Comprehension. For Middle-Aged Man, A Wife's New Career Upsets Old Balances

For Middle-Aged Man, A Wife's New Career Upsets Old Balances

1. How are the traditional roles of husband and
wife described in the text?

2. To what extent does the situation in 1981
correspond with these traditional role
patterns?

3. What is the impact of a wife's new career on
her husband's life?

4. Does, from a husband's point of view, a
wife's new career also include positive
aspects?

5. Why is it particularly difficult for a middle-
aged husband to cope with the changing role
of his wife?

THE CHANGING ROLE OF WOMEN 141

9 The Political System

part A Background Information

FORM OF GOVERNMENT

LIMITED GOVERNMENT

FEDERALISM

SEPARATION OF POWERS

LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The United States is a representative democracy. All government power rests ultimately with the people, who direct policies by voting for government representatives. The nation's constitution defines the powers of national and state governments, the functions and framework of each branch of government, and the rights of individual citizens. All public officials of the national as well as state governments must swear to abide by the Constitution, which was created to protect the democratic interests of the people and government.

The principle of limited government is basic to the Constitution. When the Constitution was first written about two hundred years ago, many Americans feared that government power could become concentrated in the hands of a few. Several features were created to guard against this possibility: 1) the federal organization of government; 2) the separation of powers among dif­ferent branches of government; and 3) a system of checks and balances to restrict the powers of each branch.

Under federalism, the principle of limited government was achieved by dividing authority between the central government and the individual states. The federal (national) government has powers over areas of wide concern. For example, it has the power to control communications among states, borrow money, provide for the national defense, and declare war.

The states possess those powers which are not given to the national govern­ment. For example, each state establishes its own criminal justice system, public schools, and marriage and divorce laws.

There are certain powers, called concurrent powers, which both the federal and state government share. Examples include the power to tax, set up courts, and charter banks.

Besides the division of power between state and national governments, power is also limited by the separation of power among three branches — legislative, executive, and judicial. In the United States, each branch has a separate function.

The function of the legislative branch is to make laws. The legislative branch is made up of representatives elected to Congress. Congress is comprised of two groups, called houses: the House of Representatives (the House) and the Senate.

Lawmakers from all of the states are elected to serve in the House of

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM 143

DIVISION OF POWERS

POWERS OF THE

NATIONAL

GOVERNMENT

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