2. The people make their wants known to the officers of the Government by: α. b. 3. Two ways in which our government groups work with health groups are: a. b. 4. Two ways in which our government works with labor groups are: a. b. 5. Two ways in which the National Government works with farm groups are: a. b. 6. Two ways in which our government groups work with money groups are: a. b. 7. Two ways in which our government groups protect those who travel or ship goods are: a. b. 8. Two ways in which the National Government works with business groups are: a. b. CHAPTER XXI Basic Principles of Our Government "The people have an original right to establish [declare], for their future government, such principles as, in their opinion, shall most conduce [best lead] to their own happiness." -John Marshall. All of our government groups are organized and do their work according to certain basic principles. We cannot be good citizens unless we understand those basic principles. Every citizen should know the basic principles. They will help him to understand his rights and duties under our laws. We shall repeat here, in short form, many of the things that we have already studied. We shall again study the important basic principles of our Government. They have stood the tests of time and experience. They have not been changed for many years. THE PRINCIPLE OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT Our Constitution is built on the basic principle that the people govern through chosen representatives. The people have the final authority. But they elect Senators and Congressmen to represent them in the Congress of the United States. In a less direct way, they elect the President and the Vice President. In every State the people choose State, county, city, and town officers to carry on the work of the Government. The officers are only agents of the people. The officers must do their work in a way that satisfies the majority of the voters. If they do not, the people can put them out of office and elect new officers. In many foreign countries, the people have no real say in the way their government is run. The laws and the taxes are fixed by some person or group of persons at the top of the government. The government gives the people such liberty and justice as it sees fit. It pays little or no attention to the wishes of the people. governed by their own representatives. The people are not But in the United States, even the President of the United States votes for those who are to represent him in our different government groups. His vote counts for no more than that of his neighbor. When the President votes, he proves that he too is one of the "governed." He has the same right as all other voters to help choose the representatives who are to govern. THE PRINCIPLE OF A FEDERAL SYSTEM In many countries, the central government uses such authority as it sees fit. It tells the other government groups what authority they may use. But this is not true in the United States. Before the Constitution, all the powers of government were in the hands of the people of the United States. The people, by the Constitution, divided those powers between the Nation and the States. They said that certain other powers should be used only by the people. If the people want to give more authority to the National Government, they must amend the Constitution of the United States. And if the people want to take authority away from the National Government, they must also change the Constitution. This is what is meant by our Federal System. Many people have said that the authority to govern could not be divided between two Government groups, each with the highest authority within its limits. But we have done it, and it has worked. The people of the United States have set up a system of government that is strong enough to rule our great Nation. Yet, the people have a government that is near enough to each citizen to know his or her needs. Our system has worked well over the years. We have proved to the world that different governments with different authority can work well side by side for the good of the whole people. THE PRINCIPLE OF DELEGATED POWERS The National Government has only such powers as are ✓ delegated to it by the people under the Constitution. It is not free to do what it pleases. Every act of the Congress, the President, and the national courts must find support in the Constitution of the United States. Ours is a government of delegated powers. We have studied some of the powers. All of the powers of government that were not delegated to the National Government, nor kept by the people, belong to the States. There are certain things that the National Government and the States may do. There are other things that neither government can do. THE PRINCIPLE OF DIVIDED AUTHORITY Not all of the authority that was delegated to the National Government can be used by any one branch. The authority of the National Government is divided among three branches. None has authority to do the work of the other branches. The Congress makes the laws. The executive branch sees that they are enforced. The judiciary decides questions as to the meaning of the Constitution, laws, and treaties of the United States when they arise in law cases. Our State governments are divided into the same three branches. But the Constitution of the United States does not command that it be done. Experience has proved that it is wise to arrange the powers of government in this manner. The plan has worked well. THE PRINCIPLE OF "CHECKS AND BALANCES" When the Fathers of the Constitution divided the powers of the National Government among three branches, |