Basic Political Theory and Historical Roots

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Unit 1

• Basic Political Theory and Historical Roots

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What is Government?

• Government- institution through which a society
  makes and enforces its public policy
• Public Policy- all things a government decides to
  do. ex. tax, education, health care, etc.

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3 types of power

• Legislative power- make the laws
• Judicial Power- interpret the laws, settle
  disputes within society
• Executive Power- execute or enforce the laws

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The Basic Unit

• The foundational political unit in the world is
  the state (often called nation or country)
• Body of people in a territory with a government
  that has no higher authority
• Over 190 in world ex Mexico, Russia, Canada, the
  United States are all states

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The 4 Characteristics of a State

• Population
• largest China 1.3 billion, smallest San Marino
  30,000
• Territory
• largest Russia 6.6 mil. square miles, smallest
  San Marino 24 square miles
• Sovereignty- absolute power within its territory
• Government

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How Did States Evolve?

• Divine Right
• 15th through 18th centuries, common thinking was
  that God gave certain people a divine right to
  rule over others

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How Did States Evolve?

• Social Contract
• 1700s philosophical response to the idea of
  Divine Right
• Theory was developed by John Locke, Thomas
  Hobbes, and Jean Jacque Rousseau

John Locke (1632-1704)
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How Did States Evolve?

• Social Contract
• Free people decided to form states to keep
  themselves safe

John Locke (1632-1704)
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The Big Deal is

• If people formed states to serve their own
  interests, then government exists to serve the
  people

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Purpose of Government

• Based on the social contract theory, the purpose
  of American government is to
• Form a More Perfect Union
• Establish Justice
• Insure Domestic Tranquility
• Provide for the Common Defense
• Promote the General Welfare
• Secure the Blessings of Liberty
• In case youre curious, this is the Preamble to
  the U.S. Constitution

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Different Forms of Government

• Democracy - Government of the people, by the
  people, for the people
• Direct - people make policy themselves
• Indirect - people vote for others who will make
  policy (also called republic)

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Different Forms of Government

• Dictatorship government is not accountable to
  anyone
• Autocracy single person holds unlimited power
• Oligarchy a small, self-appointed group rules

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Different Forms of Government

• Unitary one national government, smaller lower
  units have little or no say in policy
• Examples Israel, Great Britain, France

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Different Forms of Government

• Federal smaller units share power with the
  central national government
• Examples Mexico, Canada, Australia

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Different Forms of Government

• Confederal smaller regional governments hold
  the most power, united by a weak central
  government
• Examples European Union, Confederate States

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Different Forms of Government

• Presidential voters separately elect Executive
  and Legislative branch members

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Different Forms of Government

• Parliamentary Executive is chosen from the
  Legislative branch

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Basic Concepts of Democracy

• Worth of the Individual
• Equality of All Persons
• Not necessarily equal conditions, but strive for
  equal opportunity

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Basic Concepts of Democracy

• Majority Rule, Minority Rights
• Necessity of Compromise
• Individual Freedom

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Free Enterprise

• Free Enterprise is the economic system that
  allows most democracies to work.

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Free Enterprise

• Four factors of a free enterprise system
• Private ownership
• Individual initiative
• Profit
• Competition

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How it Works

• The Law of Supply and Demand
• When supply is high or demand is low, prices are
  low
• When supply is low or demand is high, prices are
  high

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Where does Government Fit in?

• Government always plays a role in regulating an
  economy
• Governments can fully control an economy, or let
  it be free
• The U.S. uses a mixed economy, to protect the
  public and preserve private ownership