1. The document discusses civics, ethics, society, state, and government. It defines key terms like civic, ethics, society, state, and government. 2. It describes the different types of governments such as monarchy, totalitarianism, and constitutional governments. It also discusses the organs and functions of government. 3. The document then specifically discusses society, state, and government in Ethiopia, outlining features like the federal structure and separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

1. Unit One: Understanding Civics & Ethics
 A. 'civic' - derived from the Latin word “civitas”
which refers to legal member / citizen of a city state.
In ancient Greek, the indigenous and adult
peoples had been called civic.
Today civics is a discipline that studies :
the citizens of a country.
the rights and responsibilities of citizens
the functions of government and private behavior
of citizens
knowledge, skills and attitude of citizens in the
process of democratization and Democratic system

2. B. Ethics
• The 'word' ethics come from the Greek “ethos”
meaning something like “Morals’’.
• Ethics is defined as:- the systematic reflection on
what is moral.
• Then morality is -the whole of opinions, decisions
and actions with which people express what they
think is good/right.
• Ethics one of the branches of philosophy, it deals
with moral duty and obligation.

3.  Two classifications of ethics:
1. The descriptive ethics - the description of the existing
moral facts. Descriptive judgments are therefore true or
false. What action a person IS doing?
How people do behave. Eg. Younger persons always
give respect the older one.
2. The prescriptive ethics (normative ethics)- actually judge
morality. What action a person SHOULD do? How
people ought to behave
-indicate whether something is good or bad. Eg. It is
better if Younger persons always give respect the older
one.

4. The most important parts of normative ethical
theories:
A. Moral values: - A firmly held belief or value that
are worth striving for in general. Examples include
justice, happiness, and charity.
B. Moral norms : - These are rules that prescribe
what actions are required, permitted or forbidden
or forbidden.
C. Moral virtues : - are character traits that make
someone a good person and allow him to lead a
good life.
Examples : honesty, courage, loyalty, creativity,
humor and so on.

5. Rationales of civics and Ethics
 to create competent and responsive citizens.
 to make citizens politically active & participative in all
life.
 To bringing civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic virtue.
Competence of Good Citizens;
 Citizens are expected to be able to:-
• Responsible, informed
• Promote stable political system and good governance
• Respect others and their opinions.
• Responsible for personal learning and actions
• Communicate effectively and improve leader ship skills.
• Develop an attitude of truth fullness, sincerity, fairness

6. Unit Two: Society, State & Government
• Society defined as : -
the largest form of human group that share a-
common heritage and culture
a fairly large number of people,
 live in the same territory,
 relatively independent from others
participate in a common culture.
the population that bound together by political
and economic ties.

7.  A group of people can be termed as a society
when its members fulfill the following:-
A large number of communities
live together in a common environment
They live together for a long period of time,
They possess common values and interests,
They should share common culture, traditions
and life styles

8. State
There are many definitions about the state:
The term “state” is derived from the Latin word
“status”. Machiavelli ( 1469 – 1527) who first used
the term “state”.
 The state is the most universal and most powerful
of all social institutions.
 The state is a natural institution.
The state is the highest form of human
association.
 The state as a territorial entity that has:
population, sovereignty and government or
political organization.

9. The difference b/Society and State
No. State Society
1. State came into
existence
after society.
Society is prior to state
2. The scope of state is
limited
The scope of society is unlimited
3. State has fixed
territory
Society has no fixed territory
4. State is a political
organization
Society is a social organization
5. The state has power
to enforce laws
The society ha no power to enforce laws

10. Element of State
• Population, people relatively with similar culture,
belief systems, customs, norms, values and historical
• Territory, it must be well defined and include land
surface, water bodies and air space.
• Government, which is the manifestation of a state.
• Sovereignty, -a supreme,
- complete,
-legal authority not recognize any power over it.
-being recognized internally and externally.

