GOVERNMENT DEFINITION
Government as a State Institution
One definition of government as an institution of the state is the apparatus that the state has set up to coordinate its activities, oversee its operations, and carry out its mandate. It acts as the means by which the state's will is formulated, expressed, and carried out. Conflicts, disagreements, and crises can arise from the way people live, work, and interact with one another. For this reason, governments are required. In the absence of a governing body, the rich would oppress the poor, leading to anarchy. The fundamental functions of any state's citizen control apparatus include safeguarding the vulnerable from the powerful, upholding the law, and managing day-to-day affairs.
Government as a Process or the Art of Governing
Government is frequently referred to as the art of governing because it is endowed with the state's supreme authority. It does this by installing equipment designed to keep things safe and secure. The government establishes policies, enacts laws, and penalizes violators. Its activities are intended to promote society's overall well-being.
The separation of powers principle, which states that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches each have specific roles and authority, serves as the foundation of effective government administration.
Government as an Academic Field of Study
Government is an academic field that studies political institutions, ideas, values, and doctrines. It investigates political scholars' perspectives on the well-being of the population. In schools and universities, this subject is referred to as Political Science. It has several subfields, including political theory, public administration, and international relations. Some of the tools used to study government include research, statistics, data analysis, and computers. It also has connections to mathematics, physics, sociology, history, economics, and philosophy.
Branches of Government as an Academic Field
1. Public Administration: This field is concerned with human resources in government organisations or public affairs.
2. International Relations: This area is concerned with diplomacy and foreign relations.
3. Political Thought/Theories: It entails researching early political thinkers such as Locke, Hobbes, and Machiavelli.
4. Political economy: This discipline studies the monetary and fiscal policies of a nation.
5. Comparative Politics: It entails comparing the governments of different countries.
Attributes or Characteristics of Government
The government, as a state institution, exhibits the following characteristics:
1. Law: It governs citizens' activities, beliefs, and behaviour, defining the actions and limitations of those in power.
2. Political Power: The government's authority is based on the people's willingness to obey laws and policies.
3. Revenue: Governments require adequate funding to carry out their responsibilities.
4. Workforce: The civil service requires sufficient personnel for a variety of functions.
5. Legitimate Support: In order to achieve peace and stability, governments must obtain legitimate support from the people.
6. Welfare Services: It is critical to provide essential services that improve people's well-being.
7. Periodic Change: No government is permanent; regular elections allow for change.
8. Protection: Governments must ensure the people's safety and security.
Functions of the Government
The primary functions of modern government are as follows:
1. Legislation: Governments are responsible for enacting laws to maintain peace and order.
2. Provision of Social Amenities: Governments provide basic necessities such as electricity, water, and healthcare.
3. Law and order enforcement: Governments use agencies such as the police to keep the peace.
4. National Defence: Governments protect their countries from external threats.
5. Protection of Lives and Property: Governments safeguard people's lives and property.
6. Employment Provision: Governments create jobs in order to improve people's well-being.
7. Policy Development and Implementation: Governments create and implement policies to improve the lives of their citizens.
8. Economic Activity Promotion: Governments encourage economic activity by building infrastructure and attracting investors.
9. External Affairs Function: Governments maintain relationships with other countries.
10. Administration of Justice: The judiciary is in charge of administering justice.
11. Maintenance of Unity: Governments bring ethnic groups together to ensure a harmonious community.
12. Dispute Resolution: Governments mediate conflicts between groups and individuals.
13. Economic Functions: Governments oversee economic growth and regulate the economy.
14. Political Functions: Governments establish machinery for a peaceful change of government.
15. Public Revenue Collection: Taxes, fines, fees, and duties are used by governments to raise revenue.
16. Fundamental human rights: The government is responsible for respecting and protecting man's fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution.
17. Human rights: Fundamental human rights, such as the right to life and property, are guaranteed by the constitution. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure the protection of these rights.
18. Revenue generation: The government's ability to generate sufficient revenue allows it to provide infrastructure such as roads, airports, railways, and other social amenities such as hospitals and water.
19. Protection of national interests: When pursuing foreign policy goals, the people's economic and social well-being should be prioritised. This is one of the roles of government.
20. Elections and population census: These functions are typically carried out by government agencies or boards, such as INEC and the Census Board.
The importance of studying government
1. Assisting in understanding the type of government system: Government studies aid in understanding the various types of government systems in use around the world.
2. To broaden people's knowledge: The study of government broadens people's understanding of administration and other governance institutions.
