chapter 1: people and government - henry county school...

articipatingI N G O V E R N M E N T


Public Opinion

Create a short questionnaire to findout how people in your communityfeel about government. Ask questionssuch as, “Do public officials careabout what people like you think? Yes or no?” After tabulating the survey results, draw a circle graphthat portrays public attitudes and display the graphs in class.

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▲ The first die for the Great Seal of the United States and the larger die

of the Old Treaty Seal, used to make pendant seals for American treaties

Independence HallTake a virtual tour of Independence Hall in Philadel-

phia, where the Continental Congress met and founded theUnited States of America.

Glencoe’s Democracy in Action Video Program

Independence Hall, orthe Old State House, wasthe birthplace of both the Declaration of Independenceand the U.S. Constitution.The Democracy in Actionvideo program “Indepen-dence Hall” shows theunique role of IndependenceHall in American history.

As you view the videoprogram, try to identifysome of the people involved in framing theUnited States govern-ment.

Hands-On ActivityUse your school’s computerized card cata-

log or the Internet to research additional infor-mation about the historical significance ofIndependence Hall. How did its location con-tribute to the events that unfolded there? Using

multimedia tools or software, create a multimedia presentationabout the role of Independence Hall during the early years ofour nation. Incorporate images from the Internet.

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People and Government Aroundthe world, people live under a varietyof governments. Are governments necessary? How well do governmentsserve people? Chapter 1 will explainthe basic forms of government so thatyou can answer these questions.

To better understand thefoundations of government

and their impact on your life, view theDemocracy in Action Chapter 1 videolesson:

Government and Our Lives

Chapter Overview Visit the United StatesGovernment: Democracy in Action Web siteat gov.glencoe.com and click on Chapter1–Overview to preview chapter information.

GOVERNMENT

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

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http://www.gov.glencoe.com


Principles of GovernmentS e c t i o n 1S e c t i o n 1

Reader’s Guide

Key Termsstate, nation, nation-state, consensus, sovereignty, government, social contract

Find Out ■ What are the four main purposes of government?■ How do various theories explain the origin of

government?

Understanding ConceptsPublic Policy Which policies of the governmentmake your life better? Which do you think makelife worse?

In 1972, for the first time, many 18-year-oldswere allowed to vote. Perhaps waiting in lineto vote allowed time for reflection. Why am Idoing this? Will it make a difference? Is gov-

ernment really necessary? What does governmenthave to do with my life?

While most of us realize that government isnecessary, people have asked basic questions aboutthe institution of government for centuries. Whatis the proper function of government? What formof government serves best? Where or why did gov-ernment originate? Many scholars have writtenmuch about these issues. This text will help answersome of these basic questions.

The StateAristotle, a scholar in ancient Greece, wasone of the first students of government. He

studied the polis, the ancient Greek city-state.Many terms and concepts of government, such aspolitics, democracy, and republic, originated in an-cient Greece and Rome.

The familiar terms country and state have basically the same meaning. The word statecomes from a form of the Latin word stare,meaning “to stand.” Today the word state pre-cisely identifies a political community that occu-pies a definite territory and has an organizedgovernment with the power to make and enforcelaws without approval from any higher authori-ty. The United States is one of close to 200 statesin the world today.

To citizens of the United States, the termstate sometimes has a different meaning. Thename United States was first used in 1776 whenthe thirteen British colonies became states bydeclaring their independence. At that time,each state thought of itself as a country. Eventhough the states later joined together as onenation under the Constitution, the term statecontinued to be used to describe the main po-litical units within the United States.

Teens Get the Vote WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 30, 1971

Several states jockeyed

today to become the

38th state to ratify the

Twenty-sixth Amendment

to the Constitution, which

lowers the voting age to

18. Ohio seems to have

won the contest; its legis-

lature voted approval in a

rare evening meeting. This

surprise move deprived

Oklahoma of the honor; its legislature was not in

session. Also thwarted was North Carolina, which

approved the amendment earlier today but delayed

official ratification until tomorrow morning. Pro-

posed by Congress on March 23, no other amend-

ment has won such rapid approval. The old record

was just over six months in 1804 for the Twelfth

Amendment.

A teen’s first vote

CHAPTER 1: PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT 5Fourth of July parade▲

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Political ProcessesHow does a shiftingpopulation affect thepower of each of thestates?

Past Between 1941 and 1945 more than700,000 African Americans moved from onepart of the United States to another seekingopportunity.

Present As people seek a better life, thepopulation of the United States changes,sometimes straining existing facilities, as illustrated in this overcrowded classroom inSan Antonio, Texas.

▲

Changing Population and State Power

The term nation is often used to describe anindependent state or country. Strictly speaking,however, a nation is any sizable group of peoplewho are united by common bonds of race, lan-guage, custom, tradition, and, sometimes, religion.Usually the territorial boundaries of modern statesand those of nations are the same. For example,although not all citizens of France are of Frenchdescent, the territories of both the nation of Franceand the state of France coincide. The term nation-state is often used to describe such a country.

Not all groups that consider themselves to benations have their own states. Eastern Canada,for example, includes many French-speakingCatholics who prefer to follow French culture andtraditions rather than those of the English-speak-ing non-Catholic majority of Canada. Some ofthese people want to break away from Canada andestablish their own state. On the other hand, inAfrica the populations of some national groups aredivided among several African states, the result ofartificial borders established during the colonialera. The popular use of the term nation, however,fits the standard definition of state. For this rea-son this text will use the terms state and nationinterchangeably.

6 CHAPTER 1: PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT

Essential Features of a StateThe states that make up today’s politicalworld share four essential features: popula-

tion, territory, sovereignty, and government.

Population The most obvious essential for astate is people. The nature of a state’s populationaffects its stability. States where the populationshares a general political and social consensus,or agreement about basic beliefs, have the moststable governments. For example, most Americansshare basic beliefs about the value of democraticgovernment.

Another way that population affects the polit-ical organization of a state is through its mobility.Millions of Americans change residences eachyear. As a result, political power is slowly changingand being modified. A major shift in populationfrom the North and East to the South and Westcaused Southern and Western states to gain repre-sentatives in Congress based on the census, whilesome states in the North and East lost representa-tion. The movement of some of the populationfrom inner cities to suburban areas resulted in asimilar shift in political power.

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Territory A state has established boundaries.The United States’s continental boundaries are theAtlantic and Pacific Oceans and recognized borderswith Canada and Mexico.

The exact location or shape of political bound-aries is often a source of conflict among states. Ter-ritorial boundaries may change as a result of war,negotiations, or purchase. The territory of theUnited States, like that of some other states, hasgrown considerably since the original thirteenstates declared their independence. By purchase,negotiation, and war the United States extended itsterritory to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Sovereignty The key characteristic of a state isits sovereignty. Political sovereignty means that thestate has supreme and absolute authority within itsterritorial boundaries. It has complete indepen-dence, and complete power to make laws, shapeforeign policy, and determine its own course of ac-tion. In theory, at least, no state has the right to in-terfere with the internal affairs of another state.

Because every state is considered sovereign,every state is equal with respect to legal rights andduties—at least in theory. In practice, of course,states with great economic strength and militarycapabilities have more power than other states.

CHAPTER 1: PEOPLE AND GOVERNMENT 7

The Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War, established the original boundaries of the United States. Why do you think the United States acquired so many territories in the South Pacific?

Critical Thinking

N

1500 kilometers0

1500 miles0

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1 Original 13 Colonies

Territory in 1790

Louisiana Purchase

Red River Basin

Florida

Texas

Oregon

Mexican Cession

Gadsden Purchase

Alaska

Hawaii

Philippines

Puerto Rico

Guam

American Samoa

Panama Canal Zone

Virgin Islands

Trust Territory ofPacific Islands

—

—

1803

1818

1819

1845

1846

1848

1853

1867

1898

1898

1899

1899

1900

1904

1917

1947

Territory or Accession Date

PanamaCanal Zone

By treaty, Panama gained control of the Panama Canal on December 31, 1999.

The Philippines was granted independence in 1946.

Philippines

18

17

16

15

14

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

65

4

32 1

United States AcquisitionsUnited States Acquisitions

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Government Every state has some form of gov-ernment. Government is the institution throughwhich the state maintains social order, providespublic services, and enforces decisions that arebinding on all people living within the state.

Theories of the Origin of the State

How did the state, orgovernment, come

to be? No one knows pre-cisely how or why peoplecreated the earliest govern-ments. Many scholars haveconstructed theories thatattempt to explain the ori-gin of the state.

Evolutionary TheorySome scholars believe thatthe state evolved from thefamily. This is the basis ofthe evolutionary theoryof government origin. Thehead of the primitive fam-ily was the authority thatserved as a government.An extended family might include hun-dreds of people. Abraham’s descendantsin the Old Testament of the Bible are anexample of the emergence of this kind ofrule. Gradually the large, extended familyneeded more organization.

