Unit 1 What is Government?

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Unit 1What is Government?
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Government

• The institution through which a society makes and
  enforces its public policies

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The State

• A body of people , living in a defined territory,
  organized politically, and with the power to make
  and enforce law without the consent of a higher
  authority
• Four Essential Features of a State

Population
Government
Territory
Sovereignty
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Nation

• Any sizable group of people who are united by
  common bonds of race, language, custom,
  tradition, and, sometimes religion.

Nation-State
A country in which the territory of the state,
and a cultural nation of people are in the same
place.
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Public Policies

• All of the things that a government decides to do.

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Examples of Public Policy

• Defense
• Taxation
• Education
• Crime Control
• Health Care

• Transportation
• Environment
• Civil Rights
• Working Conditions

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Governments

• Have power to make and implement public policy

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Every government consists of three basic powers

• Legislative
• Executive
• Judicial

The power to create laws
The power to enforce laws
The power to interpret laws, to settle disputes
that arise within a society.
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A governments power is often outlined in a
countrys constitution
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Constitution

• A body of fundamental laws setting out the
  principles, structures, and processes of a
  government

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Four Theories on the Origin of the State
Evolutionary Theory State evolved over time
Divine Right Theory God made the state
Force Theory Took over the state by force
Social Contract Theory Unwritten contract,
people give up rights for protection from the
state
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The Social Contract
Thomas Hobbes - man is essentially _______ and
must be _____________ by government
EVIL
CONTROLLED
John Locke - man is essentially good, and
governments allow people to act together as a
_______ to accomplish more ______
TEAM
WORK
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Philosophers

• Montesquieu spirit of laws, idea of separation
  of powers
• Blackstone theory of common law
• Rousseau freedom, equality, and justice for
  allpolitics and morality should be separated

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Six Goals of our Constitution
We the people
of the United States, in Order
to
form a
Union,
establish justice,
more perfect
domestic tranquility,
insure
provide for the
common defense,
promote the general welfare,
and
secure
the blessings
liberty
to ourselves
of
and our posterity, do ordain and establish this
Constitution for the United States of America.