1-1 Principles of
Government
State: Synonym: country. “Political community that
occupies a definite territory and has an organized
government with the power to make and enforce
laws without approval from any higher authority.”
• There are about 200 states in the world.
Nation: Synonym: ethnic group. “Group of people
united by bonds of race, language, custom,
tradition, and sometimes religion.”
Nation-state: “A country in which the territory of
both the nation and the state coincide.”
Kurdish Speaking Areas
Essential Features of a State
• Population
• Territory
• Sovereignty
– Synonym: Independence
• Government
Purposes of Government
• Maintain social order.
• Provide public services.
• Provide national security.
• Make economic decisions.
How do governments derive
their power?
1) Legitimacy. Consent of
the governed.
2) Ability to use coercive
force.
1-2 The Formation of
Governments
Government Systems
The relationship between a country’s
national government and the government of
its states or smaller units may be either:
•
Unitary – national government has all the
power; may delegate some to states.
•
Federal – power is divided between national
and state governments.
Vocabulary
“Federal” also has two meanings:
1)
Federal as in federalism. Power is divided
between the nation and the states.
2)
Pertaining to a nation (country) rather than a
state. i.e. federal laws vs. state laws.
•
Note that “federal” and “national” usually
mean the same thing.
Constitutions
•
Definition: A plan that provides the rules for
governments.
•
Purposes:
–
Describes country’s ideals.
–
Establishes the structure of the government.
–
Supreme law of the land.
•
May be written or unwritten.
•
U.S. Constitution is the oldest one still being used
in the world!
Constitutions, cont’d
•
Constitutional government – Synonym: limited
government. constitution has authority to place
clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who
govern. Not totalitarian.
•
Constitutions are always incomplete.
•
Constitutions usually have a preamble – sets forth
goals and purposes of government.
•
Constitutions are usually divided into articles and
sections.
•
Constitutional Law – involves interpretation and
application of the Constitution, which is the
“supreme law of the land.”
Politics & Government
•
Government: Institution through which the state
maintains social order, provides public services,
and enforces binding decisions on citizens.
•
Politics: Effort to control or influence the
conduct and policies of government.
•
Special Interests: groups with a particular
agenda that try to influence politics.
Politics & Government (cont’d)
•
“… there is a continual struggle over what benefits
and services government should provide, and who
should pay for them. Through politics, individuals
and groups seek to maximize the benefits they get
from the government while they try to reduce the
cost of those benefits. Through politics, people also
seek to use government to turn their values and
beliefs into public policy …” (Glencoe textbook)
•
“Through politics, conflicts in society are managed.”
(Glencoe textbook)
Governing in a Complex World
Nonstate International Groups
•
Terrorists
•
National liberation organizations
•
Multinational corporations
•
International organizations (UN, WTO, etc.)
1-3
Types of Government
Major Types of Government
Autocracy
Oligarchy
•
Totalitarian
Dictatorship
Democracy
•
•
Direct Democracy
Absolute Monarchy
•
•
Constitutional
Monarchy
Representational
Democracy
•
Republic
Characteristics of Democracy
•
Individual Liberty
•
Majority rule with minority rights
•
Free elections
•
Competing political parties
Conditions Necessary for
Democracy
•
Active citizen participation
•
Favorable economy
•
Widespread education
•
Strong civil society
•
Social consensus
1-4
Economic Theories
What is the difference between
Socialism and Communism?
Communism - “from each according to his
ability, to each according to his need.” It is a
“dream” that has never been implemented –
the idea of a classless society that produces an
abundance of goods that are given freely.
Socialism – “from each according to his ability,
to each according to his deed.” What has been
implemented in Russia, China and other
communist countries. It is seen as a “stage” in
the progression from capitalism to communism.
What are the economic difference
between Socialism and Capitalism?
Capitalism:
Socialism
•
Market economy
•
•
Private
ownership
Planned / command
economy
•
Public ownership of
means of production
What are the political differences
between Socialism and Capitalism?
Capitalism:
Socialism
•
Two party political
system
•
Single party
system
•
Individual freedoms
•
Repressive gov’t
•
Right to criticize
and oppose state
•
Criticism and
opposition not
tolerated
Democratic Socialism: democratic political system
with partly socialist economic system –
Scandinavian countries
Results of communism:
Gross human rights violations:
•
In china, 30-40 million peasants starved in 195861, due to government induced famine.
•
In Russia, 10 million were arrested, 1 million
executed, millions more died in prisons under
Stalin.
Low standard of living.
Defections to west.
Most communist regimes toppled in 1980’s and ‘90’s.
Results of capitalism
High standard of living; maybe much too high;
huge personal debt.
Increasing gap between rich and poor.
U.S. is becoming more “socialist” (increased
government spending and government debt)
U.S. has a number of “ticking time bomb”
problems.