Government
The ruling authority for a community or society
Popular Sovereignty: Consent of the
governed. The people have the
power in government.
What is the function of government?
 The Purpose of Government is to do the following:
 Keep Order
 To provide laws
 To help prevent conflicts
 To help settle conflicts
 Provide Security
 To defend citizens against crime& foreign attack
 Provide Public Services
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Libraries, schools, hospitals, parks
Build & repair streets, bridges, etc.
Help the needy
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Create public policy ( Laws that benefit the public)
Budgeting –plan for collecting & spending money
 Guide the Community
There are 3 Levels of Government
 Federal (National) : make laws (public policy) that benefit the
whole country.
 Washington, DC
 State : make laws and public policy that benefit the citizens of
that state.
 Raleigh, NC
 Local city, county (municipality): public policies (laws) that
affect citizens of the city or county.
 Charlotte, NC
In the United States we have a
democratic form of government.
 There are different types of democracies.
 Direct Democracy: everyone has one vote and all votes are
equal.
 Constitutional monarchy: King + law making body usually a
parliament + a constitution. Ex: Great Britain, Canada,
Denmark, Spain, Jordan.
 Representative Democracy: People elect representatives to
direct the power of the government.
 America has a representative democracy . A representative
democracy is also known as a REPUBLIC.
 Rome had a republic form of government and our founding
fathers understood the benefits and strength that it brings to
governance.
The Pledge of Allegiance
 I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.
 You say the word Republic because that is form of
government we have in the United States.
CHARACTERISTICS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS:
1. Competitive elections
2. Multiple Political Parties
3. Every person’s vote carries the same weight
3. Characteristics of Democratic Governments
4. Majority rule people abide to what most citizens want, but respect the rights of
the minority.
5. Secret Ballots: right to privacy
6. Right to express views
7. Legal requirements to vote are kept at a minimum
Age
Citizenship
Residency
Principles of American Government
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Rule of Law
 All people, including those who govern are bound by the
law
Limited Government
 Government may only do those things that the people
have given it the power to do
Consent of the Governed
 American citizens are the source of all governmental
power
Individual Rights
 Rights that people are born with, protected by the
government
Representative Government
 People elect their leaders to make laws and govern on
their behalf
Other forms of Governments
AUTHORTITARIAN GOVERNMENTS: CONTROL ALL
ASPECTS OF PEOPLE’S LIVES. Unlimited authority &
often limit freedoms of speech, assembly & the press.
Examples are:
1 Absolute Monarchies.
 Unrestricted power
 Acquire power through inheritance
Example 2 of Authoritarian Governments.
 Dictatorships
 Exercise complete control
 Take power by force (usually)
 Use military & police to remain in power
 Impose totalitarian rule
 Government control over all aspects of
people’s lives
 Suppress individual freedom
 Control the media
 Use propaganda & violence
 Examples of governments today are Cuba, North Korea, China,
Venezuela, Syria. Iraq and Libya once were ruled by dictators.
Adolph Hitler was a dictator as was Stalin.
Points to remember
 The United States has a representative form of
democracy.
 We have a republic form of government. A republic
form of government is when people elect
representatives to go and enact laws on their behalf.
 Popular sovereignty means that the power in
government lies with the people because we can vote
people out of office.