Ch-1 Sec 2 The Formation of Governments

Ch-1 Sec 2 The Formation of Governments

Objectives:

Cite similarities and differences between unitary and federal governments.  

What are the main purposes of a constitution?

Understanding Concepts 

• Global Perspectives The United States Constitution is the oldest written constitution still in use. What does this imply about the stability of governments in the world? 

• To carry out their functions, governments have been organized in a variety of ways

• Most large countries have several different levels of government, including a central or national government.

An idea of our political system working

• Step 1. changes in the social or physical environment surrounding a political system produce "demands" and "supports" for action or the status quo directed as "inputs" towards the political system, through political behavior. 

• Step 2, these demands and supporting groups stimulate competition in a political system, leading to decisions or "outputs" directed at some aspect of the surrounding social or physical environment. 

• Step 3, after a decision or output is made (e.g., a specific policy), it interacts with its environment, and if it produces change in the environment, there are "outcomes." 

• Step 4, when a new policy interacts with its environment, outcomes may generate new demands or supports and groups in support or against the policy ("feedback") or a new policy on some related matter. 

• Step 5, feedback leads back to Step 1, its a never ending story. 

How it looks

Government Systems 

• The relationship between the national government and the smaller divisions can be described as either unitary or federal.

• Unitary System- a government gives all key powers to the national or central government.

• The central government creates state, provincial, or other local governments and gives them limited sovereignty

• Great Britain, Italy, and France are examples of unitary governments

Federal System

• A federal system of government divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments (US is also a Republic)

• The United States, Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, Australia, and India developed federal systems.

• The United States began as a confederacy, a loose union of independent states

• When the confederacy failed to provide an effective national government, the Constitution made the national government supreme, while preserving some state government powers

Constitutions and Government

• A constitution is a plan that provides the rules for government

• What are the major purposes of a constitution? 

• It sets out ideals that the people bound by the constitution believe in and share

• It establishes the basic structure of government and defines the government’s powers and duties.

• It provides the supreme law for the country.

• Its our SOCIAL CONTRACT

• In most modern states, constitutions are written

Constitutions and Government(cont.) 

• Other nations with written constitutions include France, Kenya, India, Italy, and Switzerland

• Great Britain has an unwritten constitution based on hundreds of years of legislative acts, court decisions, and customs.

• A constitutional government has a constitution with authority to place clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who govern. It is a limited government

• The People’s Republic of China has a constitution, but does not have a constitutional government because there are few limits on the power of the government

Multiple Choice

What system of government do we utilize in the United States?

• Federal System
• Confederal System
• Unitary System

Multiple Choice

What is a federal system?

• A system of government in which power is divided between a national government and regional governments
• A system in which a country is governed as a single entity
• A system in which most governing power rests with the states while the national government is weak

Multiple Choice

According to the Social Contract theory ...

• government emerged when all the people of an area were brought under the control of one person or group

• Government emerged from family

• People give up some of their natural rights in order to receive protection

• A person gains the authority to govern because a god or group of gods gave them that power

Multiple Choice

According to the Social Contract theory ...

• government emerged when all the people of an area were brought under the control of one person or group

• Government emerged from family

• People give up some of their natural rights in order to receive protection

• A person gains the authority to govern because a god or group of gods gave them that power

Incomplete Guides

• Constitutions themselves are important but incomplete guides to how a country is actually governed. They are incomplete for two reasons

• No written constitution by itself can possibly spell out all the laws, customs, and ideas that grow up around the document itself.

• A constitution does not always reflect the actual practice of government in a country.

A Statement of Goals

• •Most constitutions contain a preamble, a statement that sets forth the goals and purposes to be served by the government.

• It begins an outline for government

• Our constitution is flexible and considered a living document

A Framework for Government

• The main body of a constitution sets out the plan for government

• In a federal system the constitution describes the relationship between the various levels of government

• Most written constitutions also describe the procedure for amending the constitution

• The main body of a constitution is usually divided into parts called articles and sections

• The United States Constitution has 7 articles containing a total of 21 sections.

The Highest Law

• Constitutions provide the supreme law for states. A constitution is usually accepted as a superior, morally binding force

• Constitutional law involves the interpretation and application of the constitution

• Article 6 (XI) States the Supremacy Clause

Politics and Government

• The effort to control or influence the conduct and policies of government is called politics

• People are taking part in politics when they join a citizens’ group protesting higher taxes or when they meet with the mayor to ask the city for a service.

