What Is Government?
Government is the system of people and laws that define and control a country. It is concerned mostly with public life, though it can have some impact on private life as well. It establishes and enforces rules for everyone to follow. It also makes laws that protect us from criminals, provide services such as police and fire protection, and help the economy by providing a place to sell goods and services. It is usually based on the philosophy that each person has rights, and that it is important for individuals to have access to basic services.
In general, governments have different kinds of constitutions and philosophies, which help them set policies. Some have a more traditional concept of government, while others are more esoteric and unique. Aristotle outlined five types of government in his Politics, including the “government of one,” which is an autocracy; the “government of the few,” which is an aristocracy; and the “government of the many,” which is a democracy.
A government’s structure and powers vary, but the basic ideas are the same: majority rule with respect for the opinions of the minority; accountability to those who elect and appoint officials; separation of powers; checks and balances; and an economic freedom that allows for some private ownership of property and business. In addition, the government should be limited in its scope and responsibilities and guarantee rights to its citizens, such as privacy, equality and the right to a fair trial.
The most common form of government is a republic. A republic is a form of government where law is passed by a group of elected representatives or directly by the people, and there is no constitutional limit on the amount of legislation that can be done as long as it has popular support. This type of government can be found in countries like Argentina, India and Mexico.
Some republics are a federation of independent states, where the central government has a few major responsibilities, but the rest of the nation is free to create its own laws as long as they do not conflict with the national laws. This type of government is found in countries like Germany and Switzerland.
In most countries, the central government has a legislative branch and an executive branch. In the United States, these are called Congress and the President. The legislative branch is a group of people that are elected to make laws and fulfill other governmental duties. They have a smaller upper house and a larger lower house. The smaller chamber is often referred to as the Senate and the larger chamber is called the House of Representatives. The lone exception to this is Nebraska, which has a single chamber in its legislature.
The executive branch is made up of the President, Vice President and major department heads in the Cabinet. It has the power to implement laws and oversee federal agencies. The judicial branch is a check on the executive and legislative branches, making sure that the lawmaking process follows constitutional guidelines. This helps to keep the government from getting too big and gives people many opportunities to influence policy as it travels through the process of becoming a law.