Force Theory In the earliest civilizations, peo-ple worked together to build walled cities, controlfloods, and construct buildings for worship. Theyalso cooperated in other ways. Leaders issued de-crees and soldiers went to war to protect their city.Some scholars believe that the state was born offorce. The force theory says that governmentemerged when all the people of an area werebrought under the authority of one person or group.

Divine Right Theory The notion that a god orgods have chosen certain people to rule by divineright has been important in many civilizations. TheEgyptians, Chinese, and Aztec were among those

who believed that their rulers were either descen-dants of gods or at least chosen by gods. By themiddle of the 1600s in Europe, monarchs often referred to their right to rule as coming from God.People believed that the state was created by God,and those who were born to royalty were chosen by God to govern. To oppose the monarch was to

oppose God and was considered both treasonand sin.

Social Contract Theory Beginningin the 1600s, Europeans challenged therule of sovereigns who ruled by divineright. They were often supported bythe writings of philosophers who believed that the origin of the statewas in a social contract. ThomasHobbes in England was one of thefirst to theorize on the social contract.

He wrote that in a “state of na-ture,”no government existed.

Without an authority toprotect people from one

another, life was “nasty,brutish, and short.” Bycontract, people sur-rendered to the statethe power needed tomaintain order. Thestate, in turn, agreedto protect its citizens.

Hobbes believed thatpeople did not have

the right to break thisagreement.

John Locke took the socialcontract a step further. In 1688 the

British Parliament forced King James II out of officeand invited William and Mary of Orange to rule.Locke defended Parliament’s overthrow of the king.He wrote that people were naturally endowed withthe right to life, liberty, and property. To preservetheir rights, they willingly contracted to give powerto a governing authority. When government failedto preserve the rights of the people, the people hadthe right to break the contract.

Nearly a century later, the American coloniesrevolted against King George III. In declaring theirindependence, they cited the political philosophyof natural rights that Locke had written.


Thomas Hobbes(above) andJohn Locke(right)

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The Purposes of GovernmentToday governments serve several majorpurposes for the state: (1) to maintain social

order; (2) to provide public services; (3) to providefor national security and a common defense; and(4) to provide for and control the economic sys-tem. In carrying out these tasks, governments mustmake decisions that are binding on all citizens ofthe state. Government has the authority to requireall individuals to obey these decisions and thepower to punish those who do not obey them.

The decisions of government are authorita-tive—that is, they can be enforced upon all of soci-ety. Governments derive their authority from twosources—their legitimacy and their ability to usecoercive force. Legitimacy means the willingness ofcitizens to obey the government. In democraticcountries legitimacy is based on the consent of thepeople. Americans understand that if their electedofficials fail to respond to the interests of the peo-ple, they can be voted out of office. Therefore, thepeople entrust their government with power.

Coercive force, the second source of govern-ment authority, derives from the police, judicial,

and military institutions of government. Govern-ment can force people to pay taxes and can punishoffenders by fines or imprisonment.

Maintaining Social Order John Locke, writ-ing in Two Treatises of Government 1 in 1690, ex-plained:

“Men being, as has been said, by Nature, allfree, equal and independent, no one can beput out of this Estate, and subjected to thePolitical Power of another, without hisown Consent. The only way whereby anyone divests himself of his Natural Liberty,and puts on the bonds of Civil Society is byagreeing with other Men to joyn [join]and unite into a Community. . . .”—John Locke, 1690

According to the social contract theory, peopleneed government to maintain social order becausethey have not yet discovered a way to live in groups

Government in Daily Life

G overnment is much closer than the officials working in Washington, your statecapital, or even city hall. Many things that

Americans take for granted result from servicesand protections offered by government.

The roads on which you drive are constructedand maintained by state and/or local governments.Traffic laws dictate how you drive on those roads.When you go to the store, government regulationsmake it likely that the groceries you buy will notpoison you. Your hair stylist and dentist areexpected to be skilled professionals because gov-ernment licenses these and other businesses andsets minimum standards. Turn on your radio or TV. The program you receive will be clear becausegovernment prevents stations from interfering witheach other’s signals. All in all, the presence of gov-ernment in daily life is greater than you may think.

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See the following footnoted materials in the Reference Handbook:1. Two Treatises of Government, page 806.

Ensuring traffic safety

Solving Problems Assume you serve on your city council. A group of citizens has petitionedthe city to change the speed limit on all nonresi-dential streets from 35 mph to 50 mph. Brain-storm the advantages and disadvantages of eachalternative and how it would impact citizens.Recommend what speed limit should be in effectand why.

A C T I V I T YA C T I V I T Yarticipating

I N G O V E R N M E N T articipating

I N G O V E R N M E N T

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without conflict. There are many sources of con-flict in any group. Two people may argue over theboundary line between their properties. Membersof a community may disagree about what is bestfor the group. In any group, some members maytry to take unfair advantage of others. Conflictseems to be an inescapable part of group life.

Governments provide ways of resolving con-flicts among group members, helping to maintainsocial order. Governments have the power to makeand enforce laws. Governments can require peopleto do things they might not do voluntarily, such aspay taxes or serve in the army. Governments alsoprovide structures such as courts to help people re-solve disagreements in an orderly manner.

Without government, civilized life would notbe possible. Government controls and containsconflict between people by placing limits on whatindividuals are permitted to do. Government pro-vides a group with law and order. An effective gov-ernment allows citizens to plan for the future, getan education, raise a family, and live orderly lives.

Providing Public Services Abraham Lin-coln identified one purpose of government:

“The legitimate object of government is todo for a community of people whateverthey need to have done but cannot do atall, or cannot so well do for themselves intheir separate and individual capacities.But in all that people can individually do for themselves, government ought notto interfere.”—Abraham Lincoln, 1854

One of the important purposes of governmentis to provide essential services that make communi-ty life possible and promote the general welfare.Governments undertake projects, such as buildingsewer systems, that individuals could not or wouldnot do on their own.

Governments also provide an essential serviceby making and enforcing laws that promote publichealth and safety. Government inspectors checkmeat and produce to prevent the sale of spoiledfood. State legislators pass laws that require peopleto pass a driving test.

Providing National Security A third task ofgovernment is to protect the people against attackby other states or from threats such as terrorism.Protecting its national security is a major concernof each sovereign state. In today’s world of nuclearweapons, spy satellites, international terrorists, andhuge armies, the job of providing for the defenseand security of the state is complex.

In addition to protecting the nation from at-tack, government handles normal relations withother nations. The United States Constitutiongives our national government a monopoly overour nation’s dealings with foreign countries. Thus,our national government has the exclusive powerto make treaties with other nations. Governmenthelps to provide economic security by enacting


Student Web Activity Visit the United StatesGovernment: Democracy in Action Web site atgov.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 1–StudentWeb Activities for an activity about principles ofgovernment.

GOVERNMENT

Lucky 13 Benjamin Franklin, John Adams,and Thomas Jefferson all helped create theGreat Seal of the United States. After workingon the design for six years, they completedtheir task on June 20, 1782. Much of theseal’s symbolism is tied to the number 13, the number of original states. On the seal are 13 stars in the crest over the eagle, 13 stripes on the shield, 13 arrows in the eagle’s left claw, 13 olives and leaves in its right claw, and 13 letters in the seal’smotto, E Pluribus Unum (“Out of Many, One”).On the back of the seal are a pyramid with 13 steps and another 13-letter motto, AnnuitCoeptis (“Providence Favors Our Undertakings”).

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trade agreements withother countries. Some stategovernments maintain in-formal relations with for-eign governments for tradeand cultural purposes. Thenational government, how-ever, has the power to limitthese arrangements.

Making Economic Decisions Nations varygreatly in their ability toprovide their citizens witheconomic opportunities orresources. No country pro-vides its citizens with every-thing they need or desire.Even in a wealthy countrylike the United States, manypeople are poorly clothed,housed, and fed. The prob-lem of scarcity is far greaterin many other nationsaround the world.

Material scarcity is oftenthe cause of conflict in society. Countries in which thegap between rich and poor is great may experience civilunrest. Historically this has been the primary cause ofseveral full-blown revolutions. For this reason govern-ments often use their power to reduce the cause of suchconflict by intervening in the economic system.

Governments do not in-tervene only in domesticcrises. They may intervene in the economic affairs ofanother nation. For example,after World War II, the UnitedStates aided nations in whichit believed economic condi-tions might foster Commu-nist revolutions.

Governments pass thelaws that shape the economicenvironment of the nation.These laws could be as lim-ited as providing a nationalcurrency or as extensive ascontrolling every individual’seconomic decisions.

Governments also maymake choices that distributebenefits and public servicesamong citizens. For example,the government can makepayments to farmers whoraise certain crops or allowtax advantages to certain in-

dustries. The government’s decision to build a vet-erans’hospital in a certain town benefits some of thepeople and not others. Governments usually try tostimulate economic growth and stability throughcontrolling inflation, encouraging trade, and regu-lating the development of natural resources.