11. Internal Sovereignty of a State
 less than foreign one,
there is limit over state’s power to exercise internal
orders and laws, to implement policies and to apply
legal sanctions on citizens.
Any citizens will not be out of the internal
sovereignty unless it is out of law.
The state has the monopoly of power, even though
the degree of monopolization
• External Sovereignty of a State
 the complete independence and equality of the
state in its relations with other states.
 In the international law all sates are equal

12. The Origins of the State
I. The Natural or Evolutionary Theory: claims that the state
gradually and slowly evolved out of earlier forms of settled
human communities, such as the family, the clan and the
tribe.
II. The Divine Right Theory: According to this theory, the
state is seen as an institution created by God. This theory
claims the state to be of a divine creation. Rulers were
regarded as God’s-own representatives on earth.
III. The Social Contract Theory: the state is an artificial
creation based on the voluntary agreement or contract
among people. This theory strongly advocated that the
state is established by the consent of the people and its
main purpose is to safeguard people’s inalienable rights
such as the right to life, liberty and property. Supporters-
Thomas Hobbes, John Lock, and Jean Jacques Rousseau

13. IV. The Force Theory: the origin of the state is a
matter of conquest; one group conquers another
by force and the leader of the victor’s assumes
ultimate authority. Supporter-Jean Bodin
V. Marxist Theory: the state was originated from
the split of society in to social classes with
polarized economic interests.
The formation of social classes are associated
with the emergence of private property. State is a
partisan political organization that stands for the
interests of the rich against the poor.

14. GOVERNMENT
• Government is the political organization that deals with
all aspects of the whole of a state.
• It is the functional element of the state, which makes
and enforces policies on behalf of the state and its
people.
• Government is the major component and administrative
wing of the state.

15. The difference b/n Government and State
No. State Government
1 The state is a wider entity including all
citizens
The govt is a smaller unit covering those
employed to perform its functions.
2 The state is an abstract entity, The govt has its existence in a concrete form
(includes all persons in the legislature,
executive and judiciary departments).
3 The power of the state is primary and
original, absolute and unrestricted by
anything on account of being a
sovereign entity,
The authority of the govt is something
delegated ,derivative and limited by the
provisions of the constitution
4 State is permanent and independent
institution unless destroyed by the
external invasion
Govt is changeable or dynamic; it always
comes and goes
5 All states with their four essential
elements are the same.
Govts are of different forms such as
monarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy,
dictatorship etc.
6
7.
Membership to the state is something
compulsory
-A person cannot have rights against the
state
Membership to govt is an optional matter.
-Person can have rights against government

16. Organs of the Government
1. The Legislative body
 It is responsible for the formulation of laws and
provides link between the people and the
government. The principal functions:
• Law making
• Representation.
• Control of administration.
• Amending the constitution
• Electoral and disposing functions
• Functional role -determine the nature and amount of
taxes and appropriations
• Investigative function.

17. 2. The Executive body
• Enforcement functions
• Formulation and execution of administrative policies.
• Control of the military force
• Formulating and implementing foreign relations
• Popular leadership.
• Bureaucratic leadership.
• Crisis leadership.
3. The Judiciary Body.
• Adjudication
• Formulating case law
• Protection of individual right

18. Form and System of Government
 Earliest forms of classification of Government was made
by Aristotle: Accordingly
A= where the ruling authority acts only according to legal
guidelines, ruling in the interests of the entire society
1/ role by one– king or queen --- Monarchy
2/role by few- nobilities---Aristocracy
3/ rule by man----Polity
B=where government acts only on its own selfish interest
1/Rule by one---Tyranny
2/rule by few-----Oligarchy
3/ rule by many ---Democracy

19. No .of ruler(s) Ruling with legal
guidelines and for
public interest
Ruling without
legal guidelines
and for selfish
interest
Rule by one Kingship Tyranny
Rule by few Aristocracy Oligarchy
Rule by many Polity Democracy

20. 1. Monarchy:
It is a one-man rule government exists in two forms:
A/ Traditional monarchy-
-the king or the queen maintain his/her position by the
claim of legitimate blood decent than their appeal as
popular leaders.
- It is a monarch who rules for life and can pass on this
rule to his or her heirs
B/ Constitutional monarchy-
-the king or the queen is ceremonial head of the state,
- an indispensable figure in all great official occasions
-a symbol of national unity
-but lacking real power
e.g. Queen Elizabeth II and Theresa May.

