文档介绍：英美文化与概况
British and American Studies
( American Part )
Unit Two
大学英语第一教研室余非
2011年3月
American Part
Unit 2 Government System in USA
US Government Principles
The basic principle of US government es from Locke’s political ideas, who maintain only by making good use of human reason could society achieve a continuous progress.
First Principle: Sovereignty resides with the people.
1. Government of the people, by the people, for the people.
-- Abraham Lincoln
2. The government gets its just power from the consent of the people, and the government cannot govern without the agreement of the governed.
3. People are expected to accept the decision made by the majority.
Second Principle: Government has only limited power.
1. Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil. --Thomas Paine
The government has no other powers except those given by the people, or the power laid down in the constitution.
Third Principle: Checks and Balances
The power given to government is divided between the federal and state government.
The power granted to each government is sub-divided among the three branches of government, the legislative, the executive and the judicial. Each branch can check or block the actions of the other branches.
Forth Principle: Free exchange of opinions must not be restricted
1. The US Constitution protects freedom of speech and freedom of the