3. Political education: The government teaches its citizens about the country's political life or affairs.
4. Leadership opportunity: Studying government gives people the chance to develop into future political leaders.
5. Conflict resolution: Through government, an opportunity is provided for people to know how conflicts originate and are resolved.
6. Government provides the opportunity to learn: Government enables people to learn about their rights, duties, and responsibilities as citizens.
7. Preventing mistakes made by previous leaders: Government studies help to prevent some past political leaders' mistakes from being repeated.
8. The spirit of nationalism and patriotism is promoted in people's lives.
9. Decision-making: The study of government also makes people aware of the importance of participating in a country's political decision-making process.
10. Government study: This allows us to distinguish between a legitimate and illegitimate government. A legitimate government must have the support of the people.
11. Career opportunities: It provides career opportunities for those who study it.
12. Relationship: Study of government makes it possible for an improved relationship between the ruler and the ruled. This is because it opens the understanding of the government to undertake actions and policies meant for the general well-being of the society.
13. Political occurrences and developments: The study of government helps in keeping abreast of national and global political occurrences and developments.
14. International relations: It deepens the understanding of international relations and a state's commitment to international organizations.
15. Acquisition of knowledge: It provides knowledge of the political history of the state.
16. Provision of solutions: It provides solutions to socio-political and economic problems by the introduction of programs and policies and best practices in other political environments.
17. Leadership training: The study of government offers the opportunity for leadership training.
18. Political issues: It teaches us to be objective in our analysis of political issues.
19. Political culture: It helps the individual to develop a political culture.
20. Comparative politics: The study also deals with comparative analysis of government of other states.
THE STATE
Definition: A state may be defined as a politically organized body of people inhabiting a defined geographical entity with an organized legitimate government. The state in this respect is entirely free from external control. The power of a state is also guaranteed with coercive power to secure obedience from the citizens. A state is different from empires, kingdoms, chieftains, etc. Nigeria, Ghana, Benin Republic, USA, Canada, etc. are good examples of states.
Features of State
1. Permanence: The state remains a permanent feature. Governments can change many times but a state remains permanent.
2. A defined territory: A state has a defined territory with a limit to its size. It must have clearly defined boundaries, separating it from others. Things like waters, mountains, forests, airspace, etc. make up the state.
3. Government: Though government is not a permanent feature of a state, it remains a significant feature because it is a machinery set up by the state to pilot the affairs of the people making up that state. The sustenance and prestige of a state are maintained by the government.
4. Sovereignty: The supreme power to make decisions and enforce them on the people is with the state. The sovereignty of a state is not negotiable and must be free from external interference and control.
5. Population: This is an important attribute of a state. For a state to be called a state, there must be a given number of people making up the entity. However, with time, such number is bound to increase.
6. Recognition: A state must be recognized both internally and externally.
Relationship between the State and the Government
The state and government are inseparable in the scheme of things. The state is a politically organized body of people occupying a defined geographical area with an organized legitimate or constitutional government. Government, on the other hand, is a feature of a state. It is a machinery set up by the state to organize and realize the set objectives and goals of the state. No state exists without a government; otherwise, anarchy would reign. The people making up the state have a government to administer the area, and this involves the three organs of government in place. These organs of government have distinct functions to perform in the affairs of the state. The state is, therefore, a corporate entity, while government is an institution set up by the state. Government can change as many times as possible, but the state remains a permanent feature. Again, the sovereignty of the state is vested in the government, and the government exercises it in trust for the state.
State and Nation
A state exists where a territory, a people, a government, and sovereignty exist. It may lack the feeling of nationality or oneness among the people and yet remain a state. A nation could be seen as a body of people who feel themselves to be naturally linked together, share common ties, believe that they can live happily together, and are not satisfied when they are disunited and cannot tolerate subjection to people who do not share these ties. Similarly, these people share the same language, culture, and have the feeling of nationality. However, over time, there has been a tendency to equate statehood with nationhood and to associate the nation with a united people organized in a state. The state may accommodate people of different historical backgrounds, languages, cultures, religious beliefs, and people of homogeneous identity. Lord Acton, in his writing, maintained that the combination of different nations in one state is as necessary a condition of civilized life as the combination of individuals to form society.
State and Society
Society is referred to as the association of human beings. This suggests the whole complex of relations of man to his fellows. Society can equally be referred to as a group of people who share similar values, laws, traditions, and living in organized communities for mutual benefits. There may be many different groups in society like the church, family, and the trade unions, which do influence social life but do not owe their origin or whatever to the state. The state is a way of regulating human conduct; it orders us not to commit murder, not to steal, and there is punishment for their violation.