Public Policy Read news articles concerningdecisions made by foreign governments. Classify those decisions that you believe aremaking life better for their citizens and thoseyou believe are making life worse.

Checking for Understanding1. Main Idea In a graphic organizer similar to the

one below, identify four major purposes of gov-ernment and give an example of each.

2. Define state, nation, nation-state, consensus,sovereignty, government, social contract.

3. Identify Aristotle, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke.4. Summarize the divine right and social contract

theories.

Critical Thinking5. Making Comparisons Thomas Hobbes and John

Locke both subscribed to the social contract the-ory of government. Analyze their views of thattheory.

Sect ion 1 AssessmentSect ion 1 Assessment

The government enforces laws that protect the public safety and health.

Purpose Example

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The government of each nation has uniquecharacteristics derived from how thatnation developed. To carry out their func-tions, governments are organized in a

variety of ways. Most large countries have severaldifferent levels of government. These usuallyinclude a central or national government as well asthe governments of smaller divisions within thecountry, such as provinces, states, counties, cities,towns, and villages.

Government SystemsThe relationship between a nation’s nationalgovernment and its smaller governmental

divisions can be described as either unitary or federal.

Unitary System A unitary system of govern-ment gives all key powers to the national or centralgovernment. This does not mean that only onelevel of government exists. Rather, it means thatthe central government has the power to createstate, provincial, or other local governments andmay give them limited sovereignty. Great Britain,Italy, and France developed unitary governmentsas these nations emerged from smaller kingdoms.

Federal System A federal system of govern-ment divides the powers of government betweenthe national government and state or provincialgovernments. Each level of government has sov-ereignty in some areas. The United States devel-oped a federal system after the thirteen colonies became states.

To begin with, the United States formed aconfederacy, a loose union of independentstates. When the confederacy failed to providean effective national government, the Constitu-tion made the national government supremewhile preserving some state government pow-ers. Today, other countries with federal systemsinclude Canada, Switzerland, Mexico, Aus-tralia, India, and Russia.

The Formation of GovernmentsS e c t i o n 2S e c t i o n 2

Debates Rage OnRICHMOND, VIRGINIA, 1788

The proposed national

constitution, written last

summer in Philadelphia, is

stirring controversy

throughout the state. Al-

though it is based on a

design developed by Vir-

ginians, many state leaders

believe the planned govern-

ment is too strong. “It squints

toward monarchy,” says for-

mer governor Patrick Henry.

James Madison, a leading Virginia delegate at

Philadelphia, defends the convention’s work. He

asks,“What is government itself but the greatest of all

reflections on human nature? If men were angels,”

he observes, “no government would be necessary.”

Patrick Henry


Reader’s Guide

Key Termsunitary system, federal system, confederacy, constitution, constitutional government, preamble,constitutional law, politics, industrialized nation,developing nation

Find Out■ What are the similarities and differences

between a unitary government and a federalgovernment system?

■ What are the main purposes of a constitution?

Understanding ConceptsGlobal Perspectives The United States Constitu-tion is the oldest written constitution still in use.What does this imply about the stability of govern-ments in the world?

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Constitutions and GovernmentA constitution is a plan that provides therules for government. A constitution serves

several major purposes. (l) It sets out ideals thatthe people bound by the constitution believe inand share. (2) It establishes the basic structure ofgovernment and defines the government’s powersand duties. (3) It provides the supreme law for the country. Constitutions provide rules that shapethe actions of government and politics, much as the rules of basketball define the action in a basketball game.

Constitutions may be written or unwritten;however, in most modern states, constitutions arewritten. The United States Constitution, drawnup in 1787, is the oldest written constitutionstill serving a nation today. Other nations with written constitutions include France,Kenya, India, Italy, and Switzerland. GreatBritain, on the other hand, has an un-written constitution based on hun-dreds of years of legislative acts,court decisions, and customs.

All governments have aconstitution in the sense thatthey have some plan for organiz-ing and operating the government. In this sensethe People’s Republic of China has a constitution.The term constitutional government, however,has a special meaning. It refers to a government inwhich a constitution has authority to place clearlyrecognized limits on the powers of those who gov-ern. Thus, constitutional government is limitedgovernment. Despite the existence of a writtenconstitution, the People’s Republic of China doesnot have constitutional government. In that coun-try, there are few limits on the power of the gov-ernment.

Incomplete Guides Constitutions themselvesare important but incomplete guides to how acountry is actually governed. They are incompletefor two reasons. First, no written constitution byitself can possibly spell out all the laws, customs,and ideas that grow up around the document it-self. In the United States, for example, untilFranklin D. Roosevelt was elected president fourtimes, it was custom, rather than law, that no per-son should be elected president more than twice.


First page of the Constitution(above) and inkwell used tosign the Constitution

Only when the Twenty-second Amendmentwent into effect was a president limited by law totwo elected terms.

Second, a constitution does not always reflectthe actual practice of government in a country.The People’s Republic of China, for example, has awritten constitution filled with statements aboutthe basic rights, freedoms, and duties of citizens.Yet, for years the Chinese government has main-tained an extensive police force to spy on Chinesecitizens and punish those whose ideas are not ac-ceptable to the state. Although the government re-laxed some restrictions in the late 1980s,authorities crushed a pro-democracy movementin 1989.

A Statement of Goals Most constitutionscontain a statement that sets forth the goals andpurposes to be served by the government. Thisstatement is usually called the preamble. The Pre-amble to the United States Constitution states themajor goals of American government:

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“We, the people of the United States, in Orderto form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, providefor the common defence [defense], promotethe general Welfare, and secure the Blessingsof Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity,do ordain and establish this Constitutionfor the United States of America.”—Preamble to the Constitution, 1787

A Framework for Government The mainbody of a constitution sets out the plan for gov-ernment. In federal states, such as the UnitedStates, the constitution also describes the relation-ship between the national government and stategovernments. Most written constitutions also de-scribe the procedure for amending, or changing,the constitution.

The main body of a constitution is usually di-vided into parts called articles and sections. TheUnited States Constitution has 7 articles contain-ing a total of 21 sections. The French constitutionhas 89 articles grouped under 16 titles. The Indianconstitution, the longest in the world, consists ofhundreds of articles.

The Highest Law Constitutions provide thesupreme law for states. A constitution is usually accepted as a superior, morally binding force.It draws its authority from the people or from a special assembly chosen by the people to createthe constitution. Constitutional law involves theinterpretation and application of the constitution.

Thus, constitutional law primarily concerns defin-ing the extent and limits of government power andthe rights of citizens.

Politics and GovernmentThe effort to control or influence the con-duct and policies of government is called

politics. The Constitution did not prevent the de-velopment of politics because politics and govern-ment are closely related. In fact, a major politicalstruggle developed over the ratification of theConstitution itself. Within a few years major polit-ical parties played key roles in elections.

People are taking part in politics when theyjoin a citizens’ group protesting higher taxes orwhen they meet with the mayor to ask the city torepave the streets in their neighborhood. Legisla-tors are acting politically when they vote to havegovernment buildings constructed in the districtsthey represent.

Seeking Government Benefits Participa-tion in politics arises because people realize thatgovernment has the potential to influence theirlives in many ways. Different people make differentdemands on government. Construction workersmay want government to support the building ofnew highways to create jobs. Conservationists maywant the government to spend its money on masstransit and public parks instead. Still other people,who favor lower taxes, may want neither the newhighways nor more public parks.


Constitutional Interpreta-tions Wendell Lewis Willkiebecame the Republican nomi-nee for president in 1940when Franklin D. Rooseveltran for an unprecedentedthird term. Roosevelt violatedGeorge Washington’s prece-dent that limited presidentsto two terms. How didGeorge Washington’sprecedent reflect the ideaof limited government?

Breaking Precedent

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In a large, diverse nation like the United States,there is a continual struggle over what benefits andservices government should provide, how muchthey should cost, and who should pay for them.Through politics, individuals and groups seek tomaximize the benefits they get from governmentwhile they try to reduce the costs of these benefits.Through politics, people also seek to use govern-ment to turn their values and beliefs into publicpolicy. One group, for example, tries to influencegovernment to ban smoking in public places.Other people pressure government not to restrictsmoking in any way.

Importance of Politics Through politics,conflicts in society are managed. As people seek re-wards and benefits, politics provides a peacefulway for them to compete with one another. Theoutcomes of politics—the struggle to control gov-ernment—affect such key matters as the quality ofair and water, economic conditions, peace and war,and the extent of citizens’ rights and freedoms.

