PGC PRINCIPLES Purpose and Necessity of Government We are members of a bigger family – the society.
It will be impossible to enjoy life in peace and safety without a government to keep order. Government protects lives and property, sets up and enforces rules, settles disputes, & advances the physical, economic, social, & cultural well-being of the people. Without government no one to administer the affairs of society for common good. Disorder, violence, & insecurity will prevail & values (truth, freedom, justice, equality, human dignity) taken for granted cannot be enjoyed.Concepts of State, Government, Nation State – a community of persons permanently occupying a definite portion of territory, having a government of their own to which they render obedience, and enjoying freedom from external or outside control 4 Essential Elements People - inhabitants living within the state Territory - includes not only the land, but also the rivers, lakes, sea, air space Government - Agency, through which the will of state is formulated, expressed & carried out.Sovereignty - supreme power of the state to command & enforce obedience from its people as well as to have freedom from external control Manifestations of Sovereignty Internal - freedom to rule within its territory External - freedom to carry out its activities without control by other states - Sometimes referred to as independence Differences between State and Government State - permanent Government - temporary State - cannot exist without a government State - an ideal person (legal / judicial)Government - an instrumentality of sovereign political unity Nation - a community of persons bound together by common characteristics: race / origin, language, religion, customs & traditions, & believe they are one & distinct from others.
Differences between State and Nation State - a political concept Nation - an ethnic concept State - independent Nation - may or may not be independent State - may consist of one or more nations Nation - may be made up of several statesState - presupposes the existence of government & territory Nation - existence of government & territory is not essential State Recognition State Recognition - an act which grants to a state international status Family of Nations - organization of European states United States of America – 1st non-European admitted to Family of Nations Turkey - 1st non-Christian state admitted to Family of Nations (United Nations) Methods of State Recognition Formal - involves the proclamation or granting of exequatur Informal - sending of diplomatic representativesIndividual - recognition by one state Collective – recognition by a group of states State Recognition for a state is a matter of privilege A state must possess all the qualifications set by the recognizing organization to be recognized Rights of a State Exist as a sovereign political unity Independence – manage internal & external affairs without the control of other states State Intervention – limits right of state independence Equality Property & domain Establish international relations JurisdictionTheories of States Divine right theory - state a divine creation Necessity or force - created through force Contract (social & Political) - compact among the people to form a society & government - justifies the right of the people to revolt against a bad ruler Paternalistic - family as an expansion of the family which grew into a clan, then a tribe, which broadened into a nation, until became a state Instinctive - state a product of man’s instinct of gregariousness Economic - to meet multifarious needs of manHistorical or Evolutionary - state is a product of a long period of historical growth & political development with a crude beginning made perfect through the ages Forms of Government 1. As to number of persons exercising sovereign powers a. Monarchy – rule of one person Absolute - ruler rules as he pleases Limited - ruler is limited by existing law of the state b. Aristocracy or Oligarchy - rule of the privileged few Democracy - rule of the many Direct or pure - people rule themselves directly Indirect or Representative – people are governed by representatives 2.
Extent of powers exercised by central or national government a. Unitary - one political organ controlling national & local affairs b. Federal - powers exercised by two sets of organ, one for national affairs & the other for local affairs, each organ being supreme in its own sphere. Relationship between the executive and legislative branches of government a. Presidential - Cabinet responsibility is towards the President alone b. Parliamentary – Cabinet responsibility is towards the Prime Minister and the Parliament
