UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
What is government
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) said the purpose of government is to establish peace and security for the people.
Government: The formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a group of people.
Main components are people, policies, and powers.
Government consists of elected officials who have the authority and control over others and the other half are the public servants who carry out the daily functions.
Power is the government’s authority and abilities to get things done.
Policy is any decision made by government in pursuit of a particular goal.
The State
State: a political unites the power to make and enforces laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory.
A state must have people; however size of the population does not determine whether a place is a state or not.
States must have territory that has clearly defined and recognized borders.
Sovereignty: A state’s supreme power to act within its territory and to control its external affairs.
Does NOT mean the state’s government is above the law.
Functions of Government
A basic function of the government is to protect its citizens and its territory and against enemies from abroad.
To do this, governments spend a lot of money ton defense forces (armies, navies, air forces).
For example, the United States spent $682 billion dollars on defense in 2012.
Diplomacy with foreign nations is also used to ensure that safety of a nation.
Maintain Order
Thomas Hobbes argued that life without government was like a war pitting one individual against another.
He asserted that once a government was established, order would be brought to society.
His philosophy has influenced the way governments balance law and freedom.
Government must establish and maintain order within its territory, securing the safety of the people and property.
This done with the use of laws. Laws set clear rules about what is unacceptable behavior.
Laws must
What is government
Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679) said the purpose of government is to establish peace and security for the people.
Government: The formal institutions and processes through which decisions are made for a group of people.
Main components are people, policies, and powers.
Government consists of elected officials who have the authority and control over others and the other half are the public servants who carry out the daily functions.
Power is the government’s authority and abilities to get things done.
Policy is any decision made by government in pursuit of a particular goal.
The State
State: a political unites the power to make and enforces laws over a group of people living within a clearly defined territory.
A state must have people; however size of the population does not determine whether a place is a state or not.
States must have territory that has clearly defined and recognized borders.
Sovereignty: A state’s supreme power to act within its territory and to control its external affairs.
Does NOT mean the state’s government is above the law.
Functions of Government
A basic function of the government is to protect its citizens and its territory and against enemies from abroad.
To do this, governments spend a lot of money ton defense forces (armies, navies, air forces).
For example, the United States spent $682 billion dollars on defense in 2012.
Diplomacy with foreign nations is also used to ensure that safety of a nation.
Maintain Order
Thomas Hobbes argued that life without government was like a war pitting one individual against another.
He asserted that once a government was established, order would be brought to society.
His philosophy has influenced the way governments balance law and freedom.
Government must establish and maintain order within its territory, securing the safety of the people and property.
This done with the use of laws. Laws set clear rules about what is unacceptable behavior.
Laws must