• 
  

Multiple Choice

Constitution:

• System to execute and enforce law

• Institution where society makes and enforces government

• Basic structure and principles of government

• Institution created to take and enforce power

Multiple Choice

That which government decides to do:

• Public Policy

• Government

• Constitution

• Democracy

Multiple Choice

Government:

• System to execute and enforce law

• Institution where society makes and enforces policy

• Basic structure and principles of society

• Institution created to take and enforce power

Multiple Choice

What is a constitution?

• A framework for government

• A document that describes separation from another country

• A document created to grant unlimited power to the people of a country

Seeking Government Help

• Participation in politics arises because people realize that the government has the potential to influence their lives in many ways

• In the United States, there is a continual struggle over what benefits and services government should provide, how much they should cost, and who should pay for them

• Through politics, people seek to maximize the benefits they get from government while they try to reduce the cost of these benefits

• Through politics, people also seek to use government to turn their values and beliefs into public policy

Importance of Politics

• Through politics, conflicts in society are managed peacefully

• The outcomes of politics–the struggle to control government–affect such key matters as the quality of air and water, economic conditions, and peace and war.

Types of government

Different Forms of Government 

Forms of Government

• Democracy-The word democracy comes from the ancient Greek words meaning people and rule of the government. It is a system of government of a country whose leaders have been elected by the people, therefore the power is with the people.

• A parliamentary democracy is when the elected representatives meet in parliament to make laws.

• Monarchy A monarchy is a form of government led by an individual who holds the position for life, having inherited the position, and who passes it on to a relative, usually a son or daughter

• A constitutional monarchy is a country which has a written constitution that sets out the rules for how the country will be governed and the rights and responsibilities of its people and has a monarch as head of state.

Forms of Government

• Republic A republic is a country where the head of government is an elected or chosen president. Sometimes the president is also the head of state. Presidents are usually elected for a specific length of time, called a term of office. In some countries, a president may only serve for a few terms.

• Totalitarianism-In a totalitarian society the government holds absolute control over all areas of the lives of its people. 

• Fascism Fascism is a form of government usually headed by a dictator. It involves total government control of political, economic, cultural, religious, and social activities. Some industries may be owned by individuals, but under government control. This form of government involves extreme patriotism, warlike policies and extreme discrimination against minority groups. 

• Dictatorship In a dictatorship, one person, called a Dictator, has absolute power. To remain in power, dictators must continue to use force or threats and supress the peoples’ freedom.

Forms of Government

• Communism Communism is an economic system in which there is little or no private ownership of anything. Property is held by the community rather than by individuals. All economic activity is controlled by the government, including what food crops are grown, what goods are manufactured, and to whom they are sold – and at what prices. Also, limited personal freedom of individuals is allowed, including where they can travel and how they spend their money.

• Oligarchy An oligarchy is a form of government in which only a few wealthy people hold power. A republic may be an oligarchy if just a few people have the right to vote. In most oligarchies, the power of the leadership is supported by the wealthy and the military

• Anarchy The word anarchy comes from the ancient Greek meaning ‘absence of leader’, or without rulers. In an anarchical society there is a state of lawlessness or political disorder because there is no governmental authority.

Multiple Choice

Nobody has power over other members of the society.

• Representative Democracy

• Monarchy

• Dictatorship

• Anarchism

Multiple Choice

What is a government that is run by the people, either directly or indirectly?

• Oligarchy

• Monarchy

• Autocracy

• Democracy

Multiple Choice

1. A system of government in which the people elect candidates to make policies and laws for them.

2. This is the type of government that the United States has.

• Direct Democracy

• Representative Democracy

• Monarchy

• Oligarchy

Multiple Choice

• A system of government that one person has absolute power.

• A single ruler

• Dictatorship

• Democracy

• Oligarchy

• Confederate

Multiple Choice

• A system of government that one person has absolute power.

• A single ruler

• Dictatorship

• Democracy

• Oligarchy

• Confederate

Open Ended

List two item you learned today.

Poll

This lesson was

• Understandable

• Organized

• Objective driven

• needs help

Poll

I understood the Objectives:

Cite similarities and differences between unitary and federal governments.

What are the main purposes of a constitution?

• very well

• good

• ok

• i need review