Chapter 1 / Unit 1:
Introduction to
Government
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The three basic economic systems
in the world today include
Capitalism, Socialism, and
___________.
• Communism
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What is politics?
• The effort to control or influence government
conduct and policies which provides a peaceful way
for society to manage conflict and competition.
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What is economics?
• The study of human efforts to satisfy seemingly
unlimited wants with limited resources.
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In an autocracy, power is
concentrated in the hands of
___________.
• A single individual
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In this type of democracy the
people are literally the government
and collectively make decisions for
the whole of society.
• Direct Democracy
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What is the largest political unit in
the world today?
• The Nation-State
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What is the most essential function
of government?
• Providing order
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This is a belief that a ruler’s power
comes directly from a supreme
being (God).
• Divine Right
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What are the major purposes of
the state?
• Maintain law and order
• Promote the general welfare / provide public
services / solve problems
• Preserve culture
• Provide for national defense and domestic order
• Regulate and promote economic activity
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How do governments serve the
needs of society?
• Pass and enforce laws
• Set goals for society
• Distribute benefits
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Before man lived in groups /
society he existed in a state of
_________.
• Nature
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When a government has the right
to govern / rule a society is has
___________ power.
• Sovereign
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What are the three types of
governmental structure used in the
world today?
• Unitary, Federal, Confederate
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In what type of governmental
structure is power shared between
the various levels of government?
• Federal
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What country in the world uses a
federal structure?
• United States
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In what type of governmental
structure does power flow from
the top down to lesser
governmental units?
• Unitary
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What is the most commonly found
governmental structure in the
world today?
• Unitary
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What country uses a unitary
structure today?
• Great Britain, France
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In what type of governmental
structure does a loose association
of powerful states exist with a
weak centralized government?
• Confederate
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What are some of the
characteristics of a confederate
government?
• Power states, weak national (centralized)
government
• Severe limits on national power
• All members must agree to take action before action
can be taken
• Cooperation is normally voluntary
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What political union in the modern
world is the best example of a
confederation?
• European Union
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Did the United States ever use a
confederate form of government?
• Yes, twice – Articles of Confederation, Confederate
States of America
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In this type of government a king
or queen has unquestioned
authority.
• Absolute monarchy
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Under the Evolutionary Theory,
government developed as an
extension of what societal unit?
• The family
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Under the Force Theory,
government why did governments
come into existence?
• For protection from outside groups (safety in
numbers, mutual protection from a common threat)
• Because of conquest by a stronger group over a
weaker group.
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In what country in the world would
you find an absolute monarchy
today?
• Saudi Arabia
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In this type of government a king
or queen is the symbolic leader of
a nation but doesn’t have any real
power or authority.
• Constitutional monarchy
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In what country would you find a
constitutional monarchy today?
• Great Britain
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What is considered to be the birth
place of democracy?
• Athens, Greece / Ancient Greece
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Approximately when was
democracy born in Athens,
Greece?
• 500 BC
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What economic system is
associated with free enterprise,
private property, laissez-faire
governmental policy, and free
markets?
• Capitalism
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What are the five characteristics
associated with capitalism?
•
•
•
•
•
Private ownership of property and resources
Free enterprise
Business competition
Freedom of choice
The possibility of profits
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Who is considered the father of
capitalism?
• Adam Smith, articulate the tenants of capitalism in
his book, The Wealth of Nations written in 1776.
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What does the term “laissez-faire”
mean?
• “To let alone” – a governmental policy that allows
the market to drive economics rather than the
government.
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Every economic system in the
world today blends and
incorporates elements of
Capitalism, Socialism, and
Communism. These countries have
...
• Mixed Economies
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Who wrote the Communist
Manifesto?
• Karl Marx
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Under Communism, who are
considered the bourgeoisie?
• Those who own the means of production (capitalists)
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What are some of the
characteristics of a Communist
economic system?
• Only a Communist political party / government can
exist in society.
• The government owns all means of production
• There is no private property
• There are no wages, rents, interests, or profits
• Teach to their own abilities
• Total employment
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What are three goals of Socialism?
• Public ownership of most land and the means of
production
• Government control over most economic decisions
• Equal distribution of wealth
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Identify key characteristics found in
democracies
•
•
•
•
•
Majority rule but minority rights
Individual liberty
People hold sovereign power
Free elections
Competing political parties
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In this form of democracy, the
people select representatives who
in turn voice their opinions and
concerns within government.
• Representative Democracy
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In this form of democracy, the
executive and legislative branches
are combined into one body. It is
also the most common form of
democracy in the world today.
• Parliamentary Democracy
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In this form of democracy, the
executive and legislative branches
are elected separately and often
work at cross purposes against
each other.
• Presidential Democracy
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In order for a democracy to take
root in a society and actually work
what are some key components
that are required to be in place?
•
•
•
•
•
Citizenship participation
A favorable economy / large middle class
Widespread education
A strong civil society
A social consensus
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According to this theory, people
voluntarily left the state of nature
to join together to form societies.
In the process they agreed to
forfeit their absolute freedom in
return for living in a society.
• Social Contract
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Which person first articulated the
concept of the social contract?
• Thomas Hobbs, English philosopher
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According to Thomas Hobbs, once
mankind accepted the social
contract government has absolute
________ to rule as it wishes.
• power
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John Locke, a later English
philosopher, argued that the social
contract is not binding when . . .
• The government becomes tyrannical. People have
the right to reject, remove, and replace
governments.
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Which Greek philosopher first
classified the three types of
government found in his world in
ancient Athens?
• Aristotle
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Identify Aristotle’s three
classifications of government.
• Autocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy
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Autocracy means . . .
• Rule by one person.
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Democracy means . . .
• Rule by many.
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Under this form of government the
leadership / control of a nation is
concentrated in the hands of very
small group of people.
• Oligarchy
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What are the four essential
features of a state (country)?
• Population, Territory, Sovereignty, Government
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What is a political community with
definite boundaries and an
independent government?
• A State
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What is the institution through
which a state maintains social
order, provides public services and
enforces the nation's laws
• Government
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What is a constitution?
• A plan of government
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What are the key characteristics of
Totalitarianism?
• The power of the state is unlimited
• The needs of the state come before the needs of the
people
• All citizens must work for the common goals
established by the government
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What country in the world would
be a good example of totalitarian
rule?
• North Korea
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Under Fascism, how does the
government help to maintain
control of the population?
• Use of stereotypes (Jews in Nazi Germany) and
appeals to racial superiority
• Appeal to extreme patriotism
• The militarization of society
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What are the four characteristics of
a democracy?
It promotes individual liberty, or equal opportunity for
all people.
It is based on majority rule with minority rights.
It requires elections in which candidates can express
their views freely, voting requirements are few and
non-discriminatory, and each person's vote is equal
and cast by secret ballot.
It allows competing political parties, with different
approaches to issues to give voters a choice.
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