Slide 1

WHAT IS THE STATE The state is the dominant political unit in our world today Def: A body of people living in a defined territory and organized under a government, who has the power to make public policy Slide 2 WHAT IS PUBLIC POLICY? Public policy is (1) all the goals a government sets and (2) all the actions a government takes to meet the needs of its citizens Slide 3 The Massacre of European Protestants during the Reformation, 1500s Slide 4 Serial Killer Jeffrey Dahmer at his trial in 1991 Slide 5 Highway construction in New York State, cir. 2004 Slide 6 A couple surveying the destruction of their neighborhood following Hurricane Katrina, 2005 Slide 7 The terror attacks on the World Trade Center, 2001 Slide 8 WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A STATE? States typically are defined by four (4) basic elements: 1. Population 2. Territory 3. Sovereignty 4. Government Slide 9 WHAT IS POPULATION? States need to have citizens in order to participate & follow its public policy Populations can be: Homogeneous - Citizens share common customs, language, and culture Heterogeneous - Citizens lack common customs language, and culture Slide 10 Slide 11 WHAT IS TERRITORY? States need defined and recognized borders Borders help to mark areas of ownership, citizenship, and state control when dealing with other peoples or states Slide 12 Slide 13 WHAT IS SOVEREIGNTY? States need supreme and absolute power within its own territory If a state lacks sovereignty, it can not make or execute effective public policy Slide 14 WHAT IS GOVERNMENT? States need government to help make and enforce public policy Without government, the lives of citizens would be a war of every man Slide 15 What are some of the major theories about how government started? There are four (4) major theories about how government got started: 1. The Force Theory 2. The Evolution Theory 3. The Divine Right Theory 4. The Social Contract Theory Slide 16 What are the major theories about how government was started? The Force Theory States were created by powerful leaders who forced people to accept their sovereignty Historical Examples: The Romans Nazi Germany Soviet Union Slide 17 What are the major theories about how government was started? The Evolution Theory States grew out of family groups and placed sovereignty in the hands of the oldest and wisest Historical Examples: Native American tribes Brazilian tribal societies Slide 18 What are the major theories about how government was started? The Divine Right Theory God created the state and gave those of royal birth sovereignty over the state Historical Examples: The royal families of Europe Chinese emperor Aztec / Incan Societies Slide 19 What are the major theories about how government was started? The Social Contract Theory The idea that citizens agreed to give up some of their freedoms so that the state could better serve their needs Historical Examples: The United States Modern democracies Slide 20 How have states used these theories to create working governments? States have taken all of these theories into consideration when creating working governments No two have been alike and all are different