Outline of government

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to government:

Government – system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.

In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a means by which organizational policies are enforced, as well as a mechanism for determining policy. In many countries, the government has a kind of constitution, a statement of its governing principles and philosophy.

While all types of organizations have governance, the term government is often used more specifically to refer to the approximately 200 independent national governments and subsidiary organizations.

What is government?
Government - is a general term which can be used to refer to public bodies organizing the political life of the society. Government can also refer to the collective head of the executive branch of power in a polity.

Public policies - Legislative power -
 * Public taxation
 * Public defense
 * Public education
 * Public transportation
 * Healthcare
 * Environment
 * Civil rights
 * Working conditions

Executive power -

Judicial power -

Constitution -

The State
Five characteristics of a state
 * Population
 * Territory
 * Sovereignty
 * Government
 * Permanence

Major Political Ideas
Evolutionary Theory -

Social Contract Theory -

Divine Theory -

Meritocracy -

The Purpose of Government
Form a More Perfect Union -

Establish Justice -

Insure Domestic Tranquility -

Provide for the Common Defense -

Promote the General Welfare -

Secure the Blessings of Liberty -

History of government
History of government

Basic concepts of Government
Ordered government

Limited government

Representative government

Landmark English Documents
Magna Carta

Petition of Right

English Bill of Rights

English Colonies
Charter

Royal Colonies - New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia Proprietary colonies - Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware Charter colonies - Connecticut and Rhode Island
 * Council
 * Bicameralism
 * Unicameralism

The Coming of Independence
New England Confederation

Albany Plan of Union

Delegate

Boycott

Repeal

Popular sovereignty

Declaration of Independence

Critical Period
Articles of Confederation

Ratification

Presiding Officer

Creating and Ratifying the Constitution
Framers of the Constitution -

Virginia Plan -

New Jersey Plan -

Connecticut Compromise -

Three-Fifths Compromise -

Slave Trade Compromise -

Federalists -

Anti-Federalists -

Quorum -

Who Can Participate
Democracy -

Dictatorship -
 * Autocracy -
 * Oligarchy -

Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary government -

Federal government -

Confederate government (Confederation) -

Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Powers
Presidential government -

Parliamentary government -

Foundations
Popular sovereignty Limited government Human equality

Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
Free enterprise system -

Law of supply and demand -

Mixed economy -

Six Basic Principles
Preamble

Articles

Basic Principles
Popular Sovereignty

Limited Government Separation of powers
 * Constitutionalism
 * Rule of law

Checks and balances Judicial review Federalism
 * Veto
 * Unconstitutional

Legislature
Chambers Unicameralism Multicameralism Bicameralism Tricameralism Tetracameralism

Upper house (Senate) Lower house Parliament Parliamentary system Parliamentary group Member of Parliament International parliament Parliamentary procedure Committee Quorum Motion (no-confidence) Types Congress (Member of Congress) City council (Councillor) The Estates

Legislator -

Committee member -

Trustee -

Delegate -

Partisan -

Politico -

Senator -

Money