Special Interests The Constitution says thatgovernment should promote the general welfare.The Framers believed government should operate

in the interests of all the people, not favoring anyspecial group or person. One of the issues thatconcerned the Framers of the United States Con-stitution was the possibility that groups of people,united by special political interests, would hinderthe launching of the new government. JamesMadison explained his concerns in a series of arti-cles called The Federalist:

“Among the numerous advantages promisedby a well-constructed Union. . . [is] its ten-dency to break and control the violence of faction. . . . By a faction, I understand a number of citizens . . . who are unitedand actuated [moved] by some commonimpulse of passion, or of interest, adverseto the rights of other citizens, or to the permanent and aggregate interests ofthe community. . . .”—James Madison, 1787

Some people equate politics with bribery orcorruption. They believe the general welfare maybe sacrificed to the desires of a special-interestgroup. The misuse of politics, however, should notobscure the value of a political system.


Laura Epstein

Making a DifferenceMaking a Difference Laura Epstein did not plan tostir her community to actionwhen she spent the summer

of 1996 with a paint brush. Sheand eight other young people only wanted to paint over graffiti-covered walls to help beautifydowntown Seattle.

Working with Seattle’s wastedepartment, Laura and her teampainted murals on many of thecity’s graffiti-covered walls. Volun-teers helped decorate one of thepark walls, once a graffiti eyesore,with giant bugs.

Laura was surprised whenthe graffiti-erasing campaignturned into a creative project

for the community and the chil-dren in the neighborhood. “Thatwas the best part—having the

neighbor kids help us paint andget involved,” she said. Laurafeels she has contributed to theneighborhood by leaving behindsomething that neighborhood kids can point to and say, “Hey, I helped make that!”

The antigraffiti project is justone of hundreds of projects beingcarried out by youth teams acrossthe nation who are members ofthe Youth Volunteer Corps ofAmerica (YVCA). The YVCA is aproject funded by the federal government that gives young peo-ple a way to get involved in theircommunities. According to BillBarrett, who works for the nation-al program, “People who serveothers are providing the solutionsto our country’s problems.”

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Governing in a Complex World

The United States government conductspolicy in a complex world. Changing rela-

tionships challenge the policies of every nation. It isnot easy to define the boundaries of government.

Major Inequalities Among States Becauseof great inequalities among countries, the worldtoday is full of contrasts. The United States and about20 other states, such as Japan, Canada, Australia, andFrance, are industrialized nations. Industrialized na-tions have generally large industries and advancedtechnology that provide a more comfortable way oflife than developing nations do. Developing nationsare only beginning to develop industrially. More than100 developing nations have average per capita, orper person, incomes that are a fraction of those of in-dustrialized nations. In the poorest countries, starva-tion, disease, and political turmoil are a way of life.Many states of Africa south of the Sahara and of

Southeast Asia are developing nations.Between these two levels of nationsare many newly industrialized nationssuch as Mexico, South Korea, Singapore,Malaysia, Algeria, and Kenya.

Growing Interdependence Al-though each state is sovereign, nationstoday exist in a world of global interde-pendence. This means that people andnations must interact or depend uponone another, especially economically andpolitically. It also means that what hap-pens in one nation or area of the worldaffects what happens in other places.Thus, our lives can be directly impactednot only by the decisions of foreign gov-ernments but also by the combined effectof billions of individual choices made bypeople across the world.

Global interdependence is increas-ing due to growing industrialization andrapid technological advances in manu-facturing, transportation and telecom-munications. In communications, thedevelopment of the Internet and theWorld Wide Web is linking billions of

people and organizations across the globe. In the nearfuture, half the world’s population will have access tothe Web.

Global interdependence is affecting highly devel-oped as well as developing states. Canada, Mexico,and the United States are developing greater eco-nomic, political, and social ties through the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), signed in1993. At the same time, many developing states havebecome very dependent on the industrialized onesfor economic aid, medical supplies and services, fi-nancial investment, assistance to cope with naturaldisasters, and military aid.

Nonstate International Groups Today’sworld is also home to nonstate groups that play a rolein international politics. Some of these groups, suchas terrorist groups and national liberation organiza-tions, are politically motivated and often use violenceto achieve their goals. Multinational corporationsand international organizations are aimed at devel-oping economic growth and making profits.


Inequalities Among Countries Nations must cooperateto solve worldwide concerns. Today the increasing demandsfor natural resources threaten many tropical rain forests, likethis one in South America. What tensions do you thinkoccur between developing nations and industrialized nations over the destruction of the rain forests?

Destruction and Development

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In recent decades, quasi-military organizationsthat use terrorism to gain their objectives have grownin international influence. Al-Qaeda, the group thatstaged the September 11, 2001, terrorist strikesagainst the United States, is one example.Al-Qaeda iscomposed mostly of Islamic radicals drawn largelyfrom Middle Eastern countries. It operates on a glob-al scale with a large budget and holds training centersin a number of countries around the world.

National liberation organizations aim to estab-lish an independent state for a particular ethnic or re-ligious group. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) isone example of a nationalist organization. The aim ofthe IRA is to integrate Ireland and Northern Irelandinto a single country under one Irish government.The Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)claims to represent all Palestinians struggling to gainterritory within the state of Israel as their own na-tional homeland.

Multinational corporations are huge companieswith offices and factories in many countries. Thebiggest of these firms have come to be called “state-less”corporations because they are so international inownership, management, workforce, and areas of op-erations that it is impossible to identify them with anysingle nation.

International organizations, such as the WorldTrade Organization (WTO), are composed of manynations working together for common goals.The WTO, for example, seeks to improve economicdevelopment around the world. While they do not

have political sovereignty, they do carry out their ac-tivities on a global scale, selling their products world-wide and entering into agreements with foreigngovernments. Thus, multinational corporations in-fluence international politics and the internal deci-sions of their host countries. Richard Holder,president of Reynolds Metals Company, explainedthat a global company is one that

“. . . operates as a worldwide, integratedsystem in which all operations, whereverthey may be, are interdependent in termsof operations and strategies. Every decision. . . is considered in the light of a world-wide system.”—Richard Holder, October 1989

General Motors, American Telephone andTelegraph, Unilever, Nabisco, British Petroleum,Royal Dutch/Shell, Mitsubishi, and Sony are exam-ples of global corporations that have attainedworldwide economic importance.

Finally, the modern world includes many in-ternational organizations. These groups rangefrom the United Nations (UN) to more specializedorganizations such as the International SugarCouncil and the Universal Postal Union. These orga-nizations undertake a wide variety of tasks, often toserve the needs of member states. The World Me-teorological Organization, for example, facilitatesthe exchange of weather information among states.

Sect ion 2 AssessmentSection 2 AssessmentSection 2 AssessmentSection 2 Assessment

Global Perspectives Choose five foreign na-tions and find out about each nation’s basicstructure of government. When was its consti-tution adopted? Is the government democrat-ic? Obtain information from a local library or on the Internet.

Checking for Understanding1. Main Idea In a Venn diagram like the one below

right, show the similarities and differences between a consti-tutional government and agovernment that merely hasa constitution.

2. Define unitary system, federalsystem, confederacy, constitution, constitutionalgovernment, preamble, constitutional law, poli-tics, industrialized nation, developing nation.

3. Identify The Federalist.4. Analyze how events in the Middle East illustrate

economic interdependence.

Critical Thinking5. Analyzing Information James Madison wanted

to prevent “factions,” or special interest groups.Would it be possible to have government withoutinterest groups? Explain.


ConstitutionalGovernment

Governmentwith a

Constitution

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The United States has established a repre-sentative democracy that serves as amodel for government and inspires peo-ple around the world. Students in China

in 1989 marched for “government of the people, bythe people, and for the people.” Today democraciesoutnumber all other forms of government.

Over the centuries, people have organizedtheir governments in many different ways. InSaudi Arabia, for example, the ruling royal familycontrols the government and its resources. Familymembers choose the king from among themselves.Thousands of miles away, in Burkina Faso inAfrica, a small group of wealthy landowners andmilitary officers governs that country. In Swedenthe people elect the Riksdag, the national legisla-ture, which in turn selects the prime minister tocarry out the laws.

Major Types of GovernmentGovernments can be classified in manyways. The most time-honored system

comes from the ideas of the ancient Greekphilosopher Aristotle. It is based on a key ques-tion: Who governs the state? Under this system ofclassification, all governments belong to one ofthree major groups: (1) autocracy—rule by oneperson; (2) oligarchy—rule by a few persons; or(3) democracy—rule by many persons.

Autocracy Any system of government inwhich the power and authority to rule are in thehands of a single individual is an autocracy.This is the oldest and one of the most commonforms of government. Historically, most auto-crats have maintained their positions of au-thority by inheritance or the ruthless use of military or police power. Several forms of autocracy exist. One is an absolute or total-itarian dictatorship. In a totalitarian dicta-torship, the ideas of a single leader areglorified. The government seeks to control all

Types of GovernmentS e c t i o n 3S e c t i o n 3

Democracy AssaultedBEIJING, CHINA, JUNE 1989

Some 10,000 Chinese

troops surprised sleep-

ing protesters in Tianan-

men Square early this

morning. The brutal as-

sault, one of the worst days

of bloodshed in Commu-

nist China’s history, came

after seven weeks of demon-

strations by students calling

for democracy. The pro-

testers scattered in terror as

soldiers sprayed them with

automatic weapons fire.

