Do Now: Grab a textbook from the shelf and
define the words below.
1.
2.
3.
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Government
Public policies
Legislative power
Executive power
Judicial power
Dictatorship
Democracy
State
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Chapter 1
Principles of Government
Section 1
Government & the State
Are Government and Politics the same?
• Government:
– An institution in which
society makes and
enforces public policies
– An agency through which
the state exerts its will
and works to accomplish
its goals
– Includes the machinery
and personnel
– Government is necessary
to preserve the general
well-being of the people
– Thomas Hobbes
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• Politics:
– a process
– Society’s way to decide
how to distribute power
and resources
– Allows society to decide
who will reap the
benefits and who will
pay the cost of public
policies
– It is neither good nor
bad, but necessary
– Government cannot do its
job without politics
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It’s a nation… it’s a country…,
no, it’s a state
• So, what is the difference between a
nation, a country, and a state?
–Officially, a state is a body of people,
living in a defined territory, organized
politically, and with the power to make
and enforce domestic and foreign policy
• A nation, technically, is an ethnic term,
referring to races or other large groups of
people
• A country is a geographical term, referring to
a particular place, region, or area of land
Characteristics of a State
Population:
Territory:
A state must have
people; size is not a
factor
Must have land
and recognized
boundaries
Characteristics
Of A
Nation
Sovereignty:
A state has the
power to set up its
own policies
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Government:
A state is
organized
politically
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Where do Nations come from?
The Force Theory
A small group takes control of a area
and forced all living within its borders
to submit to the group’s will.
The Evolutionary Theory
The state evolved naturally out of the
early family. A network of families
became a clan, a clan became a
tribe. When tribes began to farm and
became tied to the land, the state was
born.
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The Devine Right Theory
Western theory of rule until the 18th
century. God created the state and
granted those of royal birth the right
to rule. People were bound to obey
their rule as they obey God.
Social Contract Theory
Created out of a challenge to the
Devine Right Theory. Society
overcame being ruled by another by
agreeing to form a new state.
People gave up enough power for
the state to rule them safely.
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What does government do?
Purposes of Government
Form a More Perfect Union
The Constitution was written in
order to link the American
People. It represents the belief
that in union there is strength.
Establish Justice
The law must be fair,
reasonable and impartial.
Justice is a concept that
means what the people make
it mean
Provide for the
Common Defense
Defending the nation against
foreign enemies is one of
government’s major
responsibilities
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Insure Domestic Tranquility
Order is essential to the well
being of any society. Since
men are imperfect, the
government must
compensate.
Promote the General
Welfare
Examples include: public
schools, protecting drinking
water and air quality
Securing the Blessings of
Liberty
Guarantees many freedoms to
the citizens of the state
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•All nations need: Population, territory, government,
sovereignty
•Theories on how government forms are: Evolutionary
Theory, Force Theory, Divine Right Theory and Social
Contract Theory
•Political Participation begins in the family – crucial in
democracy
•Governments can be classified three ways:
•Who may participate ,where power is held and what
the relationship is between the legislative and executive
branches
•Dictatorships hold all power in the central government
•Democracies have power resting with the people.
•Democracies are: Federal, Unitary and Confederation
•Democracy rests on the rights and freedoms of
individuals. The United States has a free enterprise
system
Question of the Day…
Think about your day yesterday…What examples of
government did you observe during your daily tasks??
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