Functions and Forms
of Government
Assoc. Prof. Amporn W. Tamronglak, Ph.D.
Faculty of Political Science
Thammasat University
Suggested readings
Collander and Hunt,
Chapter 13, 14 and 15
Why do we need Government?
The guardian of internal social order and to
protect its citizens from internal and external
enemies.
Ensuring justice
Safeguarding individual freedoms
Regulating individuals’ actions (to guard against
the evil)
Promoting the general welfare (health services,
education, social security, and other benefits)
How do you see government?
As a necessary evil
As a positive good
As an unnecessary
evil
Government is a necessary evil
Tell us what we can do and what we
cannot do: to prohibit, restrain, regulate,
compel and coerce by passing laws
Government as a positive good
It serves to balance the various forces in
the society and to promote common good.
Government as an unnecessary
evil
The government is seen as bad guys, an
instrument of oppression, taking all
property and ownership from the people in
the community.
Example is communist government
How strong the government should
be?
Liberal: less government, more freedom to
individual’s life
Conservative: government is a moral
keeper
Anarchist: strong government to guard
against any corrupted institutions
Political Ideology
Deal with the questions: who will be the rulers,
how are they selected, what principle used to
govern?
Constitute the argument to persuade or to
counter opposing views
Embrace a program for the defense or reform or
abolition of important social institutions
Normative, ethical, moral in tone and content,
etc.
Two major political ideologies
1. Autocratic ideologies
2. Democratic Ideology
1. Autocratic ideologies
Government in the hands of one individual or
group of individuals
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Authoritarian: ruled by a dictator or clique forbidding
all activities that threaten its position, “obedience.”
Leave people a measure of choice as far as not
interfering with the rule of the leader
Totalitarian: control all aspects of individual’s life,
“worship”
Loyalty to the party and the state
Ruled by leaders
One-party monopoly
A controlled press
Totalitarianism of the right
Fascism: Benito Mussolini after WWI
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Distrust of reason, the denial of basic human equality,
a code of behavior based on violence and distortion
of truth
Only a small minority of the population, qualified by
birth, education, or social standing are able to
understand and do what was best for the whole
society
Nazism: Adolf Hitler, the idea is mainly similar to
fascism, only the leader is different and
sometime considered a subtype of fascism
Totalitarianism of the left
Communism: Karl Marx’s thought
total government control of the economy
and total income redistribution with the
ultimate aim of a classless society, an
egalitarian society
Initiated as a results of the Industrial
Revolution, as a reaction to the hunger,
disease, poverty, and lack of medical care
2. Democratic Ideology
Democracy:
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Assume that people are capable of
developing a culture to learn to listen to
discussion and argument
All humans should be regarded as equal in
legal status and in their rights to seek the
good life
Individual is the primacy, freedom of speech,
citizen participation
Rule by law and constitutionalism
American System of Government
The presidential system
The people elect the leader, the president,
directly or indirectly through the electoral college
Federalism: the national govt. and the 50 states
3 branches of government: legislative, executive,
and judicial powers, “separation of powers”
Checks and balances
Limited government
Parliamentary and presidential
systems
Parliamentary
Distinctions
Presidential
Prime Minister
# President
Leadership
President as
head of state and
government
Fusion between
Separation of
the executive and powers
legislative
branches
Executive #
Legislative,
judiciary
Vote of noconfidence or
party vote
Impeachment
Removal from
Office
Other system
Parliamentary government
People elect the legislature and the
legislators elect the executive, Prime
Minister
What are the issues in Thai
Politics?
Vote buying
Corrupted politicians
Bipartisan politics, etc.
Any remedies?
Voting Behavior:
The Bradley Effect
The Bradley effect says that some white
voters who tell pollsters that they will vote
for a black candidate often have second
thoughts in the voting booth, on election
day, vote for the white opponent.
The “bandwagon effect”
The “bandwagon effect” suggests that a
small but significant number of
persuadable voters will decide at the last
minute to go with the winner.
It explains the behavioral psychology of
people who tend to follow the crowd/ fads
and trends regardless of its merits.
To “hop on the bandwagon”
Exercise: The Political Campaigning Process
Place the following steps of political campaigning in
the right order. Then, give details to explain how to
do each step.
____ Choose a strategy.
____ Gather the necessary materials.
____ Figure out why you might want to run.
____ Find a campaign team.
____ Get the message out.
____ Decide on a campaign budget.
____ Raise money if necessary.
____ Decide to run for office.
Solution
__4__ Choose a strategy. With your team, decide on
the best way to sell yourself as the best option. This
includes messages as well as means.
__6__ Gather the necessary materials. What do you
need? Posters, flyers, ads, etc.
__1__ Figure out why you might want to run. Are
your opinions and views not being met? Do you
disagree with how the organization is being run? If
yes, you might want to run for office.
__3__ Find a campaign team. Find a group of supporters
who are willing to help you get elected to office. These
people will support you and help you do the work
necessary.
__7__ Get the message out. Spend the bulk of the
campaigning time getting your message out and telling
people why you are the best choice.
__5__ Decide on a campaign budget. Raise money if
necessary. How much will your strategy cost? If it’s more
than you have, figure out a way to earn money. If you
cannot earn more money, you may need to change the
strategy.
__2__ Decide to run for office. If you feel like you can
do a better job that who is currently there, you should
run for office. The decision might need an official
statement or application to run depending on the
organization.
Assignment
Suppose you’ve decided to run for the political
office, select one of the political/social issues
and design your campaign.
Among your group of 3, write your campaign on
the topic of your interest for a page long
Times New Roman 12 double space
Send me via my e-mail at
aw.tamrong@gmail.com by next Tuesday the
latest
Don’t forget your names, ID, and seat #
Final paper assignment
Group Presentation Format
Two presenters are randomly drawn and
grade will be given equally the same to all
members in the group.
If you decide to do the “play,” please notify
me in advance. No draw will be made.
Presentation needs to be clear, easy to
follow, innovative and interesting.
What should be in the “paper”?
The reasons for doing this
campaign/topic/issue/problem
The purpose of the paper.
Message is clear, easy to understand, and
doable. Key words/ motto/ slogan would help
sending the message out.
Be careful not to overstate your message.
Remember: “plagiarism” is a serious crime. “F”
grade will be given for this particular act.
References