What is the purpose of Government?

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What is the purpose of Government?

• 1st lecture US History and Government

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What were the goals of these characters
governments?
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Comments
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So.what purpose do you think government serves?
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Functioning governments provide three things

1. Maintain order
2. Provide public goods
3. Protect property

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Function of Government I Maintain Order

• John Locke a political theorist argues that
  government is created to escape the state of
  nature (a time of no order where neighbor fights
  neighbor for life, liberty and property).
• As a result, crops are not planted, science is
  not developed, trade does not occur

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Function of Government II Develop Public Goods

• What are public goods?
• Pick a public good and in your group figure out
  how it should be paid for?

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Function of Government II Develop Public Goods

• Problem the free rider
• How do we make people pay for facilities (roads,
  parks, schools) that are available to everyone
  but still have to be paid for?
• Solution Government

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Function of Government III Protect Property

• How do we know who owns what?
• More important than it sounds why maintain a
  home if it can be taken away? Why create a
  business that can be shut down at any time?
• Government creates rules (sometimes elaborate) to
  protect who owns what

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HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1

• Purpose of Government News Clippings
• Due September 11 and 14