Once government forces gained control of the

100-acre square, they used a tank to crush the Goddess

of Democracy, a 33-foot plaster and styrofoam statue

that students had erected. The Chinese Red Cross

put the death toll at almost 2,600.

The “Goddess ofDemocracy”


Reader’s Guide

Key Termsautocracy, monarchy, oligarchy, democracy, republic, political party, free enterprise

Find Out■ What are the main characteristics of a

democracy?■ Why is free enterprise conducive to the growth

and preservation of democracy?

Understanding ConceptsCultural Pluralism How does a representativedemocracy provide a good government for diversepeoples?

018-025 CH01S3-860053 12/1/04 1:21 AM Page 18

aspects of social and economic life. Ex-amples of totalitarian dictatorship in-clude Adolf Hitler’s government in NaziGermany (from 1933 to 1945), BenitoMussolini’s rule in Italy (from 1922 to1943), and Joseph Stalin’s regime in theSoviet Union (from 1924 to 1953). Insuch dictatorships, government is notresponsible to the people, and the peo-ple lack the power to limit their rulers.

Monarchy is another form of auto-cratic government. In a monarchy aking, queen, or emperor exercises thesupreme powers of government. Mon-archs usually inherit their positions.Absolute monarchs have complete andunlimited power to rule their people.The king of Saudi Arabia, for example,is such an absolute monarch. Absolutemonarchs are rare today, but from the1400s to the 1700s, kings or queenswith absolute powers ruled most ofWestern Europe.

Today some countries, such asGreat Britain, Sweden, Japan, and theNetherlands, have constitutional mon-archs. These monarchs share govern-mental powers with elected legislaturesor serve mainly as the ceremonial lead-ers of their governments.

Oligarchy An oligarchy is any systemof government in which a small group holds power.The group derives its power from wealth, militarypower, social position, or a combination of these ele-ments. Sometimes religion is the source of power.Today the governments of Communist countries,such as China, are mostly oligarchies. In such coun-tries, leaders in the Communist Party and the armedforces control the government.

Both dictatorships and oligarchies sometimesclaim they rule for the people. Such governmentsmay try to give the appearance of control by thepeople. For example, they might hold elections,but offer only one candidate, or control the elec-tion results in other ways. Such governments mayalso have some type of legislature or national as-sembly elected by or representing the people.These legislatures, however, approve only policiesand decisions already made by the leaders. As in a

dictatorship, oligarchies usually suppress all politi-cal opposition—sometimes ruthlessly.

Democracy A democracy is any system of gov-ernment in which rule is by the people. The termdemocracy comes from the Greek demos (meaning“the people”) and kratia (meaning “rule”). The an-cient Greeks used the word democracy to meangovernment by the many in contrast to govern-ment by the few. Pericles, a great leader of ancientAthens, declared, “Our constitution is named ademocracy because it is in the hands not of the few,but of the many.”

The key idea of democracy is that the peoplehold sovereign power. Abraham Lincoln capturedthis spirit best when he described democracy as“government of the people, by the people, and forthe people.”


Absolute Power Artist Jacques-Louis David depictsabsolute ruler and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte inNapoleon Crossing the Great St. Bernard in the late 1790s.Why do you think dictators control their national armies and police forces?

French Dictator

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Democracy may take one of two forms. In adirect democracy, the people govern themselvesby voting on issues individually as citizens. Directdemocracy exists only in very small societies wherecitizens can actually meet regularly to discuss anddecide key issues and problems. Direct democracyis still found in some New England town meetingsand in some of the smaller states, called cantons, ofSwitzerland. No country today, however, has a gov-ernment based on direct democracy.

In an indirect or representative democracy,the people elect representatives and give them theresponsibility and power to make laws and conductgovernment. An assembly of the people’s represen-tatives may be called a council, a legislature, a con-gress, or a parliament. Representative democracy is

practiced in cities, states, provinces,and countries where the populationis too large to meet regularly in oneplace. It is the most efficient way toensure that the rights of individualcitizens, who are part of a largegroup, are represented.

In a republic, voters are thesource of the government’s authority.Elected representatives who are re-sponsible to the people exercise thatpower. As Benjamin Franklin wasleaving the Constitutional Conven-tion in Philadelphia in 1787, a womanapproached him and asked, “Whatkind of government have you givenus, Dr. Franklin? A republic or amonarchy?”Franklin answered,“A re-public, Madam, if you can keep it.”Franklin’s response indicated that theFounders preferred a republic over amonarchy but that a republic requirescitizen participation.

For most Americans today, theterms representative democracy, re-public, and constitutional republicmean the same thing: a system of limited government where thepeople are the ultimate source ofgovernmental authority. It should beunderstood, however, that through-out the world not every democracyis a republic. Great Britain, for example, is a democracy but not a

republic because it has a constitutional monarch asits head of state.

Characteristics of DemocracyToday some nations of the world misuse theword democracy. Many countries call their

governments “democratic”or “republican”whetherthey really are or not. The government of NorthKorea, for example, is an oligarchy, because a smallnumber of Communist Party leaders run the gov-ernment. Yet their country is called the Democrat-ic People’s Republic of Korea. A true democraticgovernment, as opposed to one that only uses theterm democratic in its name, has characteristics thatdistinguish it from other forms of government.


Source: Clement, Clement’s Encyclopedia of World Governments (Dallas: Political Research Inc., 1996).

The United States is one of manycountries with a democratic type of government. What is the difference between a democracy and an oligarchy?

Critical Thinking

United States

Chile

South Africa

India

Japan

Syria

Cuba

China

Unita

ry

Fede

ral

Democ

racy

Dict

ators

hip

Oliga

rchy

Country

GovernmentSystems

TYPE OFGOVERNMENT

GOVERNMENT POWER

COMPARING GovernmentsCOMPARING Governments

018-025 CH01S3-860053 12/1/04 1:22 AM Page 20

Individual Liberty No individual, of course,can be completely free to do absolutely anything heor she wants. That would result in chaos. Rather,democracy requires that all people be as free aspossible to develop their own capacities. Govern-ment in a democracy works to promote the kind ofequality in which all people have an equal oppor-tunity to develop their talents to the fullest extentpossible.

Majority Rule with Minority RightsDemocracy also requires that government deci-sions be based on majority rule. In a democracypeople usually accept decisions made by the ma-jority of voters in a free election. Representativedemocracy means that laws enacted in the legisla-tures represent the will of the majority of lawmak-ers. Because these lawmakers are elected by thepeople, the laws are accepted by the people.

At the same time, the American conceptof democracy includes a concern about the possibletyranny of the majority. The Constitution helpsensure that the rights of individuals in the minoritywill be protected.

Respect for minority rights can be difficult tomaintain, especially when society is under great


stress. For example, during World War II, the gov-ernment imprisoned more than 100,000 JapaneseAmericans in relocation camps because it fearedthey would be disloyal. The relocation programcaused severe hardships for many Japanese Ameri-cans and deprived them of their basic liberties. Evenso, the program was upheld by the Supreme Courtin 1944 in Korematsu v. United States 1 and in oneother similar case.

Endo v. United States In the same year as theKorematsu case, the Supreme Court did uphold the rights of Mitsuye Endo. A native-born citizen,Endo was fired from a California state job in 1942and sent to a relocation center. Her lawyer chal-lenged the War Relocation Authority’s right todetain a loyal American citizen. The case finallyreached the Supreme Court in 1944.

On the day after the exclusionary order was revoked by the military commander, the Court

See the following footnoted materials in the Reference Handbook:1. Korematsu v. United States case summary,

page 760.

Civil Liberties Morethan 70,000 of the peopleof Japanese descent in-terned during World War IIwere Nisei, or American-born. What kind of rec-ompense did internmentvictims receive in the1980s?

Relocation and Discrimination

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ruled that Mitsuye Endo could no longer be held incustody. Justice Frank Murphy wrote:

“Detention in Relocation Centers of peopleof Japanese ancestry regardless of loyalty isnot only unauthorized by Congress or theExecutive, but is another example of theunconstitutional resort to racism inherentin the entire evacuation program. . . .Racial discrimination of this nature bearsno reasonable relation to military necessityand is utterly foreign to the ideals and tra-ditions of American people.”—Justice Frank Murphy, 1944

In recent years the wartime relocation pro-gram has been criticized as a denial of individualrights and as proof that tyranny can occur in eventhe most democratic societies. In 1988 Congressacknowledged the “grave injustice” of the reloca-tion experience and offered payments of $20,000to those Japanese Americans still living who hadbeen relocated.

Free Elections As we have seen, democraticgovernments receive their legitimacy by the con-sent of the governed. The authority to create andrun the government rests with the people. All gen-uine democracies have free and open elections.Free elections give people the chance to choosetheir leaders and to voice their opinions on variousissues. Free elections also help ensure that publicofficials pay attention to the wishes of the people.

