Foundations of American Government

Foundation of American Government

• This presentation outlines foundational concepts of American governance.
• Key questions pondered include: What is government? What form of government is best? Why did government originate? What are the functions of government?

Early Concepts of Government

• Aristotle, a Greek philosopher, was among the first to study government.
• He examined the polis, a state encompassing a city and its surrounding countryside.
• Greek contributions include terms and concepts like politics, democracy, and republic.

State

• A state is a political community occupying a defined territory.
• It possesses an organized government with the authority to create and enforce laws without higher approval.

Nation

• The term "nation" commonly refers to an independent state or country.
• A nation comprises people united by common bonds of race, language, tradition, and/or religion.

Nation-State

• A nation-state is a country where both the nation's boundaries and the state's boundaries coincide.
• The USA serves as an example of a nation-state.

Territorial Boundaries of the U.S.

• The U.S. acquired land through various means: treaties, war, and purchases.
• Notable land purchases include the Louisiana Purchase, the Gadsden Purchase, and Alaska.
• Key treaties relevant to territorial growth include the original 13 colonies, 1790 territories, Texas annexation, Mexican Cession, and the Treaty of Paris (1898).

Political Sovereignty

• Political sovereignty signifies the supreme and absolute authority of a state within its territorial limits.
• Theoretically, each state holds equal legal rights and duties.
• In reality, state powers can vary considerably based on economic and military strength.

Government

• Government is an institution guiding leaders' use of power to enact and enforce laws affecting the governed population.

Major Influences on American Government

• Magna Carta (1215): Translated as "Great Charter of Freedoms". Key promises include protection of church rights, protection against illegal imprisonment, limitations on royal payments, and swift justice.
• Petition of Right (1628): Key principles included no taxation without Parliament's consent, no imprisonment without cause, no quartering of soldiers on subjects, and no martial law in peacetime.
• English Bill of Rights (1689): Signed into law by William and Mary, enshrining various civil liberties for English citizens.

Important Early Political Thinkers

• Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): Theorized the social contract, arguing that individuals surrender control for state protection from societal chaos. He believed absolute monarchy is the optimal form of governance (Leviathan).
• John Locke (1632-1704): Expanded on the social contract, emphasizing natural rights (life, liberty, and property). He posited that individuals have the right to overthrow governments that fail to uphold these rights.
• Charles de Montesquieu (1689-1755): Advocated for the separation of powers to limit government concentration of authority, safeguarding individual liberties. He believed laws should align with a specific community's social and geographical characteristics.
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778): Proposed direct democracy, where citizens participate directly in shaping government decisions ("general will").

Purposes of Government

• Governments address four main needs: maintaining social order, providing public services, ensuring national security, and managing the economy.
• Governments are needed to compel compliance with their decisions and create repercussions for non-compliance.

Types of Governments

• Unitary: Centralized power held by a national government.
• Federal: Power divided between national and regional (e.g., state) governments.
• Confederacy: Loose union of independent states.

Constitution

• A constitution serves as a guideline for government, defining fundamental principles, establishing structure, outlining roles and responsibilities.
• It articulates shared ideals, outlines governing structures, and acts as the highest legal authority for a nation.
• A constitutional government explicitly restrains governing powers.
• Constitutions are incomplete because they can not include all future laws, customs, and societal norms, and they may not fully reflect the actual workings of government. They describe the relationship between national and local governments and are often divided into articles and sections. Constitutions are the supreme law of that land.

Forms of Government

• Autocracy/Monarchy: Rule by a single individual (king, queen, emperor). Absolute monarchs have unlimited power; constitutional monarchs share power with elected legislatures.
• Oligarchy: Rule by a small group of people, often based on wealth, power, or social standing.
• Democracy: Rule by the people, encompassing direct and representative forms.

Economic Systems

• Socialism: Government ownership of critical industries, distribution of goods and wages, provision of welfare services.
• Communism: A socialist system with an emphasis on a stateless society, shared resources, and elimination of class distinctions. Communist countries usually have a command economy, with government planners controlling production, distribution, and pricing.