Features of a Society
1. It is controlled by rules/regulations, norms, conventions, and customs.
2. It applies sanctions on its members as a means of ensuring or effecting discipline.
3. It also applies the use of coercive means to ensure compliance with norms, rules, and customs.
4. The rules and regulations of society are binding on all residents.
5. Membership of society is voluntary.
6. It is permanent in nature.
7. Its members depend on one another for survival.
8. Its roles in society are dynamic.
9. It is characterized by cooperation, competition, and conflicts.
10. It is characterized by a unique culture.
11. It is characterized by common political, social, and economic interests.
12. It has a common history, tradition, language, religion, and sense of value.
Differences between the State and Society
1. Society is a wider term than the state. It suggests many social relationships that cannot be expressed through the state, e.g., education, religion, agricultural and industrial activities, domestic institutions, etc. The state is only concerned with those social relationships that express themselves through government.
2. The term 'society' applies to all human communities whether organized or unorganized, but organization for law is essential to a state.
3. The state is not identical with society. The state provides the framework of the social order, holds society together, and binds individuals to certain uniform rules or behavior which are essential for a harmonious and orderly social life.
Political Obligation
Authority gives rulers the right to command, while political obligation deals with why people obey the government. We shall look at the several theories of obligation and see reasons why people obey the government.
1. The theory of coercion: The assumption is that men obey government because they recognize their incapacity in relation to government. This incapacity is in relation to power or coercive force. In other words, men obey force because they are compelled to do so.
2. Prudential obligation: Men obey the government because they value their individual freedom and conveniences more than the sufferings and pains which are attendant in disobedience. According to Thomas Hobbes, men are aware of the consequences of disobedience and for the most part, men would try to avoid the force of the law and the punishments which are inherent in law. Again, let us look at the premise upon which Hobbesian absolutism was based. To have an orderly and stable society in which everyone keeps the law as well as perform their duties, there must be an absolute power capable of imposing its will on all the citizens. The citizens must recognize the superiority of this power as well as the readiness of the power to invoke superiority and to punish offenders.
3. The liberal theory of obligation: This assumes that men obey the government because they are in the habit of obedience. Political obligation, therefore, is seen as a by-product of the socialization process in any society. This is to say that men are born into societies where there are existing rules and structures of authority and are socialized by various methods into the habits and usages of their societies. The socialization process imposes on the citizens the tendency or the habit of obedience.
4. The social contract theory: According to this theory, the political obligation derives from the relationship between the ruler and the ruled. This relationship is created by a contract that defines explicitly the rights and obligations of each party. Locke maintained that society is a product of a social contract, i.e., of an agreement between individuals to come together to avoid chaos which is part of the characteristics of the state of nature. Social contract confers on a person or a group of persons the authority to manage the affairs of society on behalf of all. The contract also defines the rights and the obligations of all
5. The theory of the common good:
This theory assumes that rulers or states pursue certain moral ends that are in the interest of all. The state is viewed as a necessary means of fulfilling some of our general moral obligations, as it utilizes its system of enforceable laws to harness our acknowledged moral obligation for the purpose of promoting social justice and the common good.
6. The theory of the general will:
This theory, favored by philosophers of totalitarianism and paternalism such as Plato and Hegel, posits that societies have a general will of purpose which they pursue, and this general purpose is in the interest of all. Individuals are encouraged to act in ways that enhance the opportunity for attaining the general will, as governments or rulers are often the instrument for achieving the general will.
Revision Questions
1. How can you explain government as an institution of the state?
2. What is the relationship between the state and government?
3. Mention the distinction between the state and society.
4. (a) What is a state? (b) What characteristics must a state possess? (WASSCE June, 1988).
5. Discuss the importance of government as an institution of the state (SSCE Nov., 1989).
6. What are the functions or obligations of the Nigerian government towards its citizens? (SSCE Nov., 1994).
7. Explain what is meant by government as an academic field of study. (WASSCE June, 1995).
8. Outline the basic functions performed by a modern government. (WASSCE June, 1998).
9. What are the different forms of government, and how do they differ from each other?
10. How does the concept of federalism impact the relationship between the national government and state governments?
11. Discuss the role of the judiciary in a democratic government.
12. What is the significance of the separation of powers in a government?
13. How do political ideologies influence government policies and decision-making?
14. Explain the concept of political legitimacy and its importance in government.
15. Discuss the role of political parties in shaping government and public policy.
16. How does the media influence government and politics?
17. What are the challenges faced by governments in maintaining national security?
18. Explain the concept of political representation and its importance in a democracy.
19. Discuss the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in influencing government policies.
20. How does globalization impact the role and function of governments?
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