CH 1 Flashcards
What is government?
The institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies
Public Policies:
All those things a government decides to do
What is the purpose/role of government as said by the Greeks?
“to improve the lives of its citizens”
What is the purpose/role of government as said by the Declaration of Independence?
“To protect the rights of its citizens”
Where does government power come from? (3)
God
Force
People
what are the unalienable rights?
- Life
- Liberty
- The pursuit of happiness
5 forms of government:
- Dicatorship/Monarchy
- Oligarchy
- Democracy
- Republic
- Theocracy
What is an Anarchy
No government
What is the difference in a dictatorship and monarchy?
Dictatorship - Power is held by one person or small group who took power by force
Monarchy - Power is held by one person or small group who inherited the power after it was given them by “divine right”
What is an Oligarchy
Rule by a small group
What is the most common form of government used throughout history and today ?
An Oligarchy
What is a Democracy
Rule by the people/majority
What is a republic?
Rule by the law
What is a theocracy?
Rule by religious leaders
The government is given what three kinds of power, what does each power do, and who/what are they made up of?
- Legislative power (Make laws): - Congress
- Executive power (enforce law) - President
- Judicial Power (interpret law) - Supreme Court
State
dominant political unit in world - The state is more commonly referred to as a country or nation
Four characteristics of a state:
- Population (people)
- Territory/border (land)
- Sovereignty (supreme power)
- Central government (politically organized)
What is sovereignty?
no other country can tell another country what they can and cannot do because each country has sovereignty over themselves
Who came up with the Social Contract Theory
John Locke
What is the Preamble?
An introduction to the constitution that expresses the purpose of government
The purpose of our government (6)
Form a more perfect Union (Strength in Union)
Establish Justice (the law must be reasonable, fair, and impartial)
Insure Domestic tranquility (provide law and order and home)
Provide for common defense (defends against foreign enemies)
Promote the General Welfare (provides services such as EPA, FDA, Post office, public schools, etc.)
Secure the blessings of liberty (guarantee freedom for the individual)
What does it mean to provide for the common defense?
defends against foreign enemies
What does it mean to insure domestic tranquility?
provide law and order and home
What does it mean to promote the general welfare?
provides services such as EPA, FDA, Post office, public schools, etc.
What is legislative power?
Makes laws - Congress
Executive Power
enforce law - President
Judicial Power
Interpret law - supreme court
What is the constitution?
fundamental laws est. principles of government
Dictatorship
only one person or a small group can participate.
Monarchy
political system based upon the undivided sovereignty or rule of a single person
Compromise
Extremely necessary in a democracy - there are two sides to everything
Citizen
One who holds certain rights and responsibilities within a State
Authoritarian
the state has all political power
totalitarian
the state has total power over every aspect of the people’s life
Unitary Gov.
power lies in the hands of a single central agency
Example - Great Britain (parliament)
Federal Gov.
power is shared equally between the central and the local agencies
Example: USA
Confederate Gov.
Power is given to the local agencies (states) only
Examples: Confederate States of America/Articles of Confederation
division of powers
dividing the power between branches of government like Judicial Legislative and Executive
Parliamentary gov.
Executive (prime minister) is chosen and controlled by the legislative branch
Presidential Gov.
leg/exec branches are independent and co-equal.
Confederation
When a group of people or nations form an alliance
majority rule
major government decisions are voted on and decided by the majority of citizens
Free Enterprise
(Capitalism) American economic system is based on five fundamental ideas
The Origins of State (4 theories on how the state came to be):
1) Force Theory: Right to rule comes through coercion (strongest overthrows the weaker)
2.) Evolutionary theory: right to rule evolved over time - (stages of development) 1. Family (Father) 2. Clan 3. Tribes (chiefs)
3.) Divine right theory: right to rule comes from God (Kings/Queens)
4.) Social Contract Theory: Right to rule comes from the people - contract between people and government - John Locke
Identify + Describe the 5 basic concepts of a democratic Government:
1.) Equality of all persons:
Equality of opportunity
Equality before the law
2.) Worth of the individual:
We are separate and distinct beings
3.) Majority Rule, Minority Rights:
The minority can become the majority! The minority has rights!
4.) Necessity of Compromise
There are two sides to everything
5.) Individual freedom:
We have rights, but they are not complete
Identify/Describe the 4 fundamental ideas of a free enterprise
Private ownership
Individual initiative
Profit
Competition
Supply and demand
