state and government notes
DESCRIPTION
Notes 1TRANSCRIPT
Government: What? Why? How?A BASIC STARTING POINT FOR GOVERNMENTAL STUDY
What is a state?
The state—a body of , living in a organized and with the to make and enforce law without the consent of any higher authority
PEOPLE
POWERPOLITICALLYDEFINED TERRITORY
What are the necessary qualities of a state?
• POPULATION• TERRITORY• SOVEREIGNTY—the possession of
supreme and absolute power within its boundaries
• GOVERNMENT
What is government?
the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies
Why did governments come about?
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, 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.
So…
• Form a more perfect union
• Establish justice
• Insure domestic tranquility
• Provide for the common defense
• Promote the general welfare
• Secure the blessings of liberty
How did governments come about?
FORCE THEORY—the strongest rule
THEORY 1
How did governments come about?
EVOLUTIONARY THEORY—governments build from simpler groups (family…clan…tribe, etc)
THEORY 2
How did governments come about?
DIVINE RIGHT THEORY—God created the state; God ordained those with royal standing the “divine right” to rule
THEORY 3
How did governments come about?
SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY—in the state of nature, life was “nasty, brutish, and short.” Humans agreed to a mutual agreement between the rulers and the ruled for the benefit of all.
THEORY 4
Three ways to classify governments
• DEMOCRACY—supreme political authority rests with the people
METHOD 1: By who can participate
DIRECT—the will of the people is directly turned into public policy
INDIRECT—the will of the people is represented by appointed leaders
Also known as REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
Impractical Poor decisions
ELITIST THEORY OF DEMOCRACY
Three ways to classify governments
• DICTATORSHIP—those who rule cannot be held responsible to the will of the people
METHOD 1: By who can participate
AUTOCRACY—a single person holds unlimited power
MONARCHY—heredity determines ruler
MILITARY—force determines ruler
OLIGARCHY—power is held by a small, usually self-appointed group
Three ways to classify governments
• UNITARY—all powers by the government belong to one central government
• FEDERAL GOVERNMENT—powers are divided between a central government and a local government (division of power)
• CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT—an alliance of independent states
METHOD 2: Geographic distribution of power
Three ways to classify governments
• PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT—executive and legislative branches of the government are elected by the voters
• PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT—the executive branch is elected by the legislative branch
METHOD 3: Relationship between the legislative and executive branches
Zoom in on re
presen
tative dem
ocracy
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
Karl Marx
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
CAPITALISTS (BOURGEOISE) WORKERS
POLITICAL POWER
ECONOMIC STRUGGLE —WHOEVER CONTROLS ECONOMY, CONTROLS GOVERNMENT
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
Max Weber
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
POLITICAL POWER
TRUE POWER IS HELD BY POSTION AND STRUCTURE RATHER THAN ECONOMICS
(BUREAUCRACY)
LEADERS BUREAUCRACY
Who has the power? To what ends to they the power?
C. Wright Mills
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
MIL
ITA
RY
POLITICAL POWER
M
ILIT
AR
Y
MIL
ITA
RY
BU
SIN
ES
SB
US
INE
SS
BU
SIN
ES
S
BU
SIN
ES
S
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
PE
OP
LE
POLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANS
M
ILIT
AR
Y
MIL
ITA
RY
M
ILIT
AR
YPOLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANSPOLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANSPOLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANSPOLITICIANS POLITICIANSPOLITICIANSPOLITICIANS
SELECT MILTARY AND BUSINESS LEADERS (WEALTH, POWER, PRESTIGE) WEILD POWER ON
SELECT POLITICIANS
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
Pluralist
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
MANY LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT; MANY COMPETING INTERESTS/GROUPS/PEOPLE
Who has the power? To what ends do they use the power?
• POWER—the ability of one person to get another person/group to do what the first person wants
• AUTHORITY—the right to use power
• LEGITIMACY—the source from which power comes