Unit One:Foundations of government

What is Government?

Government:

The institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies (all of those things a govt. decides to do, such as taxation, education, defense, etc.)

What are the basic powers of Government?

• Legislative power–To make law and frame public policy

• Executive power–To execute, enforce, and administer

the law

• Judicial power– To interpret laws and settle disputes

Why do we need Government?

What is a state?

• State: • a body of people, living in a

defined territory, organized politically, and with the power

to make and enforce law without the consent of any

higher authority

Four elements

of a state

Population:

people, no set amount needed

Territory:

land, again, no set amount needed

Sovereignty:

supreme and absolute power within its own

territory

Government:

politically organized

How did

the state form?

Force Theory• one person or a small

group claimed control over an area and forced all within it to submit to that person’s or group’s rule

Evolutionary Theory• state

developed naturally out of the

early family

Divine Right TheoryGod created the stateand that God had given those of

royal birth a “divine right to

rule”, and people were bound by duty to obey their ruler as they would God.

Social Contract Theory

• by contract people within a certain area

agreed to give up to the state power to promote

the safety and well being of all

What are the different forms of

Government?

Monarchy

A hereditary sovereign

DictatorshipThose who rule

are not responsible to the will of the

people

Ruled by religious authority

• God/Deity is supreme authority

Theocracy

Oligarchypower to rule

is held by a small usually

self-appointed

elite

Unitarycentralized government

all govt. power held by one

central agency

DemocracySupreme political

authority rests with the people

Which form of government is

the best?