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Foundations of Government

// Providing Leadership //

Government officials set priorities and make all sorts of decisions on behalf of the people. They decide what actions are crimes, make decisions about who has to pay taxes and how much they have to pay, and determine who benefits from natural resources like coal and natural gas.

// Functions of Government //

Order

// Maintaining Order //

In nearly any group, people will disagree and some may take advantage of others. Conflict is an inescapable part of life. Governments try to control and contain conflict between people by placing limits on what individuals are permitted to do. Without government, civilized life would be impossible. An effective government allows citizens to plan for the future, get an education, raise a family, and live orderly lives.

Services

// Providing Public Services //

Governments create schools, build sewer systems, pave roads, and provide other services that individuals cannot or would not do on their own. Many other government services promote public health and safety. State governments pass laws that require drivers to pass a driving test before a license is issued.

// Nation, State, and Country //

// Evolutionary Theory //

Some scholars believe that the notion of state evolved from the family. The heads of ancient families served as the authority over the group, and extended families might include hundreds of people. Supporters of this theory believe government came about because extended families needed more organization. Some modern Native American groups continue to be governed according to family and clan traditions.

// Major Types of Government //

// Types //

  • Authoritarian- are characterized by leadership that controls all aspects of its citizens’ economic and social lives.
  • Monarchy-is another form of government in which one person has great power; a king, queen, or emperor inherits the throne and heads the state.
  • Democratic- a system of government in which rule is by the people, either through representatives or directly.

// Democracy //

// Principles of Democracy //

  • Citizen Participation
  • Regular Free and Fair Elections
  • Accepting the Results of Elections
  • The Rule of Law
  • Majority Rule with Minority Rights
  • Accountability
  • Transparency
  • Limited Government and a Bill of Rights
  • Control of the Abuse of Power
  • Economic Freedom
  • Equality
  • Individual or Human Rights
  • Independent Judiciary
  • Competing Political Parties

// Fundamentals of Economics //

There is not enough of anything for everyone to have everything they want. Economics is the study of how people and nations use their limited resources to attempt to satisfy wants and needs. In every society, governments guide economies. A key function of government is to make essential decisions about the economy. Governments can exert almost total control over their economies or very little control.

// Economics //

Capitalism

Capitalism

These freedoms and incentives apply to workers, investors, consumers, and business owners. In pure capitalism, government does not interfere with the economy, the wages of workers, the prices of goods, what producers can make, the ways that businesses make or sell their goods and services, or any other regulations. Capitalism assumes that the best way to serve society is to let people produce, sell, and buy as they wish.

Mixed Economies

Mixed Economics

Economists describe the economies in the United States and many other nations as mixed economies. In its early history, the U.S. government played a very small role in the nation's economy. Since the early 1900s, however, the government’s role in the economy has steadily increased in at least three ways.

Socialism

Socialism

. Under socialism, government planners determine the use of resources and distribute the products and wages. The government also provides extensive social services such as education, health care, and welfare for its people. The goal of socialism is an equal distribution of wealth. Socialism developed in the early 1800s along with the Industrial Revolution. Across Europe and the United States, industrialization resulted in modern economies that were vastly more productive and that generated a great deal of wealth for industrial leaders.

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