does

whatever he/she wants

• Dictatorships – 2 types• Autocracy – a government where a

single person holds unlimited power• Oligarchy – government where the

power is held by a small, self-appointed group

• Democracy• Power is held by the people• Government exists by consent of the

governed.• “government of the people, by the

people and for the people” – Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

• Democracy – 2 types• Direct –people make all decisions in a

mass meeting• Representative – people select people

to represent them in government; the voice of the people is heard when they participate in elections

Influences on American Democracy

• John Locke – wrote Two Treatises – describing the responsibility of government to meet the needs of its citizens

Components of American Democracy

• Worth of the individual• Equality of all persons• Majority rule vs. Minority rights• Compromise• Individual freedom (absolute

freedom can only exist in a state of anarchy)

Constituent

• The term used to describe a person that an elected official represents

• Also called the electorate and a voter

• Ie. I am a constituent of Roy Blunt and Claire McCaskill.

Citizen

• A person that is a member of a state or nation either by birth of by swearing allegiance