What is Government?

What is Government?

Government must have Power in order to carry out public policies

Power is the ability to command or prevent action, the ability to achieve a desired end

Government is the institution in which society makes and enforces its public policy

Legislative Power: the Power to Make law

Executive Power: the Power to execute, enforce, and administer law

Every Government has and exercises three basic types of Power

Judicial Power: the Power to interpret laws to determine their Meaning, and settle disputes that arise in society

Public policies of a government are all of those things a government decides to do, and covers such matter as:

• Taxation
• Defense
• Education
• Health care
• Transportation
• Crime
• Civil Rights
• Clean Water
• Environment
• Public Schools
• Working Conditions

What is the State?

Over the course of human history the state has emerged as the dominant political unit in the world. The state can be defined as a body of People, living in a defined Territory, with a Government (an organized political system) and is Sovereign because it has power to make and enforce law without the consent of any other higher authority.

The term "State" and "Country" can be used interchangeably

Purpose of Government

What does Government Do? You can find a very meaningful answer to that question in the Constitution of the United States. The American system of government was created to serve the purposes set out in the Constitution.

“We the People of the 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.”

Form a More

The current Constitution we have today was written in 1787 in order to unite and link the States together. The Constitution was built in the belief that in Union there is Strength.

After the United States won independence from Great Britain, we faced an uncertain future. In 1781, the Articles of Confederation, the nation’s first constitution, was created to form a firm league of friendship among the 13 states.

Perfect Union

However, the government in this first draft was powerless to overcome the intense rivalries, disputes and jealousy among the States at that time.

Establish Justice

Thomas Jefferson said that to provide justice is “the most sacred of the duties of government, No other purpose no goal of public policy can be of greater importance in a democracy."

What is Justice? The Law, in both its content (what it says) and administration (how it is carried out or executed) must be reasonable, fair, and impartial (apply to everyone equally)

Insure Domestic Tranquility

Order is essential to the well-being of any society, and keeping the peace at home has always been a prime function of government

“If men were Angels, no Government would be necessary.” James Madison

Provide Common Defense

Defending the Nation against foreign enemies has always been one of the government’s major Responsibilities. Defense is mentioned more often in the Constitution than any other function of the government.

Roads and Bridges

Promote General Welfare

Air Quality

Clean Water

One function of government is to provide services that benefit ALL or Most people. Examples of government helping to promote the general welfare of its citizens:

Public School

Safety

*Critical Thinking: Do you believe that private citizens instead of the government can do a better job of promoting the general welfare? What about the James Madison quotation?

Secure the Blessings of Liberty

This nation was founded by those who loved Liberty and prized it above all earthly Possessions. They believed as Thomas Jefferson, the God who gave us Life also gave us Freedom at the same time.” In other words we were born with our freedom, no one but God gave it to us.

The Preamble of the COTUS

“We the People of the 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.”

What is Propaganda?

True or not ,propaganda is usually one-sided explanation or opinion

Propaganda is information - either true or false - intended to persuade people to think or act in a certain way.

Propaganda can be a powerful tool for promoting or destroying attitudes, beliefs or values

Market trend

Market trend

Market trend