Foundations of Govt

Bellringer 9/2

Take out your index card. We are going to watch a short video and answer discussion questions on it.

Bellringer 9/2

http://www.c-spanclassroom.org/Lesson/1668/Bell+Ringer+China+and+Democracy.aspx (1:30-4:30)

What do you think “rule of law” is based on what they said in the video?

Describe why Chinese students may become more patriotic and defensive of China and its policies after studying abroad. Cite reasons from the comments of the Chinese students.  

According to Evan Osnos, why is the word “democracy” considered toxic in China?

Frayer Model Notes

ddsd At least two examples and two non-examples

Illustration could be a picture or a memory device

Example

A king or queen rules and

there are no limits to their

powers absolute

monarchy

pre-revolution France Great Britain

Saudi Arabia U.S.

Bellringer – Get to work on Frayer model notes

Absolute monarchy

Constitutional monarchy – king or queens is leader but an elected parliament or council decides on most things

Direct democracy (pg 12-13 for this and those below)

Republic

Dictatorship

Oligarchy

Autocracy

Exit slip 9/2

Rate yourself on a scale 0-4.

Burning questions.

“Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time.” Respond in two-three sentences. What does this mean? Do you agree or disagree?

Sawczakusgov.weebly.com

Bellringer 9/3

What do the donkey and elephant represent?

What is this saying about the two candidates?

Which candidate do you personally support? Why?

Absolute Monarchy

TOTAL POWER

Control even over nobles and religious institutions

Divine right

“I am the state” – Louis XIV

Constitutional Monarchy

Hereditary king or queen as ceremonial head of state

Actual political power is held by elected officials in a Parliament

Monarch must work within the limits of a constitution

United Kingdom Australia

Direct Democracy

Citizens directly debate and decide important public issues

Works for small communities

Ex. Town meetings

Indirect Democracy/Republic

Good in larger communities

Citizens elect their representatives who then make decisions for the rest of the community

The opinions of the citizens are expressed by who they vote for as their representative

Dictatorship

The leader is not held accountable to the people and does whatever he/she wants without limits

Actually the most common form of government!

Often totalitarian (holding complete control over every aspect of life)

Autocracy

One person has absolute authority

Ex. Absolute monarchy, dictatorship

Oligarchy

Rule by a few (usually the rich and powerful)

Type of dictatorship

Visual Representation of Governments

http://cdn.iwastesomuchtime.com/822013161514.jpg

What is government?

Public policies – things governments decide to do Taxation

Education

Defense

Crime

healthcare

Government must have power in order to enforce their public policies Legislative – power to make laws

Executive – power to enforce laws

Judicial – power to interpret laws

Typically a Constitution is used to define what powers the government has

Requirements to be a State

Population

Territory

Sovereignty (has control over its own business)

Government

Major Political Ideas

Force theory

Evolutionary theory

Divine right theory

Social contract theory

Get into groups of four. Each person will claim a theory, research it in the book (pg 7) and contribute to create a graphic organizer on a sheet of paper.

Force theory• • • •

Divine right theory• • • •

Evolutionary theory• • • •

Social contract theory• • • •

Political Ideas

Include pictures for each theory and examples

Force theory• • • •

Divine right theory• • • •

Evolutionary theory• • • •

Social contract theory• • • •

Purpose of Government

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

In order to form a more perfect union

In order to form a more perfect union

Believed that there was strength in unity

A union had to be UNITED and powerful

Links people together

Establish justice

Establish justice

Laws must be reasonable, fair, and impartial

“Justice is the most sacred of the duties of government.”

Court system

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Order, not chaos

Keeping the peace at home

The opposite of anarchy

Provide for the Common Defense

Provide for the Common Defense

Defending the nation against foreign enemies

Security

Protection

Promote the General Welfare

Promote the General Welfare

Acting as the servant of the citizens Ex. Public schools!

Protecting environment, food/drink standards

Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Secure the Blessings of Liberty

Founding fathers prized liberty above all else

Certain freedoms are protected by laws but others are limited Ie, freedom of speech vs. stealing

Make this chart…Unitary Federal Confederal

Unitary Government

Central government is all-powerful; whole government exists as a single UNIT

Local governments may be an extension of the central government, but can only do what the central government allows them to do

Local governments can be eliminated at any time by the central government

Most nations have unitary governments (ex. Great Britain, France…)

Federal Governments

Central governments and local governments share power

A constitution usually defines with powers and tasks are given to which government

Central government cannot get rid of local governments and cannot take away rights of local governments

Ex. U.S. – power is shared between federal and state governments

Confederal Governments

A number of independent states or countries get together and act together, often with regards to trade and foreign policy

Weak central government - Individual states don’t give up any independence or authority

Often all members need to agree before they can act and members can leave at any time

Ex. European Union

Parliamentary Presidential

Selection process

Head of state

Separation of powers

Term and removal

Cooperation between branches

Take out your notes.

Parliamentary

Selection process – prime minister is not directly chosen by the people but is chosen by a majority of member of parliament

Head of state – a monarch or elected president is usually the head of state, NOT the prime minister

Separation of powers – none

Term and removal – no fixed term in office; can be removed by a vote in parliament

Cooperation between states – prime minister is the leader of the majority party in parliament so there are rarely any problems passing legislation

Presidential

Selection process – elected directly by voters

Head of state – president

Separation of powers – divided among several branches

Term and removal – fixed terms in office; can be removed through impeachment after serious misconduct

Cooperation between branches – can be hard to pass legislation if the president is of a different party than the congress

Foundations of Democracy

Worth of the individual Each person matters and each person deserves to be taken care of

Taxes…

Equality of all persons Equality of opportunity

Equality before the law

Majority rule, minority rights

Necessity of compromise

Individual freedom

Limited freedom

“My right to swing my first ends where the other man’s nose begins.”

Free Enterprise System, AKA capitalism

Private ownership of goods

Individual initiative – it’s up to the individual to succeed or fail

Profit

Competition

Does NOT rely on the government for regulation

Free enterprise system

Law of supply and demand – the goods that are produced should be determined by how much is needed/wanted When there are lots of goods, price drops

When goods are scarce, prices raise

Mixed economy

Involves both free enterprise system and government regulated economy

Ex. USA! – we have free markets but the government still chips in to protect people and maintain competition Education, postal service, roads, public transportation, etc.

Capitalism

Private ownership (students started with their own candy)

Freedom of competition (students played rock, paper, scissors)

Results in unequal economic classes (some students won, most lost)

Class struggle - complaints

Socialism

Government ownership of industry (I collected candy)

Goal – to bring economic equality (I redistributed candy equally)

Aims for a classless society (students now have the same amount of candy)

Communism

Goal of classless society achieved (students would refuse to play game again and choose to share candy)

No government needed (teacher would no longer need to supervise)