Principles Of Government Flashcards
What is Government?
- The institution through which society makes and enforces its public policies
- Composed of the people who exercise its powers, all those who have authority and control over people
What is Civics?
- Is the study of citizenship and government
- Civics educates citizens about their obligations and obligations within a government
What are the four ways governments acquire power?
- Force theory
- Evolutionary Theory
- Divine Right Theory
- Social Contract Theory
Force Theory?
- One person/small group claimed control over an area of land
- Person/group formed all within the area to submit to their rule
Evolutionary Theory?
- The state developed naturally
- Primitive families developed into tribes with a supreme leader
- When agriculture began the state was born
Divine Right Theory?
- God created the territory
- God gave those of royal birth the “divine” right to rule over the territory
- People were bound to obey their ruler as they would God
Social Contract Theory?
- The state is that of a “social contract”
- People voluntarily agreed with one another to create a government
- The state serves the will of the people
- If the government abuses its power the people can abolish the government
What are the three basic kinds of government power?
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
Legislative?
(l->law)
- power to make laws
- shape public policy
Executive?
(e->execute)
- power to execute and enforce the laws
- power to administer the laws
Judicial?
(j->judge->justice)
- power to interpret the laws
- power to settle disputes regarding the laws
What are the four purposes of the government?
- keeping order
- provide security
- provide public services
- guide the community
Keeping order?
- pass and enforce laws
- establish and maintain a court system
Provide security?
- prevent and fight crime
- protect citizens from foreign attacks
Provide public services?
- Libraries, schools, hospitals, etc…
- Public safety: fire department, ambulance services, police department
Guide the community?
- manage the economy
- conduct foreign relations
Constitution?
- Body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government
- outlines the powers of a government
- written plan of government
- WHAT GOV’T CAN/CANT do
What year was the constitution created?
Sept 17, 1787
Public policies?
All the things a government does
