INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF GOVERNMENT

Prepared by: ROHANIYA DALANDA

The study of government is as important as the study of history .

Three reasons why we should our government 1st,it would make us better citizens of our republic. The second reason is because we are the government .

We choose by means of elections our national and local officials.

Finally, we should study our government because it is our duty to do so.Nobody can love the Filipino better than the Filipinos themselves said former President Jose P. Laurel.

The Philippines= is a state and the government and people are only a part of that state.

State= is a group, living in a definite territory, having a government of their own, and enjoying independent from other countries.

4 elements of state 1. People=is the most important element of a state. 2. Territory=is the second essential element of a state. 3. Government=is defined as the social organization through which the state carries out its will. It came from the latin word gubernaculum, which means ruder.

A ruder=is a flat piece of wood or metal attached to the stern back of a ship in order to guide the ship of state.
4. Independence or sovereignty=is the fourth element of a state. Sovereignty=is the supreme power of the state to enforce its will upon its citizens through laws.

Origin of the state Several theories about the origin of the state: -Devine theory -Social contract theory -Force theory
Devine theory is the oldest theory on how states originated.

Social contract theory became the most important political theory 17th and 18th centuries, replacing the devine theory. Force theory- says that countries come and go because of force or domination by different rulers. Forms of government according to a greek philosopher named Aristotle ( 384- 322 B.C). this forms of government are as follows: Monarchy, or rule by one person, Aristocracy, or rule by a few persons, Democracy, or rule by the majority ( most ) of the the people.

We shall look at tree more types of government, namely:

=Constitutional monarchy.

=Dictatorships, authoritarian or totalitarian governments. =Modern democracies which may be either a presidential or a parliamentary government.

A constitutional monarchy is ruled by a monarch ( king or queen ) whos powers are limited and not absolute. The monarch is checked by other government officials and by the rights of people.

Dictatorships, authoritarian and totalitarian governments are states where a person or a group of persons have imposed their will on the people by force. A democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Presidential and Parliamentary governments. Both presidential and parliamentary governments are two different forms of governments in modern democracies. A presidential government is based on the practice of separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The president is independent of the legislative or law making body.

A parliamentary government is one where the executive and legislative branches are merged and united. Under the 1973 constitution, the Philippines was supposed to have a parliamentary government. President Marcos imposed a mixed presidential- parliamentary form of government, which in reality was an authoritarian rule by one month.

Democracy or communism. According to the 1935 constitution, the Philippines is a republican state and a democracy ( preamble and article II section 1). Democracy has the following advantages or merits: Democracy encourages all citizens to take an interest in how a government is chosen in how it operates. It gives people a sense of civic responsibility by making them realize that the success or failure of the government defends on them. In a democracy, the voice of the people is the voice of God. ( vox populi, vox deix). It reduces the danger of violent revolution or military takeover because the people can make changes by peaceful election or by constitutional amendments.

Democracy also has its disadvantages on faults: among of this are as follows: Democracy is slow, fickle and extravagant. Corrupt and dishonest officials maybe elected to power because the masses barter their ballots for money or promises by unscrupulous politicians. Democracy may lead to the rule of the mob or rule of the ignorant.

Communism - is the very opposite of the democracy. The best form of government. Philosophers and political scientists who study the state have often discussed what is the best form of government. In practice, if may be said that the best type of government is the one which can best provide for the many needs and interests of the people in that society, according to their customs and traditions.