1.1 Principles of Government

government

the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies

public policy

things a government decides to do

3 Branches of Government

legislative, executive, judicial

legislative branch

makes laws, made up of the elected House of Representatives and a Senate

executive branch

enforces laws, led by President and vice, cabinet, and federal agencies

judicial branch

interprets laws, made up of Supreme Court and lower federal courts

the state

body of people living ina. defined territory organized politically with a government

dictatorship

rule by leader not reponsive to the needs of the people

democracy

rule by the people, voting, public favor; people have a say

4 characteristics of the state

population, territory, sovereignty, government

population

every state must be inhabited/have a population

territory

must have land that is known and borders are recognized

sovereignty

absolute power within territory; decides its own foreign and domestic policies

government

mechanism through which makes and enforces policies

origins of the state theories

force, divine right, evolutionary, social contract

force theory

individuals/group claim control of a territory and force population to submit

divine right theory

God created sovereign states and also a leader that must be obeyed

evolutionary theory

population formed from families and leaders appeared and took the territory

social contract theory

population gives up territory and as much power to a government to promote the wellbeing of all; John Locke wrote in Two Tristes of Government

What does the US preamble promise?

more perfect union, establish justice, domestic tranquility, common defense, promote general welfare, secure blessing of liberty

“more perfect union”

better government than under monarchy, continuously improve upon government and systems (ex. Articles of Confederation)

“establish justice”

right to fair trial, fair, effective national judicial system, fair laws,

“domestic tranquility”

internal peace

“common defense”

military, Army, international safety and security

“promote general welfare”

providing for peoples’ wellbeing

“secure blessings of liberty”

allowing people to be free, rights

direct vs. indirect democracy

direct democracy: the people make all decisions together in mass; indirect democracy: leaders chosen and chosen by the people to carry out will of the people, can be replaced

autocracy vs. oligarchy

autocracy: 1 person; oligarchy: rule by small elite

theocracy

state based on religious law typically ruled by religious leader

geographic distributions of power

unitary, federal, confederation

unitary

central government creates local units of gov, only have the powers that the central government gives them

federal

national government and states are co-equal partners, conflicts inevitable between 2 levels of government and some parts are duplicated

confederation

most power belongs to local governments, central government limited in power, restricts ability to act on behalf of confederacy

relationship of branches types

presidential and parliamentary

presidential relationship

voters elect Legislature and the Chief Executive who is part of Executive branch, both independent and equal

parliamentary relationship

voters elect the Legislature, Chief Executive drawn from the Legislature

Basis of Democracy (6)

worth of individual; equality for all persons; majority rule, minority rights; necessity of compromise; individual freedom; responsibilities and obligations of citizenship

“worth of individual”

right to pursue happiness, not focused on unity

“equality of all persons”

equal rights, “all men are created equal”

“majority rule, minority rights”

democracy, gets to make decision for majority, must treat minority fairly

“necessity of compromise”

cooperation, equal

“individual freedom”

liberty, pursuit of happiness, not restrictive

“responsibilities and obligations of citizenship”

abiding by law, agreeing to do responsibilities, civil participation, supporting change