Lecture 2-Origins_of_GovernmentIIIIIII.ppt

ORIGIN OF GOVERNMENT

1. Lecture 2Lecture 2
Origins of GovernmentOrigins of Government

2. Where Did Politics Come From?Where Did Politics Come From?

Many have asked this same question. Many have asked this same question.
Aristotle himself (the first student of Aristotle himself (the first student of
government) had many thoughts about government) had many thoughts about
this.this.

Of all of the ideas four stand outOf all of the ideas four stand out

Evolutionary TheoryEvolutionary Theory

Force TheoryForce Theory

Divine Right TheoryDivine Right Theory

Social Contract theorySocial Contract theory

3. Evolutionary TheoryEvolutionary Theory
(P.8)(P.8)

Some scholars believe government Some scholars believe government
evolved out of the familyevolved out of the family

The head of the primitive family was the The head of the primitive family was the
authority and served as a government. authority and served as a government.
A King if you willA King if you will

From there an extended family could From there an extended family could
have included hundreds of people.have included hundreds of people.

4. Force TheoryForce Theory
(P.8)(P.8)

Most will not admit it, but it seems that it’s Most will not admit it, but it seems that it’s
human nature to fight and control others human nature to fight and control others
not like us or for resources we don’t have.not like us or for resources we don’t have.

It’s through this that some scholars believe It’s through this that some scholars believe
that government was born of forcethat government was born of force

When all the people of a area were brought When all the people of a area were brought
under control of one person or group, under control of one person or group,
government was born.government was born.

5. Divine Right TheoryDivine Right Theory
(P.8)(P.8)

In many of the earliest civilizations the In many of the earliest civilizations the
people believed that their rulers were people believed that their rulers were
chosen by God or the Gods.chosen by God or the Gods.

Depending on the civilization the ruler Depending on the civilization the ruler
may be descended from the gods or a may be descended from the gods or a
god himself or herselfgod himself or herself

6. Social Contract TheorySocial Contract Theory
(P.8)(P.8)

Originally developed Originally developed
by Thomas Hobbs.by Thomas Hobbs.

Wrote “In a state of Wrote “In a state of
nature no nature no
government existed government existed
and without authority and without authority
to protect people to protect people
from one another, life from one another, life
was cruel, brutish and was cruel, brutish and
short”.short”.
Thomas Hobbs

7. Social Contract TheorySocial Contract Theory

Hobbs also wrote that Hobbs also wrote that
by contract people by contract people
surrendered to the state surrendered to the state
the power needed to the power needed to
maintain order.maintain order.

The state in turn agreed The state in turn agreed
to protect its citizensto protect its citizens

Hobbs believed that the Hobbs believed that the
citizens could not break citizens could not break
this contract.this contract.

8. Social Contract TheorySocial Contract Theory

John Locke took this John Locke took this
theory a step farthertheory a step farther

Locke wrote that people Locke wrote that people
had the right to “life, had the right to “life,
liberty and property.”liberty and property.”

To preserve these rights To preserve these rights
the people looked to the people looked to
governmentgovernment
John Locke

9. Social Contract TheorySocial Contract Theory

Should the government Should the government
not preserve those rights not preserve those rights
the people could simply the people could simply
“break the contract”“break the contract”

About a century later the About a century later the
American colonies American colonies
declared their declared their
independence supported independence supported
by Locke’s political by Locke’s political
philosophy. philosophy.

10. Special FeaturesSpecial Features
(P.6-7)(P.6-7)

Every state regardless of where it came Every state regardless of where it came
from shares four essential features.from shares four essential features.

Population: The state needs people to governPopulation: The state needs people to govern

Territory: The has established boundaries Territory: The has established boundaries
that the rest of the world recognizes for the that the rest of the world recognizes for the
most part.most part.

Sovereignty: The state needs a leader of Sovereignty: The state needs a leader of
some type, that has absolute authority.some type, that has absolute authority.

Government: Some way to maintain social Government: Some way to maintain social
order and provide public services.order and provide public services.

11. Nation, State or BothNation, State or Both
(P.6)(P.6)

Nation: any sizeable group of people united Nation: any sizeable group of people united
by common bonds of race, language, custom, by common bonds of race, language, custom,
tradition and sometimes religiontradition and sometimes religion

State: identifies a political community that State: identifies a political community that
occupies a definite territory and has an occupies a definite territory and has an
organized government with the authority to organized government with the authority to
enforce the law of the land.enforce the law of the land.

Nation-State: Situations at which the nation Nation-State: Situations at which the nation
and the state overlap. and the state overlap.