Origins of Government

What’s in a Name?The word government dates back more than 700 years, to

approx 1280 when it was first used in English.It was borrowed from the Old French governer (to govern).Old French borrowed it from the Latin gubernare (to direct,

manage, rule, or guide).Originally, it had come from the Greek term kybernan (to

steer or pilot a ship).The system of managing limited resources and providing for

the security of a group of people existed well before the word was used.

Athens – Birthplace of DemocracyThe roots of government date back more than 2400 years

to the city-state of Athens, Greece, where all the adult male citizens organized themselves into the world’s first democracy.

The term means rule by the people, but because women, enslaved people, and men of foreign birth were not eligible for citizenship, they could not participate in democracy.

Meeting as the ecclesia (popular assembly), they would listen to, speak about, and vote on the major issues of the day.

This form of gov’t was possible because Athens was relatively small – about 40,000 men had the right to vote.

Whether it was a minor decision (road construction) or a major one (war), a simple majority vote would decide.

The Roman EmpireThe Romans were the earliest pioneers of bureaucracy – a

kind of organized system of civil servants needed to administer their large empire (753 BCE to 476 CE).

Their administrative ingenuity was crucial in the infrastructure created (roads and aqueducts) to support, defend, and help the empire prosper.

Citizens possessed few rights – they did not participate equally in the decision-making process, they could be drafted into the army, or they could be called on to assist in major construction projects.

The Divine Right of KingsAfter the fall of the Roman Empire, monarchs (who

achieved their power through heredity) controlled many countries.

Most justified their rule on the theory of DRK – meant that the monarch was God’s representation on Earth.

The monarch’s word was law – it could not be questioned, criticized, or challenged.

The main role of citizenship was to obey, whether that meant paying taxes, building roads, or joining the army.

Magna CartaEnglish barons and nobles were upset at King John’s

constant demands for higher taxes.They forced him to sign the Magna Carta (Great Charter,

1215) – one of the most important documents in the history of citizenship.

It altered the power of the monarchy and clearly defined the rights and responsibilities between the king and his barons within the feudal system, but it did not affect the bulk of the population.

It became a vital step in the dev of democracy and upheld the crucial principle that no one was above the law.

It also provided several significant legal rights, such as protection against arbitrary arrest and imprisonment, elimination of cruel and unusual punishment (such as trial by ordeal), and the principle of double jeopardy (being tried twice for the same offence).