Principles of Government

Articles Of Confederation

• no central authority (weak)

  • Not able collect taxes

  • Not able to raise for military

• Tax went to national and state

• ISSUE = how would people in the USA be represented in congress?

Deceleration of Independence

• 4 pillars (or truths)

  • Natural rights = life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness

    • Idea all are equal and deserve equal rights that are unalienable (can’t be taken away)

  • Right to abolish or change government to better themselves (Very encouraged if needed)

  • Men are created equally = all have same rights and treated equally

  • Consent of the governs = rights made or consented by those who must follow them

Constitutional Convention

• May 1787

• Decided to get rid of Articles of Confederation instead of revising it

  • Thought to be too difficult to get everyone to agree in order to pass a change

Virginia Plan

• 2 house legislature: representation decided by state population/wealth

  • Lower house = elected by the people

  • Upper house = elected by the lower house

• Executive branch appointed by legislature

• Judicial branch appointed by legislature

New Jersey Plan

• 1 house legislature: one vote per state

  • Representatives chosen by state legistalure

• Executive branch appointed by legislature

• Judicial branch appointed by executive

The Great Compromise

• CT compromise is another name for it

• 2 house legislature: house of representatives and senate

  • House of Representatives = based on state population

  • Senate = 2 representatives per state automatically

• Executive branch appointed by electoral college

• Judicial branch appointed by president and confirmed by senate

3/5 Compromise

• 3/5 of slaves counted as representation and taxation

Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise

• Congress forbidden to tax export

• Congress forbidden to interfere with slave trade until 1808

• Congress could regulate commerce

Bill of Rights

• Federalist and anti-federalist agreement

  • Agreed to add protection of individual rights

• First 10 amendments of the constitution

6 Principles of the Constitution

1. Popular Sovereignty

2. Limited Government

3. Separation of Powers

4. Checks and Balances

5. Federalism

6. Individual Rights

Popular Sovereignty

• People establish government and are the source of its power

  • Consent of the govern

    • Ex. Voting in the U.S.

Limited Government

• Government powers are restricted to protect individual rights

  • Ex. Bill of Rights

  • Ex. 1st amendment

Separation of Powers

• The power govern is divided among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches

  • Prevents concentration and abuse of power by any 1 branch

Checks and Balances

• Each branch has the authority to check or restrain some powers of other branches

  • Veto - president (executive) → law making (legislature)

  • Impeachment → trial?

Federalism

• Right of the states are protected by dividing powers between national and state government

  • Ex. Marajuana Laws - some states allow it while others do not

Individual Rights

• Rights the government can not take away from citizens

  • Must follow the law (rule of law)

    • Ex. 1st amendment - freedom of religion, speech, peaceful protest, etc

Capitolism

• Economic/Political system in certain countires

• Trade and the industry is controlled by private owners for profit

• In capitalist nations there are big gaps in wealth

  • Have owners of major businesses, industries, and financial institutes (wealthy)

  • Those who work for others in exchange for wages/$ (“poor”)

Socialism

• Political/Economic theory in some countries

• Means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community

• Mean of generating wealth by factories, large farms, and banks are owned by government

  • Government collects wealth and redistributes it back to citizens

    • Usually in social programs for free/inexpensive education, healthcare, childcare, etc

• Government owns utilities like electricity and transportation systems (airplane, railroads)

Public Good

• Goods/Services available to all without charge

• U.S. provides many goods (funded by citizens paying taxes) like…

  • Stability and security

    • National level = military

    • State = police/fire department

  • Public education and transportation

  • Mail services

  • Food, housing, and healthcare for those who can not afford it

Toll Good

• Available to many but can not be used by all

• Only can make use of good if you could pay for it

  • Ex. private schooL

Democracy

• Political power rests in hands of the people

• Influence over institutions leaders, and policies

Representative Democracy

• Citizen do not govern directly

  • They elect representatives to make decisions and pass laws on behalf of all people

• Citizens “elect” congress members, state legislatures, and town council members

• Have majority rule and minority rights present in this government

Majority Rule / Minority Rights

• Majority rule = opinion of majority of people have more of an influence with the government than those in minority

• Minority rights = protected so that people who can not be deprived of certain rights because of ruling

Direct Democracy

• People participate directly in making government decisions

• Vote representatives

  • Also vote on certain issues during meetings

Monarchy

• 1 ruler usually chosen by inheritance

• Typically holds all political power

  • Some are limited by law

  • Some kings/queens rule along with an elected legislature

• Ex. Saudi Arabia

Oligarchy

• Handful of elite members of society from a particular political party that hold the power

• Ex. Cuba or China - only those in the Communist Party are able to vote and hold power

Totalitarism

• Government more important than citizens - control all aspects of their lives

  • Does not allow political critism or opposition

  • Citizen rights are very very limited

• Fairly rare in present times

• Ex. North Korea

What gives the idea of “Self-government” is the constitution

It’s starting phrase = WE THE PEOPLE