In a democracy several characteristics markfree elections. First, everyone’s vote carries thesame weight—a principle often expressed in thephrase “one person, one vote.” Second, all candi-dates have the right to express their views freely,giving voters access to competing ideas. Third, cit-izens are free to help candidates or support issues.Fourth, the legal requirements for voting, such as age, residence, and citizenship, are kept to aminimum. Thus, racial, ethnic, religious, or otherdiscriminatory tests cannot be used to restrict vot-ing. Fifth, citizens may vote freely by secret ballot,without coercion or fear of punishment for theirvoting decisions.


Democracy depends, in part, ona social consensus. Certainideas, values, and beliefs that

are shared by a great majority of peo-ple help to support and stabilize

democratic govern-ments. What are thekey elements in thesocial consensus ofyour community?

Survey a varietyof people askingwhether they agreeor disagree with thefollowing: 1. Everyone should

be given an oppor-tunity for a free public education.

2. Burning the American flag as a symbol of protest should be made unconstitutional.

3. Freedom of speech includes the right to lie on your income tax form.

4. Wealthy people should pay ahigher percentage of taxes thanlow-income people.

5. Anyone who dumps trash onpublic property should be fined.

6. Scientists should not be permit-ted to use animals for experi-ments.

ActivityCompile the results of your

survey. Analyze the data and createa poster that illustrates the socialconsensus of your survey group. Be sure your poster includes chartsand graphs that display the surveyresults.

Determining theSocial Consensus



Analyzing survey results

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Competing Political Parties Political par-ties are an important element of democratic gov-ernment. A political party is a group of individualswith broad common interests who organize tonominate candidates for office, win elections, con-duct government, and determine public policy. Inthe United States, while any number of politicalparties may compete, a two-party system in whichthe Republicans and the Democrats have becomethe major political parties has developed.

Rival parties help make elections meaningful.They give voters a choice among candidates. Theyalso help simplify and focus attention on key issuesfor voters. Finally, in democratic countries, the po-litical party or parties that are out of power serveas a “loyal opposition.” That is, by criticizing thepolicies and actions of the party in power, they canhelp make those in power more responsible to thepeople.

The Soil of DemocracyHistorically, few nations have practiceddemocracy. One reason may be that real

democracy seems to require a special environ-ment. Democratic government is more likely to

succeed in countries which to some degree meetfive general criteria that reflect the quality of life ofcitizens.

Active Citizen Participation Democracyrequires citizens who are willing to participate incivic life. Countries in which citizens are able to in-form themselves about issues, to vote in elections,to serve on juries, to work for candidates, and torun for government office are more likely to main-tain a strong democracy than countries where cit-izens do not participate fully in their government.

A Favorable Economy Democracy succeedsmore in countries that do not have extremes ofwealth and poverty and that have a large middleclass. The opportunity to control one’s economicdecisions provides a base for making independentpolitical decisions. In the United States this con-cept is called free enterprise. If people do not havecontrol of their economic lives, they will not likelybe free to make political decisions.

Countries with stable, growing economiesseem better able to support democratic govern-ment. In the past, autocrats who promised citi-zens jobs and food have toppled many democratic


Civic ParticipationWhy would demo-cracy more likelythrive in a countrywith an educatedpublic?

Past As the nation grew,standards and methodsof education also expand-ed. A teacher at a schoolin Nebraska teaches amultiplication lesson in1895.

Present Today studentsuse computer technologyto develop skills neededin modern society.

▲

▲

Prerequisites of Democracy: An Educated Public

018-025 CH01S3-860053 12/1/04 1:22 AM Page 23

governments during times of severe economic de-pression. People who are out of work or unable tofeed their families often become more concernedabout security than about voting or exercisingother political rights.

Widespread Education Democracy is morelikely to succeed in countries with an educatedpublic. The debate over public education in Amer-ica was settled in the 1830s. For example, in 1835Pennsylvania voted to fund public schools. Thad-deus Stevens, speaking to the Pennsylvania statelegislature in favor of the funding legislation, said:

“If an elective republic is to endure for anygreat length of time, every elector musthave sufficient information . . . to directwisely the legislature, the ambassadors,and the executive of the nation. . . . [I]t isthe duty of government to see that themeans of information be diffused to everycitizen.”—Thaddeus Stevens, April 1835

Strong Civil Society Democracy is not possi-ble without a civil society, a complex network ofvoluntary associations, economic groups, religiousorganizations, and many other kinds of groupsthat exist independently of government. The Unit-ed States has thousands of such organizations—the Red Cross, the Humane Society, the Sierra

Club, the National Rifle Association, your localchurch and newspaper, labor unions, and businessgroups. These organizations give citizens a way tomake their views known to government officialsand the general public. They also give citizens ameans to take responsibility for protecting theirrights, and they give everyone a chance to learnabout democracy by participating in it.

A Social Consensus Democracy also pros-pers where most people accept democratic valuessuch as individual liberty and equality for all. Suchcountries are said to have a social consensus.There also must be general agreement about thepurpose and limits of government.

History shows that conditions in the Americancolonies favored the growth of democracy. Manyindividuals had an opportunity to get ahead eco-nomically. The American colonists were amongthe most educated people of the world at the time.Thomas Jefferson remarked that Americans

“. . . seem to have deposited the monarchialand taken up the republican governmentwith as much ease as . . . [they] wouldthrowing off an old and putting on a newsuit of clothes.”—Thomas Jefferson, 1776

The English heritage provided a consensus ofpolitical and social values. In time, the benefits ofdemocracy would extend to all Americans.


Cultural Pluralism How well are the will of the majority and the rights of minorities beingpreserved in the United States? Ask severalpeople their opinions. Come to class preparedto share your findings.

Checking for Understanding1. Main Idea In a graphic organizer similar to the

one below, show who rules the state in each ofAristotle’s three classifications of government.

2. Define autocracy, monarchy, oligarchy, democra-cy, republic, political party, free enterprise.

3. Identify “one person, one vote.”4. What characteristics of democracy distinguish it

from other forms of government?

Critical Thinking5. Distinguishing Fact from Opinion Suppose you

are assigned to interview the president of theRepublic of Mauritania. What questions wouldhelp you determine if democracy exists there?


Classification Ruler(s)

018-025 CH01S3-860053 12/1/04 1:23 AM Page 24

Background of the CaseRock concerts are regularly held in New York

City’s Central Park. Area residents had complainedof too much noise at some events. At other eventsaudiences said the sound was not loud enough. In1986 the city passed a regulation requiring groupsperforming in the park to use a sound system pro-vided and operated by the city.

Rock Against Racism, an anti-racist rock group,had sponsored annual concerts in Central Park andhad always provided their own sound equipmentand sound technician. Rock Against Racismcharged that the city regulation violated their rightsto free speech under the First Amendment. Thegroup won a lower federal court case. The SupremeCourt agreed to hear the case in 1989.

The Constitutional IssueMusic has long been considered a form of pro-

tected speech under the First Amendment. However,

the courts do allow governments to make regula-tions that may incidentally limit speech in an effortto accomplish a legitimate purpose of government.Thus, in several cases the Supreme Court had saidthat the governments can limit the time, place, andmanner of speech if the aim is not to censor thecontent of the speech but to help further such inter-ests as health and safety. To be constitutional, how-ever, such regulations must not be directed at thecontent of the speech.

Rock Against Racism argued that the regula-tion violated the First Amendment by giving city officials artistic control over performers in the park.The group claimed the regulation was not narrowlyfocused and gave city officials the chance to selectpoor equipment or to modify the sound if they did not like the message. The city responded that it had a legitimate purpose in protecting citizensfrom excessive noise and that its guidelines werefocused on controlling noise levels in a way thatwas fair to the audience, the performers, and citizens living nearby.

Questions to Consider1. Was the regulation a proper exercise of the

government’s power to maintain order, or was it a violation of the First Amendment?

2. If officials did not like the message in themusic, could they use the regulation to controlthe content?

You Be the JudgeThe courts have established that governments

may enforce regulations that incidentally limitspeech if the regulation serves a legitimate govern-ment interest. What was the city’s goal in drawingup the regulation? Was there another, less intrusiveway the city could have handled this issue?

Debating the CaseDebating the Case

The Constitution limits the power ofgovernment to restrict

free speech. At the same time, a legitimate purpose of government isto maintain public order, including protecting citizens from unwel-come and excessive noise. Does the First Amendment allow a city toregulate the sound level at rock concerts held in a public park? Thecase of Ward v. Rock Against Racism addressed this question. Students enjoying a

Central Park concert

Ward v. Rock AgainstRacism, 1989

CASES TO DEBATE

25

018-025 CH01S3-860053 12/1/04 1:23 AM Page 25

Selling advertising, providing a service orproduct to meet a demand, paying wagesand taxes—these are economic activities.Economics can be defined as the study of

human efforts to satisfy seemingly unlimited wantsthrough the use of limited resources. Resources in-clude natural materials such as land, water, miner-als, and trees. Resources also include such humanfactors as skills, knowledge, and physical capabili-ties. There are never enough resources to produceall the goods and services people could possiblywant. Therefore, people in every nation must de-cide how these resources are to be used. Govern-ments generally regulate this economic activity.

