Principles of Government

Chapter 1

What is Government?• Government is the

institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies.

• Government is made up of those people who exercise its powers, all those who have authority and control over people

What are public policies?

• The public policies of a government are, in short, all of those things a government decides to do.

• Public policies cover issues ranging from taxation, defense, education, crime and health care to transportation, the environment, civil rights, and working conditions.

Powers of Government

• Legislative power-power to make laws

• Executive power-power to execute, enforce, and administer law

• Judicial power-power to interpret government

What is a constitution?

• A constitution is the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government.

What is a democracy?

• A democracy is a government in which powers rests with a majority of the people.

Types of Democracy

• Direct Democracy- In a direct democracy, citizens vote on all public policy decisions themselves. Direct democracy does not exist at the national level anywhere in the world today.

• Representative Democracy- In a representative democracy, a small group of persons are chosen by the people to act as their representatives. This is the type of democracy we have in America.

Basic Concepts of Democracy

• The American concept of democracy rests on these basic notions:– A recognition of the fundamental worth and dignity of

every person– A respect for the equality of all persons– A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon minority

rights– An acceptance of the necessity of compromise – An insistence upon the widest possible degree of

individual freedom

Geographic Distribution of Power

• Unitary government- All powers held by the government belong to a single, central agency.

• Confederate government or Confederation- All or almost all powers of the government belong to independent states

• Federal government-Powers of the government are divided between federal (national), state, and local governments

Unitary Government

• A unitary system is a system of government in which power is centralized in the national government.

• Regional governments only exercise powers given by the national government.

Confederate Government

• A Confederate government is a system of government in which power resides in the regions, which are independent states.

• The central gov’t gets power from regional governments.

Federal System of Government • In a federal system of gov’t,

the constitution divides power between the national, state, and local governments.

• Main advantage = the flexibility it gives state and local gov’ts in meeting their specific needs, while assuring that the national government can address widespread goals and issues.