FUNDAMENTALS OF LAW AND GOVERNMENT
course/discussions
I.
BASIC INFORMATION
University of Wrocław – Faculty of Law, Administration and Economics
BBA I – Bachelor of Business and Administration (1st year)
Academic teacher: mgr Agata Jagna Wróbel / doctoral candidate / Department of Constitutional Law
All information about the dates and place of office hours, as well as the announcements and teaching
resources can be found on the website: https://prawo.uni.wroc.pl/  Pracownicy i doktoranci 
Doktoranci  Wróbel Agata
Please notify at least one day in advance about your planned presence during office hours, together with
some information about the issues to be discussed. This will help to plan the schedule of our meetings.
Please feel invited to contact me via e-mail: [email protected]
II.
GOAL
The goal of this course it to present essential information on various forms and systems of governments,
as well as differences between them. The subjects to be discussed also include relations between central
authorities in various forms and systems of governments, as well as constitutional principles and forms
of democracy. Student should be able to assess independently the practice of functioning of central authorities in various forms and systems of governments. Furthermore, student should realize that stability and
transparency of the rules of the political system are values of particular importance.
III.
CREDIT
1. attendance
Each student is entitled to 1 absence. Each further absence may be made up either by:
i.
oral correct answer to 2 questions on the subject discussed during student’s absence within
14 days from the date of absence (office hours only),
ii.
or in writing – short (1-2 pages) essay on the subject discussed during student’s absence, sent via
e-mail within 14 days from the date of absence.
Each failed absence reduces the final grade by 0.5 of the grade. The failed absence may be justified in
extraordinary circumstances only.
2. presentation
Students in pairs are obliged to prepare a PowerPoint presentation and deliver it during class. The subjects
are pointed out below:
- monarchy
- oligarchy
- theocracy
- anarchy
- dictatorship
- democracy
- democratic state ruled by law
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- representative democracy
- direct democracy
- presidential system
- semi-presidential system
- committee system
- parliamentary system
- parliamentary-cabinet system
- chancery system
3. test
Each student is obliged to pass a written test which will take place in the next to last class. The test consists
of 3 open question on the subjects discussed during classes.
4. final grade
The basis for determining the final grade is the result of the test [2,0-5,0]. This grade shall be reduced by the
failed absences (according to the point 1 above). As a result, the student who obtained a positive test grade,
however, due to the number of the failed absences, obtains final grade below 3.0 and therefore cannot
obtain course credit.
Furthermore, the student who has not provided a presentation, cannot obtain a course credit (regardless of
positive test grade).
Finally, active participation entitles each student to receive the final grade increased by 0.5 of the grade.
IV.
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
SCHEDULE
Organizational issues. Separation of powers – legislature, executive, judiciary. Checks and balances.
Forms of governments: monarchy, oligarchy, theocracy, anarchy, dictatorship, democracy.
Democratic state ruled by law. Representative democracy vs. direct democracy.
System of governments #1: presidential, semi-presidential, committee.
System of governments #2: parliamentary, parliamentary-cabinet, chancery.
Test.
Discussion on the test. Summary of the semester. Human rights – basic information.
V.
LITERATURE
Essentials:
- Rosenfeld Michel, Sajó András, The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Constitutional Law, 2012
Extra:
-
Banaszak Bogusław (edit), Constitutional Law in Poland, 2012
Banaszak Bogusław, Outline of Polish Constitutional Law, 2005
Bodnar Adam, Frankowski Stanisław, Introduction to Polish Law, 2005
Lijphart Arend, Patterns of Democracy: Government Forms and Performance in Thirty-Six Countries, 2010
Lewis James R., The Human Rights Encyclopedia, 1999
Mandelbaum Michael, Democracy's Good Name: The Rise and Risks of the World's Most Popular Form
of Government, 2007
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