21. 2. Totalitarianism:
-One party holds all political, economic, military & judicial power
-The party attempts to restructure society,
- To determine the values of society, interfere personal lives
The common features of totalitarian states are:
=an encompassing ideology, a single party, organized terror,
monopoly of communications, weapons and economy.
3. Authoritarianism:
-power is exercised by a small group with minimum popular input.
-the government doesn't attempt to control every aspect of life.
-economic, social, religious and family matters are left up to
individuals.
- view society as a hierarchical organization with a specific chain

22. 4. Constitutional Government:
- the existence of a constitution that controls the political power.
A/ Presidential system
- separation of power between the executive and the legislative
• The functioning head of government is the president
• elected more or less directly by the people.
• President is not responsible to legislatures.
• There is loose connection b/n the legislature and executive
• the president alone passes executive decisions.
• ministers don't pass decision but advising the president.
• As the Head of the Govt, the president dominates the cabinet
• The ministers, secretaries etc. hold their office entirely for his
pleasure and are held accountable to him.
• is responsible to the constitution, not to the legislature.

23. B/ Parliamentary System
• there is a fusion of power- the executive authority
emerges from the legislative body
• the executive is directly responsible to the
legislature.
• ministers are responsible to the law making body
& are indirectly to the people .
• the position of Head of the government is
occupied by the PM who is the leader of the
dominant/ruling political party.
• He/she is also member of legislature
• PM is vested with chief/real executive authority.

24. C/ The Hybrid form of Government
• semi- presidential and semi- parliamentary
• It is the system where the president is powerful and he is, along
with members of the legislature, directly elected by the people.
• The elected president appoint the prime minister. The prime
minister nominates other ministers up on the recommendation
from the powerful president from outside of the parliament.
• The cabinet is accountability to the legislature hybrid form.
• The president is given the authority to dissolve the parliament
and call up on a new election.
The Similarity b/n hybrid and Parliament
• The existence of the prime ministerial office
• The accountability of cabinet ministries to the national assembly
• The national assembly has power to declare vote of no
confidence

25. The similarity b/n the Hybrid and the Presidential
• the president is directly elected by the people
• the strong and power given to the president
• the president is accountability to the people.
• Functions of the Government
• Maintain law & order in society
• Protection the security of citizens: protect from threats
The state resists external threats via-diplomatic efforts,
international law and ultimately through use of violence or
war for defensive purposes.
• Providing services, welfare to citizens: redistribute resources
• Belongingness and civic development of citizens: encourages
a sense of belongingness among its citizen. It is responsible
for the moral and civic development of its citizens.

26. Society, State and Government in Ethiopia
Pre-1990s Ethiopia was characterized by
-Unitary state ,Power centralization, Bureaucratization
The monarchical period
- Aimed at creating a unified policy
- Use the assimilation policy
- Diversities weren't valued
- The king claimed as if elected by GOD
- The Dergue Era
- Force remained the instrument of the system
- Ruled with out the constitution for almost in its stay
- Remained the unitary state
- Multi parties weren't allowed
- NNP were merely recognized,

27. Post-1990s Ethiopia was characterized by
-Since the demise of the Dergue Regime, the following are some
of the major departures:-
 The introduction of democracy
 Federal sate structure
 The move towards multiculturalism
 The adoption of parliamentary form of government
 the separation of power,
 introduction of multiparty system
-the constitutions have taken up significant policy measures to
accommodate diversity with four major policy frameworks:
 self –government rights
 language rights
 special representation rights
 and cultural rights

28. • Powers and Functions of the Federal Government
• protect and defend the constitution
• formulate and implement countries policies
• establish and implement national standards
• formulate and execute the country’s financial, monetary and
foreign investment policies
• enact laws for utilization and conservation of land and other
natural resources
• Establish national defense and a federal police force.
• implement foreign policy and ratify international agreements.
• administration air, rail and sea transport and major roads
• It shall regulate inter-state and foreign commerce
• It has the power to declare and lift national state of
emergencies

29. Powers and Functions of the States/Article 52/
• To establish self-government,
• To protect and defend the federal constitution
• To enact the state constitution and other laws
• To formulate and execute economic, social and
development policies, strategies and plans of the state
• To administers land and other natural resources in
accordance with federal law
• To levy and collect taxes
• To enact and enforce laws on the state civil service and
their condition of work
• To establish and administer a state police force,
• To maintain public order and peace within state.

