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