Origins of Government

Origins of Government

Where Did Politics Come From?

■ Many have asked this same question.

Aristotle himself (the first student of
government) had many thoughts about
this.

■ Of all of the ideas four stand out

■ Evolutionary Theory

■ Force Theory

■ Divine Right Theory

■ Social Contract theory

Evolutionary Theory

(P.8)

■ Some scholars believe government

evolved out of the family

■ The head of the primitive family was the

authority and served as a government.

■ Similarly to a King.

■ From there an extended family could have

included hundreds of people.

Force Theory

(P.8)

■ Most will not admit it, but it seems that it’s

human nature to fight and control others
not like us or for resources we don’t have.

■ It’s through this that some scholars

believe that government was born of force

■ When all the people of a area were

brought under control of one person or
group, government was born.

Multiple Choice

This theory believes that government should evolve out of family control of a nation state in which it typically resembles a monarchy.

• Evolutionary Theory

• Force Theory

• Divine Right Theory

• Social Contract Theory

Multiple Choice

This theory focuses on human nature and peoples desires to control others, by way of force.

• Force Theory

• Evolutionary Theory

• Divine Right Theory

• Social Contract Theory

Divine Right Theory

(P.8)

■ In many of the earliest civilizations the

people believed that their rulers were
chosen by God or the Gods.

■ Depending on the civilization the ruler may

be descended from the gods or a god
himself or herself

Social Contract Theory

(P.8)

■ Originally developed

by Thomas Hobbs.

■ Wrote “In a state of

nature no government
existed and without
authority to protect
people from one
another, life was
cruel, brutish and
short”.

Thomas Hobbs

Social Contract Theory Cont.

■ Hobbs also wrote that by

contract people
surrendered to the state
the power needed to
maintain order.

■ The state in turn agreed

to protect its citizens

■ Hobbs believed that the

citizens could not break
this contract.

Multiple Choice

This theory involves an agreement between the people and the government in which the people surrender their rights and power to a government, in exchange for protection and stability.

• Social Contract Theory

• Divine Right Theory

• Evolutionary Theory

• Force Theory

Locke & Social Contract Theory

■ John Locke took this

theory a step farther

■ Locke wrote that people

had the right to “life,
liberty and property.”

■ To preserve these rights

the people looked to
government

John Locke

Locke & Social Contract Theory

Cont.

■ Should the government

not preserve those rights
the people could simply
“break the contract”

■ About a century later the

American colonies
declared their
independence supported
by Locke’s political
philosophy.

Poll

Which theory, of the theories mentioned below, do you feel best explains how government was developed over time?

• Force Theory

• Divine Right Theory

• Social Contract Theory

• Evolutionary Theory

Quick Check #1

What are the four theories of government? Who developed Social Contract Theory? What is Social Contract Theory? What addition did John Locke make to Social Contract Theory?

Special Features

(P.6-7)

■ Every state regardless of where it came

from shares four essential features.

■ Population: The state needs people to govern

■ Territory: The has established boundaries that

the rest of the world recognizes for the most
part.

■ Sovereignty: The state needs a leader of

some type, that has absolute authority.

■ Government: Some way to maintain social

order and provide public services.

Nation, State or Both

(P.6)

■ Nation: any sizeable group of people united by

common bonds of race, language, custom,
tradition and sometimes religion

■ State: identifies a political community that

occupies a definite territory and has an
organized government with the authority to
enforce the law of the land.

■ Nation-State: Situations at which the nation and

the state overlap.

So What does Government do?

(P.9-11)

■ There are four major features

■ Maintain social order

■ Provide public services

■ Provide National Security and a common

defense

■ Make Economic Decisions

Multiple Select

Select all that apply: What are the major features of government?

• Maintain Social Order

• Provide public services

• Provide National security and defense

• Make economic decisions

• Provide a legal tax code for citizens

Maintain Social Order

■ Without government, civilized life would

not be possible

■ Government controls and contains conflict

between people by placing limits on what
people can and cannot do (IE Laws).

Poll

Do you believe that government is required in order to create and maintain social order?

• Yes

• No

• Maybe

Provide Public Services

■ Simply provide service that make

community life possible.

■ Governments (Local, State and Federal)

generally undertake projects such as Road
Construction or Sewer Systems

■ Governments also enforce building and

public safety laws to protect its citizens

Provide National Security

■ The government must protect its citizens

from internal and external attack.

■ The Government also maintains normal

relations with other nations.

Poll

Regarding the significance of public services and national security, which do you feel is the most important for any government to prioritize?

• Provide Public Services

• Provide National Security

Make Economic Decisions

■ No country

provides
EVERYTHING its
population needs
and/or desires.
■ They do pass laws that

help to shape the
economy

■ Minor: Establish a

currency

■ Major: Control every

individuals economic
decisions.

Quick Check #2

What are the four special features of government? What is the difference between a nation and state? What are the four major features of government? Of the four major features of government, which three do you feel are the most significant?