What is the purpose of

Governments?

Power
Definition: Power is related to the amount
of societal influence on has, formally or
informally
- Political powers are not limited to heads of states
(Presidents, Prime Ministers, etc)

What control does the government have

over the people or policies?
Can we have Presidents with different amounts
of power?
Name a powerful presidentname a powerless
president
What makes someone powerful?

Legitimacy
Definition: Legitimacy is the foundation of
such government power as is exercised both
with a consciousness on the government part
that it has a right to govern and with some
recognition by the governed of that right.
Something becomes "legitimate" when one approves of it

Is it possible to have an illegitimate

government?
How? And where might we find an illegitimate one?

Sovereignty
Definition: Sovereignty is the
exclusive right to complete control
over an area of governance, people,
or oneself.
-Where does the political power lie?
Who has ACTUAL control?

Who has sovereignty in the US?

Popular Sovereignty.what is it?

Authority
Definition: Authority refers to the
legitimacy, justification and right to
exercise that power.
How is that different from Power?
While a mob has the power to punish a
criminal, such as through lynching, only
the courts have the authority to order
capital punishment

States must have

Population:
People to live in and be governed

Territory
A physical place to create a country
Vatican City is smallest .17 sq. mi., 800 People

Government
Some structure of a government
Could be any type but leadership will naturally occur

Sovereignty
Power over itsef can be given to a
government but not ruled by another country

Origins of the State

The Force Theory:
One person or small group claims control
and forces in that territory to submit to
their rule.

The Evolutionary Theory:

Out of the family structure head of
household is head of government
Tribal chiefsout of respect more than
force

Origins of the State

The Divine Right Theory:
Always has religious influence!!
God has put a person or family in a position to rule
over a territory that the Gods gave to them!!
The leader can never be wrongGod gives them power to
create law
If against Government, against God

Social Contract Theory

Arose out of a voluntary act
Governed allow themselves to be governed by a
state.
Government only exists to help citizensif they do not??

Good Government?
What does a good government do for its
people?
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

Government Types
Anarchy
Governed by one

Autocracy
Governed by one

Theocracy
Governed by Religion

Oligarchy
Governed by small group

Democracy
Governed by will of everyone

What government systems fit into these

types?