Basic Concepts of Government

Don Emmanuel L. Nolasco

Instructor
Polytechnic University of the Philiipines

Politics and Governace with PC

Outline
I.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Definition (Basic Concepts)

Government vs. Governance
Separation of Powers
Check and Balances
Constitution
Executive
Legislative
Judiciary

Politics and Governace with PC

Outline
II. Significance/Functions of Government
III. Forms of Government
Forms of Government
c.1 According to the number of rulers
c.1.1 Government by one person
Monarchy and its Kinds
(Constitutional/Absolute)
c.1.2Dictatorship
Totalitarian/Authoritarian
c.2 Government by the few
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
c.3 Government by Many
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d. Democracy and its Characteristics

Classification of Government According to Its
Structure
d.1 Unitary
d.2 Federal
e. Classification of Government According to
the Relationship between Executive and
Legislative Branch
e.1 Presidential
e.2 Parliamentary
f. Government by Ideology
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Government
Is an agency through which the will of the

state is formulated, expressed and realized.

It is an organization that can be viewed:
1. Territorially: national/regional/local
2. Functionally: to what purposed they exist?
. The formal and institutional processes that

operate at the national level to maintain

public order and facilitate collective action
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Government vs. Governance

Governance is a broader term than government, it
refers to the various ways thorugh which social life
is coordinated.
To distinguish the termgovernancefrom
government: "governance" is the concrete activity
that reproduces a formal or informal organization. If
the organization is a formal one, governance is
primarily about what the relevant "governing body"
does. If the organization is an informal one, such as
a market, governance is primarily about the rules
and norms that guide the relevant activity.
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Separation of Powers
Coupled with theory of check and balances
Belongs to the functional aspect of a

government
It signifies that government should have
three branches (legislative/executive and
judiciary.
Three separate organs of government with
separate functions and powers.
Co-equal and independent
Power should be check to a power.
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Originally suggested by
Aristotle in his treatise
onPolitics, and later on
recognized by Marsiglio of
Padua, Cromwell, Locke and
Montesquieu,the doctrine of
separation enunciates the
idea of grouping the powers
of government into three
classes and of their
apportionment among three
coordinate departments,
separate from and
independent of each other.
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Check and Balances

The system of check and balances supplements

the system of separation of powers/

The purpose is to safeguard the liberty of the
individual.
Powers each branch has that allows them to

check up on the other branches

Prevents branches from abusing their powers
Preserves the separation of powers
Requires cooperation between the branches
of government
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12

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Constitution
A body of rules and regulations. Written or

unwritten, whereby government is organize

and its functions.
Embodies principles specifying relationship
between the individuals and the state.
A collection of principles according to which
the powers of the government, the rights of
the governed and the relations between
the two are adjusted.
The fundamental law of the land.
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The Executive
Theexecutiveis the
part
ofgovernmentthat
has
soleauthorityandre
sponsibilityfor the
daily administration
of the country.The
executive branch
executes or enforces
the law.

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The Legislative
Alegislatureis a decision-

makingorganization, usually
associated with
nationalgovernment, that has
the power to enact, amend
and repeallaws.Legislatures
observe and steer governing
actions and usually have
exclusive authority to amend
thebudgetor budgets
involved in the process. The
most common names for
national legislatures are
"parliament" and "congress",
although these terms have
more specific meanings.
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The Judiciary

Thejudiciary is the system

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ofcourtsthat interprets and

applies thelawin the name of
thestate. The judiciary also
provides a mechanism for
theresolution of disputes. Under
the doctrine of theseparation of
powers, the judiciary generally
does not make law (that is, in a
plenary fashion, which is the
responsibility of the legislature) or
enforce law (which is the
responsibility of the executive),
but rather interprets law and
applies it to the facts of each case.
This branch of the state is often
tasked with ensuringequal justice
under law. It usually consists of a
court of final appeal (called the
"Supreme court" or "Constitutional
court"), together with lower courts.
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Significance/Functions of
Government
Foreign Affairs
Military Defense
Maintenance of

Domestic Order
Administration of
Justice
Provision for a
regular and fair
elections

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Provision for public goods and

services

Promotion of economic growth

and development

Poverty alleviation

Social Justice

Protection of individual rights

Characteristics
Hereditary
Religion
Long Life Rule

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Forms of Government
Monarchy
A. Tribal Kinship
Based on bloodline
B. Divine Rights of King/Divine Right Theory
King acts as a priest because tribal kinship is connected with
sacral function
20th Century(WW1&WW2)
Abolished monarchy and became republics
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Classification of Monarchy
Absolute
Monarchy
a. the leader has an
absolute power
b. unlimited power

Constitutional Monarchy
a.

a form of government in which

the monarch acts as the head of
the state

b.

there are guidelines, rules and

principles in making laws.

c.

c. dictatorial type of
government

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In parliamentary system where

the monarch is the ceremonial head
of the state while the head of the
government is almost always a
member of the legislature.