Transcript defense of property

Government Types
QT 5-28
Objectives
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Do People need Governments?
What kinds are there?
What are their advantages/drawbacks?
Which one is best for the citizen?
• AZ SS standards 5.1, 5.3, 4.5
Utility Arguments for Government
• Governments share responsibility for defense
of life
• Governments share responsibility for defense
of liberty
• Governments share responsibility for defense
of property.
• Life, Liberty and Property are the 3 signals of
how a government works
3 Government Personalities
• Conservative- “to protect”
– Protect people from others
– Protect people from themselves
• Progressive- “to make good changes”
– What is good?
– Why make changes?
• Liberal- “to promote freedom”
– Allow people to decide
– Allow people to make mistakes
3 L’s of Government
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What do most governments have in common?
Leaders
Laws
Leverage
The Big 6- By leadership type (2)
• Fascist
– Rule by unrelated military leaders- Japan
1100-1945 CE
• Theocracy(Canon Law)
– Rule by priests- Vatican 470 CE- current
• Oligarchy
– Rule by local leaders- Germany 1400- 1840
CE
The Big 6- By leadership type
• Monarchy
– Rule by strong family- Egypt 4000-200 BCE
• Republic
– Rule by elected leaders- USA 1787 CEcurrent
• Democracy
– Rule by citizen votes- Switzerland 1100 CEcurrent
Hint- archy & cracy mean “rule by”
Monarchy
• Main traditional strength- unity of command/control
• Rule (executive, legislative and judicial power passed
from parent to child
• Defense of Life
– King is father of people, both priest and military leader.
• Defense of Liberty
– People work to benefit King’s family (both biological and
religious families)
• Defense of Property
– King owns/takes care of land and country, in return for
service and obedience of subjects
Absolute vs. Constitutional Monarchy
Absolute
• Unified Executive,
Legislative and Judicial
Function
• Unrestrained Power
derived from tradition and
military dominance
• Little Toleration of Diversity
of opinion
• Decisions effect daily life of
subjects
Constitutional
• Head of Executive Branch,
represented by Prime
Minister in Parliament
• Limited Power derived from
tradition and Acts of
Parliament
• Can Tolerate Diversity
• Decisions largely irrelevant
to daily life of subjects
H.R.H. Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Bin
Abdulrahman Bin Faisal Bin Turki
Bin Abdullah Bin Muhammad Bin
Saud
H.R.H. Elizabeth
Alexandra Mary Windsor
Drawbacks of Monarchy
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Tendency towards tyranny
Bound by tradition, power concerns
Power struggles when succession is not clear
Minority rules majority
Democracy
• Main strengthreflects full diversity
of opinion, best
ideas should
triumph
• The Citizen is most
important decision
maker
Demo kratia- Greek government
• BCE 1200-600 Powerful leaders rule city-states in
Balkan Peninsula
• BCE 621 Draco of Athens wrote laws onto wood
tablets for all to see, but only highest citizens could
vote
• City-states in Greece move towards Democracy 620590’s BCE
• BCE 594 Solon’s reforms allowed all Athenian
(Greek) men to vote on important issues (direct
democracy)
Democratic Structure
• Defense of Life
– Each citizens life under their control, as long as
they don’t attack the community
• Defense of Liberty
– Citizens required to defend their community when
necessary to protect liberties
• Defense of Property
– Each citizen a “Lord” who can own land, become
rich, ect.
Drawbacks to Democracy
• Tendency towards demagoguery, mob rule
– Dictatorships (rule by military) often start as
democratic revolutions
• Depends on educated, eloquent debate
• Harder to judge popular opinion on issues
• Majority may ignore/oppress minority
Republic
• Main Strength- Can expand easily and
rapidly, since responsibility is both
unified in and spilt among
representatives
• Representatives are most important in a
republic
Res Publica- Roman government
History
• BCE 1000-500 Rule by Kings
• BCE 509- Roman Republic
founded
• Patricians and Plebeians
represent social classes of
Roman men. Slaves
excluded from
representation but still
considered in political
decisions.
• BCE 451 Twelve Tables
(Constitution) published
Structure
• Senate
– “Best Quality” Leaders
• Representative Assemblies
– Centuries
• Active Military &Retired
– Tribes
• Civilians
Republic Structure
• Defense of Life
– Leaders (elected or appointed) responsible
for decisions effecting all residents
• Defense of Liberty
– Leader must enforce laws fairly, but some
people many have more rights than others
• Defense of Property
– Property ownership by represented groups
strengthens the country, allows
participation in decisions
End of the Republic
• Senate Overthrown for “corruption” by Gen.
Gaius Julius in 49 BCE
– Dictatorship set up under military leaders
• Civil war until 27 BCE
• Rule by Rome-based emperors for 480 more
years until 476 CE
• By Constantinople-based emperors until 1453
CE
Drawbacks of Republic
• Slower, consultative decision making process
• Those in control may ignore some of the
people they represent (corruption)
• Harder to assemble a majority due to
diversity
• Harder to select good leaders, replace the
bad
Roots of English/American
Government
• Influenced by
– Oligarchy
• Local “Angl-ish” Tribal Leaders pre-Roman into Roman era
– Theocracy
• As Roman Empire fades away, Roman Church maintains
social order
– Monarchy
• Tribal leaders consolidate power in Middle Ages
– Republic
• Renaissance research into Greek and Roman government
prompt re-thinking of government roles/responsibilities
during Age of Reason