The Role of Economic SystemsGovernments around the world provide formany kinds of economic systems. All eco-

nomic systems, however, must make three majoreconomic decisions: (1) what and how muchshould be produced; (2) how goods and servicesshould be produced; and (3) who gets the goodsand services that are produced. Each major typeof economic system in the world—capitalism, so-cialism, and communism—answers these ques-tions differently.

CapitalismAt one end of the spectrum is an econom-ic system in which freedom of choice and

individual incentive for workers, investors, con-sumers, and business enterprises is emphasized.The government assumes that society will bebest served by any productive economic activitythat free individuals choose. This system is usu-ally referred to as free enterprise, or capitalism.Pure capitalism has five main characteristics:(1) private ownership and control of propertyand economic resources; (2) free enterprise; (3)competition among businesses; (4) freedom ofchoice; and (5) the possibility of profits.

Economic TheoriesS e c t i o n 4S e c t i o n 4


Reader’s Guide

Key Termseconomics, capitalism, free market, laissez-faire,socialism, bourgeoisie, proletariat, communism,command economy

Find Out■ In what three ways has the United States

modified its free enterprise system?■ According to Karl Marx, what was the ultimate

goal of true communism?

Understanding ConceptsFree Enterprise What features of the Americaneconomy provide incentive for people to achieveeconomic goals?

Teen EntrepreneursRICHLAND, WASHINGTON, AUGUST 17, 2000

Instead of yard

work this sum-

mer, Mark Michael,

Ryan Robinson, and

Charlie Cannon de-

cided to make big

money. They started their own dot-com travel compa-

ny and plan to earn $3 million in the next year.

Michael has been clipping Wall Street Journal sto-

ries about young entrepreneurs since the ninth grade.

“I’ve read them a million times,” he says. Cannon

searched the Web for travel-related sites. Robinson de-

signed the Web pages, and Michael called companies

to sell on-site ads. On July 1 they launched

bopLOP.com with over 2,100 links to travel-related

Web sites. “We are the only (search engine) that has

actually 100 percent travel,” Cannon says.

The bopLOP.com logo

026-033 CH01S4-860053 12/1/04 1:24 AM Page 26

Origins of Capitalism No one person invent-ed the idea of capitalism. It developed graduallyfrom the economic and political changes in me-dieval and early modern Europe over hundreds ofyears. Two important concepts laid the foundationfor the market system that is at the heart of capi-talism. First is the idea that people could work foreconomic gain. Second is the idea that wealthshould be used aggressively.

Major changes in the economic organizationof Europe began with the opening of trade routesto the East in the thirteenth century. As trade in-creased, people began to invest money to makeprofits. By the eighteenth century, Europe had na-tional states, a wealthy middle class familiar withmoney and markets, and a new attitude towardwork and wealth. Included in this new attitudewere the ideas of progress, invention, and the freemarket. The free market meant that buyers andsellers were free to make unlimited economic deci-sions in the marketplace.

In 1776 Adam Smith, a Scottish philosopherand economist, provided a philosophy for this newsystem. Smith described capitalism in his book TheWealth of Nations.1 From the writings of Smith

and others came the basic idea of laissez-faire eco-nomics. Laissez-faire, a French term, means “to letalone.” According to this philosophy, governmentshould keep its hands off the economy. In laissez-faire economics, the government’s role is strictlylimited to those few actions needed to ensure freecompetition in the marketplace.

In theory, what does a free-enterprise econo-my mean? In a free-enterprise or pure marketeconomy, economic decisions are made by buyers(consumers) and sellers (producers). Sellers ownbusinesses that produce goods or services. Buyerspay for those goods and services that they believebest fit their needs. Thus, the answer to the ques-tion of what to produce is determined in the mar-ketplace by the actions of buyers and sellers, ratherthan by the government.

Competition plays a key role in a free-enter-prise economy. Sellers compete with one anotherto produce goods and services at reasonableprices. Sellers also compete for resources. At thesame time, consumers compete with one anotherto buy what they want and need. These same con-sumers in their roles as workers try to sell theirskills and labor for the best wages or salaries theycan get.


Free Enterprise Teenspossess increased buyingpower and are a target audience for businesses.How does the free en-terprise system con-tribute to the idea ofindividual rights andfreedoms?

Tools of Capitalism

See the following footnoted materials in the Reference Handbook:1. The Wealth of Nations, page 807.

Adam Smith

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Free Enterprise in the United States Nonation in the world has a pure capitalist system.The United States, however, is a leading example ofa capitalist system in which the government plays arole. For the most part, the government’s maineconomic task has been to preserve the free mar-ket. The national government has always regulatedAmerican foreign trade, and it has always ownedsome property. Nevertheless, the government hastried to encourage business competition and pri-vate property ownership.

Governmental Influence Since the early1900s, however, the national government’s influ-ence on the economy of the United States has in-creased in several ways. First, as the nation’sgovernment has grown, it has become the singlelargest buyer of goods and services in the country.Second, since the early 1900s, the United Statesgovernment has increasingly regulated the econo-my for various purposes. The Meat Inspection Actand Pure Food and Drug Act were early attemptsby government to protect the consumer. Sincethen, many laws have been passed giving the gov-ernment a role in such areas as labor-managementrelations, the regulation of environmental pollu-tion, and control over many banking and invest-ment practices.

Third, the Great Depression of the 1930s leftmillions of Americans without jobs. The nationalgovernment set up the Social Security system, pro-grams to aid the unemployed, and a variety of socialprograms. In addition, the government began to setup public corporations like the Tennessee Valley Au-thority that competed directly with private compa-nies to provide services such as electricity.

Mixed-Market Economy Today the Ameri-can economy and others like it are described byeconomists as mixed-market economies. Amixed-market economy is an economy in whichfree enterprise is combined with and supported bygovernment decisions in the marketplace. Govern-ment keeps competition free and fair and protectsthe public interest.

Even though it is a mixed-market economy,the American economic system is rooted deeply inthe idea of individual initiative—that each personknows what is best for himself or herself. Further,it respects the right of all persons to own private

property. Finally, it recognizes that freedom tomake economic choices is a part of the freedom ofpolitical choice.

SocialismUnder the second type of economic sys-tem—socialism—the government owns the

basic means of production, determines the use of re-sources, distributes the products and wages, andprovides social services such as education, healthcare, and welfare. Socialism has three main goals: (1)the distribution of wealth and economic opportuni-ty equally among people; (2) society’s control,through its government, of all major decisions aboutproduction; and (3) public ownership of most land,of factories, and of other means of production.

The basic ideas behind modern socialism beganto develop in the nineteenth century. Industrializa-tion in Europe caused several problems. A class oflow-paid workers lived in terrible poverty, slumsgrew in cities, and working conditions were miser-able. In reaction to these problems, some socialistsrejected capitalism and favored violent revolution.Others planned and built socialist communitieswhere laborers were supposed to share equally inthe benefits of industrial production.

Democratic Socialism The socialists whobelieved in peaceful changes wanted to work with-in the democratic political system to improve eco-nomic conditions, under a system calleddemocratic socialism. Under this system the peo-ple have basic human rights and have some controlover government officials through free electionsand multiparty systems. However, the governmentowns the basic means of production and makesmost economic decisions.

Tanzania, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden todayoperate under a form of democratic socialism. Thegovernment controls steel mills, shipyards, railroads,and airlines. It also provides services such as healthand medical care.

Opponents of socialism say that it stifles indi-vidual initiative. They also claim that socialist na-tions’ high tax rates hinder economic growth.Further, some people argue that, because socialismrequires increased governmental regulation, ithelps create big government and thus may lead todictatorship.


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CommunismKarl Marx (1818–1883), a German thinkerand writer, was a socialist who advocated vi-

olent revolution. After studying the conditions ofhis time, he concluded that the capitalist systemwould collapse. He first published his ideas in 1848in a pamphlet called The Communist Manifesto. Helater expanded his ideas in his book called DasKapital (1867). Marx believed that in industrial-ized nations the population is divided into capital-ists, or the bourgeoisie who own the means ofproduction, and workers, or the proletariat, whowork to produce the goods. Capitalists are a rulingclass because they use their economic power toforce their will on the workers. The workers, Marxargued, do not receive full compensation for theirlabor because the owners keep the profits from thegoods the workers make. Marx believed that wagesin a capitalist system would never rise above a sub-sistence level—just enough for workers to survive.

