"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty toourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
·
What are the purposes of government?
o
Order to form a more perfect Union
§ To
make a Union better than at the time it was formed.
o
To Establish Justice and Insure Domestic
Tranquility
o
To Provide for the Common Defense
o
To Promote the General Welfare
o
To Secure the Blessings of Liberty
·
How does the government establish
justice and insure domestic tranquility?
o
Government manages conflict and
maintains order. We might think of government as a social contract among people who agree to allow themselves to be
regulated and taxed in exchange for protection of their lives and property.
·
What is a social contract?
o
Idea that government originates as an
implied contract among individuals who agree to obey laws in exchange for
protection of their rights.
o
We follow their rules in order to
receive their protection.
·
How does the government provide for the
common defense?
o
By providing warfare. The National
defense will always be the responsibility of the United States Government. By
providing the military.
·
How does the government promote the
general Welfare?
o
By providing public goods. Such as
National Parks, educations, SS, Medicare, and highways.
·
Rights versus Entitlements. What is the
difference between a right and an entitlement?
o
Rights- limits on government power to
protect individuals
o
Entitlements- benefits that governments
have enacted for persons who meet specific requirements.
·
How does the government secure the
Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity?
o
By ensuring that all people are treated
equally before the law. No one is above the law.
·
What is the definition of democracy?
o
Governing system in which the people
govern themselves, from the Greek term meaning “rule by the many.”
·
What is the paradox of democracy?
o
Potential for conflict between
individual freedom and majority rule.
·
How do we resolve the conflict between
majority rule and individual liberty?
o
By establishing the principle of limited
government.
·
In The Federalist Papers in 1787, James
Madison warned against a direct democracy: “Pure democracy…can admit of no cure
for the mischiefs of faction…There is nothing to check the inducements to sacrifice
the weaker party, or an obnoxious individual (Dye, 12).”
·
What is the principle of Limited
Government that the founders set up in the Constitution and the Bill of rights?
o
Limited government: Principle that
government power over the individual is limited, that there are some personal
liberties that even a majority cannot regulate, and that government itself is
restrained by law.
Understanding our government is something we must take a look at one piece at a time. It is easier to pick apart little piece at a time than trying to understand everything all at once. These questions help us with that.
good, I'm glad to hear that the questions help you. There is SO much to learn, and we won't get to very much considering how much there is to learn, but hopefully during this class you will find some focus in politics and get involved.
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