Bellwork:
Who rules or holds the power in
the following forms of
government?
• Democracy
• Oligarchy
• Dictatorship
Democracy – citizens
Oligarchy – a small group of people
Dictatorship – 1 leader
I can describe the 4 defining
characteristics of the state.
I can identify 4 theories that explain
the origin of state.
What is Government?
• Institution through which a society makes and
enforces its public policies.
– It is made up of those people who exercise its
powers, all those who have authority and control
over people
– Questions?
•
•
•
•
What are public policies?
Who are “those people”?
What are “its powers”?
What is meant by “control”?
Every government
exercises power
• Their concepts
of legislative,
executive and
judicial are just
different.
• But what is the
interaction between
these branches and that
of the citizenry of the
state. It is . . .
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 any
higher authority.
State
• A legal entity
• A nation or a country
4 Characteristics of the State
• Population - people
• Territory – land with recognized boundaries
• Sovereign – supreme and absolute power
within its own territory.
• Government – every state has a government.
4 Theories that attempt to explain the
origin of the state:
•
•
•
•
The Force Theory
The Evolutionary Theory
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
The Force Theory
• For over a thousand generations, the Jedi
knights were the guardians of peace and justice
in the old Republic... before the dark times...
before the empire.
• Might makes right
• When a person or small
group claimed control over
an area and forced all
within it to submit to that
person’s or group’s rule.
The Evolutionary Theory
• Government developed naturally
out of the family unit
– Then a network of related families
– Then a clan
– Then a tribe
– Then after tribes developed
agriculture and nomadic ways
ended, the modern state began to
develop
The Divine Right Theory
The Social Contract Theory
Social Contract Theory
• Thomas Hobbes
– “In the state of nature profit is the
measure of right.”
• John Locke
– “Government has no other end, but the
preservation of property.”
• Jean Jacques Rousseau
– “Man is born free, and everywhere he is in
chains.”
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video
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By yourself or in a group of up to 3
• You will be assigned 1 of the 4 theories of the
origin of state
• Develop an argument that favors your theory
over others in the classroom. (you may use pages
7 & 8 of text or google on your electronic device)
• You need to be able to “make a case” in class as
to why your choice of theory is the best
explanation for the origin of the state.
Purpose of Government (at least oursWhat does each really mean? Does
America accomplish these?)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Form a More Perfect Union
Establish Justice
Insure Domestic Tranquility
Provide for the Common Defense
Promote the General Welfare
Secure the Blessing of Liberty
Purpose of Government Assignment
• In your assigned group, create a picture
describing your assigned purpose of
government.
• Explain why that you feel that your assigned
purpose is important.
Exit Slip
• What are the 4 theories in the origin of the
state?
Classifying Governments
• Who can participate?
• What is the geographic distribution
of governmental power within the
state?
• What is the relationship between the
legislative and executive branches?
What an oligarchy might look like.
Basic Notions of Democracy
• A recognition of the fundamental worth and
dignity of every person
• A respect for the equality of all persons
• A faith in majority rule and an insistence upon
minority rights
• An acceptance of the necessity of compromise
• An insistence upon the widest possible degree
of individual freedom
What does this image say about
democracy? Do you agree?
Geographic
Distribution of Power
• Unitary
• Federal
• Confederate
Relationship Between
Legislative and Executive
Branches
• Presidential
• Parliamentary
• Semi-Presidential