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Chapter One: Foundations of American Government (Section one). Participation in Government. To guarantee civil rights and liberties. To promote the general welfare of citizens. To form a perfect Union: In union there is strength. THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT.
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Chapter One: Foundations of American Government (Section one) Participation in Government
To guarantee civil rights and liberties To promote the general welfare of citizens. To form a perfect Union: In union there is strength THE PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT To establish justice: The law must be reasonable, fair and impartial To provide for common defense against outside attack. To insure domestic tranquility: Order is essential to the well-being of society.
Our Preamble • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHp7sMqPL0g • School House Rock -The Preamble
Force Theory: • The state was born of force. • A small group led by a strongman forces everyone living in an area to submit to its will. Elements of the state in place: population, territory, sovereignty, and government
Evolutionary Theory • The state originates out of early, powerful (warrior?) families. • A family is led by a “patriarch” (government) • The original family intermarries (occupies) with other families “Clans” • “Clans” develop over time into tribes • Think: Medieval Western Europe
Stage One: A patriarch leads a family A German Family c.300 (Source: New York Public Library)
Over time, the original family intermarries and conquers other families The patriarch becomes the clan leader. He eventually becomes the tribal chieftan.
When they give up being nomadic, they become tied to the land… By the Middle Ages, we have the state: population, territory, sovereignty, and government.
Remember there were divine right rulers in China, Egypt, and the Mayan and Aztec Empires; However, it was in the 18th century that English and French philosophers began to question the very nature of divine right rule…
The Divine Right Theory • Western world-15th through 18th centuries. God Ruler People • Divine right rule meant that opposition to the government is both treason and a mortal sin.
Social Contract Theory Locke Rousseau Voltaire
The Origins of our intellectual traditions… • Hobbes argued that humans originally existed in a “state of nature.” • There was nogovernment no one person had any superior power. • All people were, in theory, “free” • Without any government as protection, your strength and intelligence was your only cover. • Humans banded together to form a state: • Bycontract, people agree to give up as much power as was needed to promote the safety and well-being of all. • The constitution that is written is the contract that establishes as government to possess the powers given to the state.
THE SOCIAL CONTRACT • Central Idea: • The STATE arose out of the voluntary act of free people • The STATE: • -Serves the will of the people • -The people are the SOLE source of political power • -The people are free to give or withhold that power AS THEY CHOOSE!
Geographic Distribution of Power Unitary: • All powers belong to a single, central agency. • National government creates local governments as needed. • Example: United Kingdom • REMEMBER, that this is not the same as a dictatorship. The national government’s powers are limited.
Federal: • Powers are divided between a national (central) government and several local governments. • There is an authority above both levels-the Constitution-that cannot be changed by either level acting alone. (Amendment Process!) • Both levels of government have their own laws, agencies, and officials.
Relationship Between Executive and Legislative Branches Presidential Government: • Executive and Legislative branches are separate, independent of each other, and coequal. • The chief executive (POTUS) is chosen independently from the legislature, holds office for a fixed term, and has broad powers not subject to the direct control of the legislative branch. • Usually, the Constitution provides for separation of powers. • The United States was the first government with this form.
Presidential Form of Government The Voters Congress (Senate) President Approves Cabinet Agencies, Departments
Relationship Between Executive and Legislative Branches Parliamentary Government: • Executive is made up of the prime minister (premier) and the officials’ cabinet. • They are members of the legislative branch (members of parliament). • The PM is usually a member of the majority party, or from a group of like-minded parties (coalition). • The Executive is chosen by the legislature, is part of it, and remains in office as long as their policies and administration have the support of the majority of members of parliament. • It avoids the gridlock between executive and legislative branches.
Parliamentary Form of Government The Voters Parliament Approves Prime Minister Cabinet (From Legislative Branch)
Map of Parliamentary Systems: Constitutional Monarchies in which authority is vested in a parliament. Parliamentary Democratic Republics where parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. Parliamentary Republics with an executive president elected by and responsible to a parliament.
