Unit 1: Principles of Government and Political Systems
GLE #
GLE Text and Benchmarks
Civics: Structure and Purposes of Government
1.
Explain competing ideas about the purposes of politics and
government and identify reasons why government is necessary (C1A-H1)
2.
Identify and describe services provided by government and assess
their necessity and effectiveness (e.g., health care, education) (C1A-H1)
3.
Identify programs, institutions, and activities that fulfill a given
governmental or political purpose (e.g., the court system, the military,
revenue sharing, block grants) (C-1A-H1)
4.
Analyze ways in which the purposes of the U.S. government, as
defined in the U.S. Constitution, are achieved (e.g., protecting
individual rights, providing for the general welfare) (C-1A-H1)
5.
Compare and contrast various forms of government among nations
that have been significant in U.S. history (e.g., absolute monarchy in
England or France, Germany under Hitler, the Soviet Union under
Stalin) (C-1A- H2)
17.
Examine the meaning, implications, or applications of the U.S.
Constitution (e.g., the Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment) (C1A-H5)
The State and its Origins
State: a body of people , living in a defined territory, organized politically, and
having the power to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher
authority
The 13 colonies first used the term in 1776 after declaring independence from
the British because each colony thought of itself as a country.
They later joined together under the Constitution, but we continued to describe
political units as states.
A nation refers to a group of people united by common bonds of race, language,
custom, tradition, and sometimes religion. Because nations commonly develop
into states, they are often called nation-states. We will use both of the terms
interchangeably.
Essential Features of A State
• Population—the most obvious essential feature
• Territory—refers to established boundaries
• Sovereignty—means the state has supreme absolute authority within its
territorial boundaries
•
Government—the body through which the state maintains social order
provides public services, and enforces decisions that all people in the
state must follow
Theories of the Origins of the State
• Evolutionary Theory—states evolved over time from the family. As the
family grew and became extended, it needed more organization
• Force Theory—government emerged when people of an area were
brought under control of a person or group
• Divine Right Theory—ancient civilizations believed that gods chose
leaders. By the mid-1600s, European monarchs claimed they were
appointed by God to rule: “the divine right of kings”
• Social Contract Theory—Thomas Hobbes in England was one of the first
to theorize how the social contract came about. According to this theory,
people surrendered to the state the power needed to maintain order. The
state, in turn, agreed to protect its citizens. John Locke wrote that people
are naturally endowed with the right to life, liberty, and property. To
preserve these rights, they willingly gave power to a governing authority.
When the government failed to preserve the rights of the people, the
people could justly break the contract. Hobbes did not believe people had
this right. Parliament justified the overthrow of King James II with William
and Mary (Glorious Revolution) in 1688. The colonists also used the as
justification in issuing the Declaration of Independence.
Activity 1: Using Primary Sources to Define the Purposes of Government
(click here)
The Purposes of Government
• To maintain social order
• To provide public services
• To provide for national security and a common defense
• To provide for and control the economic system
The government makes decisions that are authoritative: enforced on all of
society.
Government gets authority from two sources—(1) their legitimacy and (2) their
ability to use coercive force.
Activity 3: The Need for Government (click here)
Types of Government
• Autocracy—the power to govern is in the hands of one person. This is the
oldest and most common type. Usually through inheritance or military/
police power does the ruler assume power. One type of autocracy is a
dictatorship (ie. Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Hussein). Another type is a
monarchy where a king, queen, or emperor is in control. Absolute
monarchies are rare but may be found in Saudi Arabia. Constitutional
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monarchies exist when the monarch shares governing power with elected
legislatures or is ceremonial.
Oligarchy—a small group holds power. Communist China is an example
where the Communist Party and armed forces control government.
Democracy—rule is by the people. This idea comes from ancient Greece.
People have sovereign power. Abraham Lincoln described it as “a
government of the people, by the people, and for the people.” In a direct
democracy, people govern by voting on issues individually. These may be
found in some New England town meetings and some cantons of
Switzerland; no country has one due to population. In a representative
democracy, people elect representatives and give them the responsibility
and power to make laws and conduct government. The government of the
United States may be described as a representative democracy. These
governments may be called councils, legislatures, congress, or parliament
to name a few.
Characteristics of Democracy
1) Individual liberty
2) Majority rule with minority rights
3) Free elections
4) Competing political parties
Activity 5: Classifying Forms of Government
Government Systems
• Unitary Systems gives all key powers to the national government. There
is limited sovereignty to local governments. Ex. Great Britain, Italy,
France
• Federal Systems divide the power of government between the national
government and state or provincial governments. Ex. The United States,
Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia, and India
Politics and Government
Politics is the effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of
government. There is a continual struggle over what benefits and services
governments should provide, now much they should cost, and who should pay
for them. Through politics, individuals and groups seek to maximize the benefits
they get from government while they try to reduce the costs of these benefits.
Importance of politics: Through politics, conflicts in society are managed. As
people seek rewards and benefits, politics provides a peaceful way for them to
compete with one another.
Special Interests: The Constitution says that government should promote the
general welfare. The Framers were cautious to operate in best interest of all the
people and be cautious of factions (special groups of citizens with a common
interest).
Activity 6: Comparing Political Systems
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