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Beginnings of Government
The First Governments
• Formed in the areas of early farming
civilizations.
– “Cradles” of Agriculture
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Mesopotamia
Egypt
Indus River
China
Purpose for Government
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Maintain Social Order
Prevent Violence
Provide Public Services
Enforce decisions and Rules
First Written Code of Law
• Hammurabi’s Code
– Originated in Mesopotamia
(present day Iraq)
– Published on rock slabs
– Strict Capital and Corporal
Punishment
– An “eye for an eye” mentality
What is Government?
Government enables a society to protect
the peace and carry out its policies
The State
What makes a state?
• Population
• Territory
• Sovereignty
• Government
Major Political Ideas
• There are four theories that explain
how governments started
– Force…a person or group forced control
over an area and people
– Evolution…states grew out of families
and groups of families
– Divine Right…power given by god
– Social Contract…people allow to be
governed in return for security
There have been many forms
of Government.
• Some based directly on the needs of the
individual, others look out for the good of
the whole group
• Combinations exist within these different
systems and no two countries have had the
exact same form of government; each
putting their own “spin” on things.
Classifying Governments
Who can participate…Democracy,
Dictatorship and Oligarchy
Distribution of Authority…Unitary, Federal
and Confederate
Relationship between Legislative and
Executive functions…President or
Parliament
Evolution of Government
• Many different types have developed from
Hammurabi’s code and most of them can be
divided into two groups:
– Emphasis on the individual or group
Individual Emphasis
• Oldest and most widespread
• The rights of the Individual are important
• Individuals have different abilities and
should be allowed to fulfill their station in
life
• Some are fit to lead and some to follow
Earliest Form of Government
• One Ruler (Monarchy)
• One person has the authority.
• This authority differs according to the
different types of one-person rule.
Absolute Monarchy
• The Law is whatever the
Monarch says it is.
– Efficient system, however, it
benefits one person.
– Often a divine claim to rule.
– Propensity to be autocratic
or self-serving.
Dictatorship
• Characterized by a strong military and
institutionalized nationalism.
• Judgments come swiftly and dissent is not
condoned.
• Examples:
– Hitler and Mussolini (Fascists)
Adding to the Monarchy
• Rising complexity brought about the
need to increase the number of rulers
• Oligarchy- Rule by few
• A small group of people would rule
with all others serving their needs
Curtailing the Monarch
• Constitutional
Monarchy
– Great Britain is an
example. They have a
Queen but power is
shared with Parliament
– Japan is another
example
Sharing Power
• People were becoming educated and
demanded more say in the way things
were
• Democracy-Rule by the people
• Earliest Democracies originated in
Africa and in pre-Columbus America.
Greece may not have been the first
Making Democracy Work
• A Republic is a democracy where
representatives are elected to speak
and vote for the people
• Much more efficient, you don’t have
to have every single person’s vote or
input
• “…and to the REPUBLIC for which it
stands.”
The Purpose of Government
“We the People of United States, in Order to form a more perfect
Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide
for the common defense, 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.“
Preamble of the
U.S. Constitution
The Basic Notions
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Worth of the individual
Equality of all people
Majority Rule; Minority Rights
Necessity of Compromise
Individual Freedom
Democracy and the Free Market
• Definition of 'Free Market'
A market economy based on supply and
demand with little or no government
control.
Supply and Demand
Reality of a Mixed Economy
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Government Socialism Programs
Progressive Tax System
Unemployment Insurance
Social Security
Medicare
Government Regulation of
Market
• Financial Regulation of Banking
• Regulation of natural monopolies (electric
company, etc.)
• Busting monopolies
English Concepts
Ordered Government…recognition of the
need for an ordered society
Limited Government…should not be allpowerful
Representative…should serve the will of the
people
English Documents
• Magna Carte…1215…forced upon the
monarch to limit government
• Petition of Rights…1628…extended
individual rights and empowered
Parliament
• Bill of Rights…1688…to prevent abuse
by the monarch and solidified rights
of the individual and Parliament
Social Contract
• John Locke
• Foundation for Modern Democracy
• Treatise of Government Reading
Emphasis on the Group
• Capitalism became target for criticism,
especially by the middle of the 1800’s.
• Many felt this was exploiting the workers;
making the rich, richer and the poor,
poorer.
• Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels assembled
a document that attacked capitalism and
addressed the principals of a new system…
Communism
• The Communist Manifesto and
the ideas they spelled out were
how things were to be in the
future.
• According to Marx, the
bourgeoisie (Owners and
managers of factories) and the
aristocracy (Super-rich) were
opposing the proletariat
(Workers).
Marxist Thought
• The capitalist system:
– leads to the exploitation of the workers
– leads to a multi-level system of varying levels of
happiness
– the system will collapse under itself when the
workers get sick of it, kill their leaders, and
establish a workers state
State Economy
• The Government owns factories
and other means of production.
• Wages are set by a person’s needs
and each would work at the job
set for his abilities.
“To each according to his
needs; from each according
to his abilities.”
• What, how much to produce, and
how much to charge is also
decided by the Government.
Examples
• China (transition)
• North Korea
• Viet Nam (transition)
• Denmark – not state run but extensive
social welfare
• Finland – high taxes = 100% literacy
The Growth of Socialism
• From Communism and Marxism came
Socialism
– less drastic—it embraces capitalism
– Most countries (U.S. for instance) have
incorporated socialist ideas into their
policies
– Seattle City Council member Kshama
Sawant
– http://www.seattle.gov/council/sawant/
Socialism in U.S. “Free
Market”
• Controls (regulates) businesses and
maintains them but does not own them
• Involves “Social Programs” to help those
who are unable to provide for themselves
– Minimum Wage
– Social Security (Elderly and disabled)
– Food Stamps (Families w/Children)
• Recent survey said, Half of US social
program recipients believe they "have
not used a government social program"
Political Spectrum
• Based on 19th Century French
Legislature.
• Those who places more emphasis on
the individual were on the right and
those who were oriented towards the
group oriented forms on the left.
Political Spectrum
Don’t want any Government?
• Anarchy or No Rule.
• More common after the spread of
communist and socialist governments.
• Some see it as an “individual” based idea
because it leaves everyone for themselves.
• Others see it as a “group” emphasized
form because everyone is forced to work
for the benefit of others…