Government
Why do governments form?
Why do people need
governments?
Take 5 minutes to brainstorm and categorize why people need governments?
Government is …
The institution through which a society makes
and enforces its public policies.
Government is made up of those people who exercise its
powers, all who have authority and control over people.
Name types of governments and place on this continuum.
absolute freedom
no freedom
What is a state?
➔ Body of people
➔ Defined territory
➔ Organized politically
➔ Power to make and enforce law without the consent of
any higher authority.
Force Theory
Contends that a person or small group of people “force”
inhabitants of a territory to submit to their rules. They claim
control by force - in other words there was a war.
Name times in history when this happened or current
events of this?
Evolutionary Theory
The state evolved naturally from the “family” unit. This
theory claims it started as one person as head of the family
and which this unit acted as the government. That “power
and influence” eventually spread to clans and tribes.
Name some countries that have developed in this manner.
Divine Rights Theory
This theory was accepted widely in the Western world from
the 15th-18th centuries. Basically it believes that God
created a state and God gave certain people the “divine
right” to rule over the people. If the people opposed the
Divine Rights of Kings - not only was it considered treason,
but a mortal sin.
Name some countries that developed from this theory.
Social Contract Theory
Formed in the 17th and 18th centuries by key players.
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau,
and Montesquieu
This theory contends that a state arises because of the
people, of free will, give powers to a governmental unit to
protect the safety of the people.
The contract is called a constitution.
This theory promotes popular sovereignty, limited
government and individual rights.