Government Test 1: Power, Authority, Legitimacy - political games, government forms

Authority

Legal right or power to give order/enforce rules

Power

Ability to control/cause others to behave which gives them authority

legitimacy

Being accepted as authority, giving power

Formal Authority

Power comes from position and duties within an organization

Expertise

Power derives from holder’s specific skills/expertise

Persuasion

Power derived from power’s ability to persuade others

Coercion

Power derived from force; punish/penalize others

Rewards

Power derived from ability to give something valuable

Hobbes

Ideas align with philosophical absolutionism, wants an absolute government, leviathan type government which no one can overpower, pessimistic about human beings ability to act without ruler, scared of the state of war

Locke

Ideas align with philisophical/biblical constitutionalism, highlights the need for balance between safety and freedom, suggests a social contract which forfeits rights to create balance between safety and freedom, government’s duty is to protect the right of life, liberty, and property.

Both Hobbes and Lockes

Both talk about the social contract, and both recognize the natural rights of mankind.

Purpose of Government

Maintain public order, protect life and property, and providing public goods

How does the government achieve these purposes?

They achieve these purposes through coercion and revenue. Coercion: penalties, punishments, securing property, and involuntary service. Revenue: collecting funds to provide security and pay for public goods which comes from the people.

Four characteristics of Nation States

Territorial integrity (occupy specific territory), Stable population (permanent residences), Code of laws (people agree to live under it), national sovereignty (nation-state is independent and self-governing).

What is a Nation State?

Merges two concepts: nation and state. Nation is a group of people with common origin, state is a geographical area controlled by a government.

Ways People Can Participate in Politics

Learning about politics, Using social media to spread political opinions, displaying political signs, attending political meetings, voting for president, influencing how others vote, creating petitions, participating in political games.

Different types of Political games

Horse trading, Winning by being smarter and stronger, Civil Disobedience, Winning by Wiping Out the Opposition, Winning by refusing to play

Horse trading

winning by giving get. Where both parties negotiate for a common goal, in which ends in a win-win

Winning by being smarter and stronger

Overpowering and outsmarting the opponent. Usually with both force and cunningness, in order to beat opponent.

Civil Disobedience

winning by shaming the opposition. The goal is to end political evil which is through publicly shaming the opposition, deliberately disobeying what they consider an unjust law.

Winning by Wiping Out the Opposition

The goal is to destroy the opponent which usually ends in bloodbath. Fear, massacre, and intimidation – usually ends with another side having control over decisions.

Winning by refusing to play

The person walks out and does not participate in any political game, and refuses to return until the opposition agrees to give them something they want.

Merit of politics as a Competition

Competition allows incentivizes political parties to raise issues that needs to be solved, allows for optimized advancements of policies that suit the people’s need, allows for compromizes between opposing sides which ultimately lead to a balanced policy, allows for solving political/social/economic issues that need to be resolved, raises/incentivizes political change and need.

Political Competition Good?

Political competition is good as it allows for the advancement of society in a social, political, and economic aspect as it incentivizes change. However, there are some political games that are generally harmful to the people, such as wiping out opposition, which is considered a lower-quality force of power that does not incentivize, but force change.

Democracy

Government by the people, which rule is by the majority.

Absolute Monarchy

An absolute monarch who has complete rule over the people

Limited Monarchy

Monarchy with limited powers, limited by the constitution in which the parliament has the most power

Oligarchy

Small group of “privileged” individuals who have control over country

Aristocracy

Aristocracy is where one person in the government has all the power in which their power is not limited, but includes nobles and royalties who also control the government.

Theocracy

Government is ruled in the name of a god, in which they use a god as a means of power.

Republic

The people vote on decision which passes on to representatives that proceed with the decision, which is ruled by representatives of citizens

Fascism

One person with absolute power over citizens, dictatorial leader

Socialism

Gradual shifting of power to working class, no private land/ownership, ownership over means of production.

Communism

Everyone has power which communism represents a full dictatorship of the working class.

Parliamentary democracy

Vote for a single party - if none win the majority, they join together to form ruling coalition. Legislative selects member to serve as prime minister which they then choose ministries (executive branch departments). Prime ministers struggle with legitimacy and there is no clear cut separation between executive and legislative. Vote of no confidence removes the prime minister to be replaced.

Presidential democracy

Voters choose a president to lead as head of executive branch, elect lawmakers, which president and legislators serve fixed terms. Presidents are directly elected by the people. Enjoy more legitimacy. Separates executive and legislative powers to prevent abuses. May be mores table than prime minister.

Presidential vs Parliamentary

Different: Parliamentary, people choose legislatures in which legislatures choose the chief executive. Presidency, people choose both legislature and chief executive, both with equal powers. Same: Voters select lawmakers, citizens vote

Unitary System

The power is concentrated in the national government, which regional governments are created to carry out policies created by the national government. The regional government is limited by the power the national government gives them.

Federal System

The federal system has a constitution that divides the power between the national government and the regional governments. The national government has duties such as protecting the nation while regional governments have jobs like creating schools.

Confederal Systema

Confederal systems have most power in regional governments which are independent states, which the reions give as much power to the national government as needed to maintain security and coordinate activities among regions.