Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”...

Why do we need Government?

Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.” Humans naturally compete for territory, resources and power. If this is true, and if there are no laws… what would result?

What would our world be like without government?

the ruling authority of a community, an organization that has the power to make

and enforce laws.

Government:

Keep Order◦ Pass and enforce laws, Establish courts

Functions of Government

Provide services◦ Schools, libraries, hospitals, parks, water,

fire/police departments


Provide security ◦ Prevent crime, protect citizens from foreign attack


Guide the community◦ Manage the economy, foreign relations


John Locke – English philosopher, wrote Second Treatise of Government◦Main purpose of government is to protect people’s natural rights

◦Natural Rights: right you have because you are human LIFE, LIBERTY, PROPERTY

◦No Absolute Power for Kings

Foundations of American Government:

◦State of Nature – situation without laws and government

◦Social Contract Theory = solution to a state of nature

◦People agree to give up some freedom and create a government to rule in exchange for protection and security. In this agreement people consent to obey the laws created by the government.

“the consent of the governed”

Republic – example Rome◦Republic –the people’s representatives administer the government, allowing it to be extended over a much larger area.


3. Democracy – example Greece◦Democracy – the authority of government rests with the people.

US is a representative democracy – citizens choose a smaller group to represent them

US is NOT a direct democracy – citizens vote on every issue (ex. New England town mtgs.)


Montesquieu – a French philosopher◦Powers of Gov’t should be separated

◦Power should be balancedEach branch should check the others to ensure no one branch is too powerful


THE UNITED STATES HAS A

Representative Democracy or a

Democratic Republic form of government

US Levels of Government Federal – United States

State – North Carolina

Local – Pineville

** FEDERALISM – the principle of one central government and several state or local governments.

Thomas Hobbes said life without government would be “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short.”...

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