Section 1 Introduction-1

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Section 1 Introduction-1
Democratic Governments

• Key Terms
• consolidated democracies, parliamentary
  government, life peers, presidential government,
  apartheid, sanctions

Find Out
What are the forms that democratic governments
take today?
What are the challenges for democracy in
Western Europe and Japan?
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Section 1 Introduction-2
Democratic Governments

• Understanding Concepts
• Comparative Government How does parliamentary
  government differ from presidential government?

Section Objective
Compare parliamentary government and presidential
government.
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Section 1-1

• Margaret Thatcher was prime minister of Great
  Britain from 1979 until 1990. Thatcher made
  sweeping reforms in the economy, such as the
  privatization of many of Britains state-owned
  businesses and industries, effectively ending
  major socialist policies of previous Labor
  governments. She also strengthened British and
  U.S. ties, which helped spur the collapse of
  communism in Eastern Europe.

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Section 1-2
I. Parliamentary Systems (pages 689691)

• A. One form of democratic government is
  parliamentary government, which combines
  executive and legislative functions in an elected
  assembly.

B. In Great Britain, Parliament holds almost all
governmental authority. C. The leader of the
majority party in the House of Commons becomes
the prime minister. D. Other ministers head
executive departments and serve as Cabinet
members.
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Section 1-3
I. Parliamentary Systems (pages 689691)

• E. Japans parliament, the National Diet, has two
  houses. The House of Representatives elects the
  prime minister.

F. If the parliament votes no confidence, the
prime minister may dissolve the House and call
for elections.
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Section 1-4
I. Parliamentary Systems (pages 689691)
Of the parliamentary governments discussed, which
one would you consider most democratic? Explain.
Answers will vary. Before answering, have
students define democracy.
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Section 1-5
II. Presidential Government (pages 691692)

• A. Another way to organize a democracy is by
  presidential government, which separates
  executive and legislative powers.

B. The president of France
1) negotiates treaties 2) appoints high
officials 3) acts as chair in high councils of
the armed forces 4) may dissolve the National
Assembly and call for elections.
C. The President appoints the premier, who
appoints the ministers and maintains contact with
the National Assembly.
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Section 1-6
II. Presidential Government (pages 691692)
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Section 1-7
II. Presidential Government (pages 691692)
Do you think the different branches of the French
government have enough checks and balances?
Answers will vary. Point out the special powers
of the French president.
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Section 1-8
III. Emerging Democracies (pages 692694)

• A. Poland was the first eastern European nation
  to overthrow its Communist government Lech
  Walesa, the leader of a trade union called
  Solidarity, became the first freely elected
  president in 1990, though a new constitution was
  not approved until 1997.

B. Beginning in 1948, South Africa followed a
policy of apartheid, or strict government-enforced
racial segregation after years of resistance
from the African National Congress and others,
apartheid laws were repealed during the 1990s,
and Nelson Mandela was elected president in 1994.
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Section 1-9
III. Emerging Democracies (pages 692694)

• C. Despite its 1917 constitution, the Mexican
  government was more authoritarian than democratic
  because of the power of the president and control
  of a single political party. Nationwide electoral
  reforms introduced in the 1990s allowed other
  parties to compete fairly in Mexicos political
  process.

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Section 1 Assessment-1
Checking for Understanding

• 1. Main Idea Use a graphic organizer like the
  one below to compare the most powerful parts of
  the British and French governments.

BritishParliament serves the legislative and
executive functions of government Frenchthe
president appoints the premier, negotiates
treaties, may appeal to the people through
referendum and dictatorial powers, may dissolve
the National Assembly.
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Section 1 Assessment-2
Checking for Understanding
Match the term with the correct definition.
___ consolidated democracies ___ life
peer ___ apartheid ___ sanctions
___ presidential government

• A. a person who has been awarded a title in the
  House of Lords for outstanding achievement
• B. a form of democratic government in which a
  president heads the executive branch
• C. measures such as withholding economic aid,
  intended to influence a foreign governments
  actions
• D. nations that have democratic elections,
  political parties, a constitutional government,
  an independent judiciary, and usually a market
  economy
• E. strict segregation of races

D A E C B
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Section 1 Assessment-3
Checking for Understanding

• 3. Identify House of Commons, House of Lords,
  National Diet, Solidarity.

The House of Commons is the British legislative
body of elected representatives. The House of
Lords has historically been an aristocratic body
of British parliament it now amends legislation
or votes down bills passed by the Commons. The
National Diet is the Japanese parliament of two
houses. Solidarity was a trade union that emerged
from an underground resistance movement to become
a political party in Poland.
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Section 1 Assessment-4
Checking for Understanding

• 4. What happens when the majority party in
  Britain loses a vote in Parliament?

It must resign. Parliament is then dissolved, and
new general elections are held.
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Section 1 Assessment-5
Checking for Understanding

• 5. Why is most of the legislation introduced in
  the Japanese National Diet ultimately passed?

Because the majority party members either approve
the legislation or abstain, and the opposition
party members are usually not strong enough to
stop legislation.
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Section 1 Assessment-6
Critical Thinking

• 6. Understanding Cause and Effect What recent
  events in Mexico have contributed to making the
  country more democratic?

In 1994, PRI president Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de
Leon introduced electoral reforms, and since
Vicente Fox became president in 2000, he has
worked to institute more democratic policies.
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Section 1 Concepts in Action

• Comparative Government Choose one of the
  countries with a parliamentary system of
  government discussed in this section. Draw a
  diagram that compares the organization of the
  United States government with the parliamentary
  system of government that you choose.

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