30. Main Features of the Government
• The House of Peoples representative/HPR/ is the highest
law making body
• A political party, or a coalition of political parties that has
the greatest number of seats in the HPR shall form the
executive
• The chief executive is the head of government. i.e. Prime
Minister/PM/
• The PM leads the council of Ministers
• The PM is elected from among members of the HPR
• The PM will appoint the council of ministers.
• The council of Ministers comprises the Prime Ministers, the
Deputy prime ministers.
• the Council of Ministers is responsible to the HPR
• There exists a head of state. The head of the state is the
president of the country

31. Powers and Functions of the Executive
Major responsibilities of the Prime Minister include:-
• Over all supervision over the implementation of policies,
regulation
• Leading the councils of Ministers coordinates its activities
• Supervising the overall implementation of the foreign policy
• Acting as the commander- in-chief of the national army
• Submitting periodic reports to the HPR
Some of the powers of the president
• giving pardons,
• providing awards,
• receiving Ambassadors and others.
• represents the nation at large.
• exercise his/her power to veto bills or legislations adopted
by the House.

32. The Federal Houses
• there exist bi-cameral houses at the federal level in the country.
• At state level there exists a mono-cameral legislative organ
• At the Federal Level, we have the House of Peoples
Representatives/HPR/ and The House of Federation/HF/
• The HPR is entrusted with- enacting of laws
The House of Federation
• It is composed of representatives of /NNP/.
Functions of the House of Federation :
• Interpreting the Federal Constitution
• Deciding issues related to the rights of NNP to self-determination
• Promoting the equality of the peoples of Ethiopia
• Resolving dispute among states
• Setting formula regarding federal subsidies and budget allocation
to states.

33. Judiciary Organ of the Government
It is characterized by -
-apolitical organ
-autonomy in its staffing
Function
• safeguarding the basic liberties and rights of citizens.
• resolve disputes regarding civil and criminal issues among the
individuals and groups.
Federal supreme court
Federal Level Federal High Court
Federal First Instance
3 levels of Court at
State Supreme Court
Sate Level State High Court
State First Instance Court

34. UNIT 3
Democracy and Good Governance in Ethiopia
What is democracy?
The word democracy- came from two Greek words:
-demos (people)
- ‘kratos’ (rule)
-This sense gives the idea of the rule of people.
These were well captured by Abraham Lincoln’s famous statement
‘Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the
people’.
• ‘of the people’ referred to the idea that democracy is
fundamentally concerned with the people electing
representatives to public office.
• ‘by the people’ emphasised that it must be these elected
representatives that actually hold the power of decision-making
in a democracy and not some other unelected body.
• ‘for the people’ -democracy promote the interests of the
people and not private interests

35. Democracy ,currently ,is about :-
 the rule or government of the people
 the system in which people are powerful or,
the supreme/highest political power always resides
in the people to be exercised directly or indirectly.
It is a system decision-making based on the
principle of majority rule

36. Forms of Democracy
1. Direct Democracy
 pure or participatory from of democracy.
 people are the ultimate power holders
 power is directly exercised by the people
 no representatives of the people at large;
 no need of delegation of political authority
 feasible (applicable) for small number of citizens
 cannot be applied nationally in the current world.
 It's the oldest form of democracy.

37.  The modern direct democracy is characterized by three
pillars:
1. Initiative :- the bottom to top communication of
problems
-the way people ask the govt so as to seek policy solutions
2. Referendum – the ability to hold a binding referendum.
-grants the people a veto on government
legislation.
3. Recall - the way people have the right to remove elected
officials from office before the end of their term.
2. Indirect: -
 It is representatives democracy
 It is a recent/modern form of democracy
 The supreme political power is vested in the hand of people
exercised indirectly through their representatives.

38. • Types of Democracy
• Based on the government's intervention in the economic
affairs of people, democracy can be liberal and non-liberal
types.
1. Liberal Democracy
 discourages gov't intervention in economic affairs.
 The role of the government in the economic spheres to be
laissez-faire (minimal)
 market forces to be something maximal.
 based on free market economy.
 role of the state is maintaining order and does regulations.
 the central idea of liberal democracy is political and legal
equality of individuals but not economic equality.
 It is sometimes named as capitalist democracy that most
western states practice it.