Class Struggles Marx interpreted all humanhistory as a class struggle between the workers andthe owners of the means of production. FriedrichEngels, a close associate of Marx, wrote:

“Former society, moving in class antago-nisms, had need of a state, that is, an orga-nization of the exploiting class at eachperiod for the maintenance of externalconditions of production: . . . for theforcible holding down of the exploited classin the conditions of oppression.”—Friedrich Engels

Marx predicted that, as time passed, a smallerand smaller group of capitalists would control allmeans of production and, hence, all wealth. Even-tually the workers would rise in violent revolutionand overthrow the capitalists. The goal of this rev-olution was government ownership of the meansof production and distribution.


Comparative Government This painting, The Cultivation of Cotton by Aleksandr Volkov, isa propaganda piece exalting workers and the virtues of hard work. Analyze the messagethis painting is supposed to send to citizens laboring under a Communist government.

Glorification of the Proletariat

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Karl Marx first called his own ideas “scientificsocialism.” He believed that in time, socialismwould develop into full communism. Under com-munism one class would evolve, property wouldall be held in common, and there would be noneed for government.

In The Communist Manifesto, KarlMarx not only wrote that economicevents would finally lead to com-munism by means of revolution,but in fact encouraged it:

“In short, Communistseverywhere supportevery revolutionarymovement against theexisting social and politi-cal order of things. . . . Letthe ruling class tremble atthe Communist revolution.The proletarians have nothingto lose but their chains. Workingmen of all countries, unite! ”—Karl Marx, 1848

Communism as a Command EconomyIn Communist nations, government planners decide how much to produce, what to produce,and how to distribute the goods and services pro-duced. This system is called a command economybecause decisions are made at the upper levels ofgovernment and handed down to managers. In

Communist countries this means that the stateowns the land, natural resources, industry, banks,and transportation facilities. The state also con-trols mass communication including newspapers,magazines, television, radio, and motion picture

production.Many nations have developed

their own styles of communism. Theeconomy is a full-time responsibili-

ty of the People’s Republic ofChina, for example. Governmentplanners adopted a five-yearplan that agreed with the goalsof the Communist Party. Theplan specified, for example, howmany new housing units wouldbe produced over the next five

years. It also dictated where thishousing would be built, what

kinds of materials would be used,who would be eligible to live in the

new housing, and how much rent theywould pay. Such planning removedeconomic freedom from individual

builders, but also political freedom from con-sumers who were told where to live.

Because Communist countries sometimes failto provide adequate standards of living, these governments have had to choose between changeand revolt by the people. China has begun toloosen its controls and decentralize some businessdecisions.

Sect ion 4 Re v iewSect ion 4 Re v iew

Karl Marx


Free Enterprise Competition is an importantfactor in the United States economy. Find advertisements in newspapers that illustratevarious kinds of competition. Display theseads on a bulletin board. Should the govern-ment regulate prices? Why or why not?

Checking for Understanding1. Main Idea In a

graphic organizer similar to the one at the right, identify three functions of economic systems.

2. Define economics, capitalism, free market, laissez-faire, socialism, bourgeoisie, proletariat,communism, command economy.

3. Identify Adam Smith, Karl Marx.4. What did Marx believe would happen in a true

communist economy?

Critical Thinking5. Making Inferences What ideas presented by

Karl Marx appealed to people in nations wherewealth was unevenly distributed?


EconomicSystems

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31

Identifying Central Issues

Identifying central issues is finding thekey themes, or major ideas, in a bodyof information. Central issues are the

framework that holds a body of infor-mation together.

Learning the Skill

To identify a central issue:1. Find out the setting and purpose

of the selection.2. Skim the material to identify its

general subject.3. Read the information to pinpoint

the ideas that the details support.4. Identify the central issue. Ask: What part of

the material conveys the main idea?

Read the following excerpt from a speech by Pericles honoring the soldiers of Athens.

“Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people. When itis a question of settling private disputes,everyone is equal before the law, when it isa question of putting one person before an-other in positions of public responsibility,what counts is not membership of a par-ticular class, but the actual ability whichthe man possesses. . . . And, just as our po-litical life is free and open, so is our day-to-day life in our relations with each other.”—Thucydides, from The History of

the Peloponnesian Wars, 400s B.C.

Pericles emphasizes equality before the law,ability as the basis of public service, and free-dom. The central issue: Athens is a democracy.

Practicing the Skill

Aristotle, a philosopher fromAthens, wrote about government inPolitics. Read the excerpt from Politics

below and answer the questions thatfollow.

“The basis of a democratic state isliberty; which, according to the com-mon opinion of men, can only beenjoyed in such a state:—this theyaffirm to be the great end of everydemocracy. One principle of liberty

is for all to rule and be ruled in turn . . .whence it follows that the majority must besupreme, and that whatever the majority ap-prove must be the end and the just. Every cit-izen, it is said, must have equality, andtherefore in a democracy the poor have morepower than the rich, because there are moreof them.” —Aristotle

1. According to Aristotle, which group holds themost power in a democracy?

2. Summarize the central issue in one sentence.

Aristotle (384–322 B.C.)

Application ActivityApplication Activity

The Glencoe SkillbuilderInteractive Workbook, Level 2provides instruction and practicein key social studies skills.

Bring to class a news article that dealswith some governmental issue. Identify thecentral issue and explain why it is important.

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• Maintain social order• Provide public services• Provide national security• Make economic decisions

Purposes of Government

• Individual liberty• Majority rule with minority rights• Free elections• Competing political parties

Characteristics of Democracy

• Unitary System—National or central government holds allkey powers

• Federal System—Power is divided between the nationalgovernment and state or provincial governments

Government Systems

• Capitalism—Emphasis on freedom of choice and individual incentive

• Socialism—Government owns means of production,decides how to use resources, and distributes wealth equally among people

• Communism—No social classes; all property is held incommon; government is unnecessary

Economic Theories

Reviewing Key TermsInsert the terms below into the following paragraphto describe the nature of government and differingpolitical and economic systems. Each term shouldbe used only once.

constitution, sovereignty, democracy, communism, autocracy, capitalism, state, free market, republic, command economy

Every (1) has a form of government that has (2)within its territorial boundaries. A (3) is a govern-ment of and by the people that may have a (4) that

protects the rights of the people—unlike an (5)that concentrates power in the hands of one per-son. The United States is a (6) with elected repre-sentation. It has a mixed economy based on (7).The (8) allows buyers and sellers to make econom-ic decisions about what to produce, how much to produce, and who gets the goods and servicesproduced. In contrast, under (9), the People’s Re-public of China and other states have operated a(10) with government planning.

Recalling Facts1. Why did the thirteen British colonies in

America become known as “states”?2. What system of government divides power

among different levels rather than giving allpower to a central government?

3. Describe three kinds of nonstate groups thatinfluence national politics.

4. How is a direct democracy different from arepresentative democracy?

5. What is the role of government in a laissez-faire economic system?

Assessment and ActivitiesChapter 1Chapter 1

Self-Check Quiz Visit the United States Government:Democracy in Action Web site at gov.glencoe.com andclick on Chapter 1–Self-Check Quizzes to prepare forthe chapter test.

GOVERNMENT

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UnderstandingConcepts

1. Public Policy List the majoradvantages of living under aconstitutional government.

2. Global Perspectives Which ofthe following ideas do youperceive to be the mostpowerful force in the worldtoday: communism, social-ism, or capitalism? Explain.

Critical Thinking1. Understanding Cause and

Effect Why is widespread educational opportunity nec-essary for a nation to devel-op a democratic system?

2. Making Comparisons In aVenn diagram like the onebelow, show how capitalism,democratic socialism, andcommunism are alike anddifferent.

Analyzing Primary SourcesThe Declaration of Independence is not part of the U.S. Constitution and is not considered a legaldocument upon which the government of the UnitedStates is based. It did, however, did put into simpleterms the reasons why the original 13 colonieswere seeking to form their own nation. Read theexcerpt and answer the questions that follow.

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men arecreated equal, that they are endowed by their Creatorwith certain unalienable Rights, that among these areLife, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. . . .That whenever any Form of Government becomesdestructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People toalter or abolish it, and to institute new Government . . .as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

1. How does the Declaration of Independenceecho the ideas of John Locke?

2. Why do you think the Founders did not includethe Declaration of Independence within theconstitutional plans for the new federal government?

Participating in Local GovernmentConstitutions provide a plan fororganizing and operating govern-ments. What plan provides therules for your local government? Doesyour local government operate under aconstitution? Contact a local government official tofind out about the basic plan of your city or town.Where did it originate? Present your findings in adiagram to share with the class.

Chapter 1Chapter 1


Interpreting Political Cartoons Activity

1. What is the subject of the painting in the cartoon?2. According to the painting, who were the Founders of

the United States?3. What message is the cartoonist trying to communicate?4. Do you think women influenced the creation of the

United States government? Why or why not?

“Founding Fathers! How come no Founding Mothers?”

CommunismCapitalismDemo-cratic

Socialism

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