Download Principles of Government

Chapter 1.1
Principles of Government
Who said
“He who has the power to take part in the
deliberative or judicial administration of any
state is said by us to be a citizen of that state.”
Aristotle
Greeks were the first serious students of
government.
What is a State?
Then
• In Greece it was a territory of
a town and its surrounding
area where face-to-face
communication was possible
• Romans had a republic—the
government was
representative of certain
groups but not a democracy
• Our 13 colonies were each a
sovereign state until they
joined together as a nation
Now in modern world
• Identifies a political
community in a precise
territory
• It has sovereignty—
government makes and
enforces the rules
• 193 sovereign states are
recognized by the United
Nations
Nation and country are used interchangeably with state
4 Essential Features of a State
1. Population
• States where people share a
consensus about basic
beliefs and values—tend to
have the most stable
government—US most
believe in democracy
• Urban vs rural—different
policies
• Population shifts—many
have moved to SW changing
representation in Congress
2. Territory
• Established boundaries
• May change due to war,
negotiations, or purchase
• US expanded all the way to
the Pacific Ocean from the
13 original colonies on the
Atlantic Ocean due to war,
negotiations and purchase
3. Sovereignty
• The state has supreme and
absolute authority within its
boundaries to:
– Make laws
– Determine foreign policy
– Determine course of action
• All states are sovereign and
are supposed to be equal
• In reality those with more
economic strength and
military capabilities have
more power
4. Government
• Institution through which a
state maintains social order,
provides public services,
and enforces decisions that
are binding on all citizens
Origins of the State
• Evolutionary Theory
– State evolved from family
– ex: Abraham, from old testament
• Social Contract Theory
– People surrender power to
maintain order
– Thomas Hobbes—said in a state
of nature life would be nasty,
brutish, & short
– John Locke—said in his Two
Treatises of Gov’t; in a state of
nature people had certain natural
rights; life, liberty, & property—if
not they could rebel
• Force Theory
– Government was created when
people were ruled under one
person or group
– Needed to survive attacks from
others
• Divine Right
– Gods chose the rulers
– European monarchs in the 16 &
1700’s, Aztec, Egyptians,
Chinese
Create a 4 door book
Summarizing the 4 purposes of government
1.
2.
3.
4.
Maintaining Social Order
Providing Public Services
Providing National Security
Making Economic Decisions
Give examples and ways the government
accomplishes each task