39. • (i) Classical Liberalism
Advocates-Thomas Hobbes (1581-1679), John Locke
(1632-1704) Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
They supported 'natural rights' to be protected
and promoted by the state.
They also suggested a limited role to the state.
They strongly supported private property, free
enterprise , etc.
left individuals totally at the mercy of market
forces

40. • (ii) modern Liberalism
• The idea is that state should assume bigger role
in socio-economic life of the society.
• believes that state should be pro-poor,
• manage the economic affairs in such a way that
poor are not left high and dry.
• there should be national planning, government
should regulate prices.

41. 2. Socialist Democracy
 Emphasis strong intervention of gov't in the economy.
 It believe in economic and social equality of
individuals.
 To the proponents of socialist democracy, liberal
democracy encourages a society where there is class
contradiction and private property.
attempts to create classless society by eliminating
private properties.
It aims at creating a society in which there is complete
freedom from all social inequalities and economic
insecurity.
This type of democracy is far from reality,
it is said to be ideal democracy,
supported by communist proponents.

42.  The assumption of Socialist democracy
 that economy is entirely run by the workers
 the state (instrument of exploitation) itself is
eliminated.

43. Fundamental Principles of Democracy
• Sovereign
• Supremacy of the Constitution
• Majority Rule and Minority Rights
• Separation of Power
• Free, Fair and Periodic Election
- Competitive
-Periodic
-Inclusive
-Definitive
• Respect for Human and Democratic rights
• Secularism
• Equality before the Law
• Peaceful Transition of Power
• Multi – party system

44. Actors in Democratization process
 Actors are helping democracy to function well.
• Civil Societies
 are voluntary, non-profit, non-military, non-governmental
autonomous
 are formed for the common goods of the community
 The concern of civil societies may be social, economic,
political, religious cultural, or a combination of these
concerns.
 Civil societies contribute much to democratization by doing
the following:-
• Advocating constitutionalism and the rule of law,
• Defending citizens’ right and teaching them about their rights,
• Providing citizens with information
• Influencing the government to be transparent and
accountable to its citizen,
• Mobilizing pro- democratic groups

45. • Pressure Group
 They are organized groups and put pressure on government
or any organ
 influence government policies.
 Main objective is to get govt policies favorable to
Examples of pressure groups
-teachers association, -media association
-trade union, -chambers of commerce
-farmers union, -and manufactures,
-religious associations.
• Basic Characteristics of Pressure Groups
 they don’t seek elected office:
 they seek to influence those on power.
 They recruit members who provide human resources and
finance to the group to succeed.
 They campaign to bring pressure to bear on politicians, e.g.
lobbing.

46. • Political Parties
These work hard and strive for public office.
They are collections of individual with the common
party program.
They usually have their own characterizing political
program from other parties.
Function of political parties:
• Nominate competitive
• Serve as alternative and basic source of information in
areas of public concern.
• They serve as channel of communication between the
people and the government
• promotes the culture of accountability and
answerability

47. The d/t b/n Pressure Groups and Political Parties
Pressure Groups :
Objective- Working to make govt polices favourable
Political Parties - winning vote
- holding political power
-to influence govt policies by their own
 Mass Media
-providing means of communication for all organs
-Media is supposed to be - non- partisan
- free
-reliable
In democratic system - it updates the public
-gives fair information
-foster public participation
-facilitate the process of decision-making
In undemocratic system – it only support the govt propaganda
- doesn't expose corruption

48. • Democracy and Good Governance
-Governance is the process of decision- making and the
process by which decisions are implemented.
Good +Governance- is effective leadership or directs and
coordinates the activities of the groups to wards the
desired objectives.
- centers on duties of govt to meet the needs of the masses
- Democracy wouldn’t be realized if there wasn’t good
governance.
Characteristics of Good Governance
 Accountability -Transparency
 Rule of Law -Effectiveness and efficiency
 Responsiveness - Equitability and inclusiveness
 Participatory

49. • Experience of Democracy in Ethiopia
Pre 1974
Imperial Rule
1974-1991
Dergue Regime
Since 1991
EPRDF Government
-Authoritarian
political Culture
-A dictatorial
regime
-Transitional govt was
established
-Ruled with
absolutism
-People were
subjects
- Centralised
socialist
system
-Federal state
-Multiculturalism duly
considered
-Absence of
political, civil rights
- Single party
-fundamental
rights denied
-HRs , democratic
rights relatively
respected