Vocabulary
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institution,
liberty,
order,
politics,
authority,
government
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The Democratic Republic
What is government?
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Politics
• Politics is the process of
resolving conflicts and deciding
“who gets what, when, and
how”, Harold Laswell
• It is a struggle for power or
influence that can grant
benefits or privileges.
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Harold Laswell
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Government
• An institution is an ongoing organization that
performs certain functions for society
• Government is the preeminent institution
within society.
– Decisions are made that resolve conflicts and
allocate benefits and privileges
– It has ultimate authority for making these
decisions and establishing political values
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Government is Everywhere
• The government is more important than
politics.
– Water
– Air
– Food
– Sidewalks
– Roads
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From Your Birth
• Hospital you’re born in
• Toys, baby food
• School
– Public School
– Universities
• Police
• Taxes
• Jobs
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To Your Death
• 50% of healthcare cost paid by government
– This is before Obama care
• Medicare & Medicaid
• Social Security
• County governments officials declare you
dead, record your death, and officiate your
assets
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Why is government necessary?
• One of the original
purposes of government is
to provide order or security.
– Major political value
• By keeping the peace, a
government dispenses
justice and protects its
people from violence.
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Limiting Government Power
• Lack of order not the
problem in most places –
too much government
control is the problem.
• Citizens need protection
from abuses of power by
their own government.
• It is necessary to limit the
powers of government.
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Liberty
• Liberty – the greatest
freedom of the individual
consistent with the
freedom of other
individuals
– Second major political
value
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Authority and Legitimacy
• Two more key concepts:
• Authority is the right and power of a
government or other entity to enforce its
decisions and compel obedience
• Legitimacy is popular acceptance of the
government to exercise authority
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Homework Questions
• Define the terms politics and government.
• Explain some of the ways in which Americans
interact with their government.
• State what is meant by the words order,
liberty, authority, and legitimacy.
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