Government is a system of rules created by people to manage society and to protect the interests of those who live in the country. Government exists at international, national and local levels. Generally, it is made up of elected officials and enforces law through agencies such as police forces and courts. Government also redistributes income through social programs such as welfare and unemployment benefits. Some government policies attempt to make markets more competitive, others regulate the environment and define property rights. Some governments even provide public goods and services, which are goods and services that are available to everyone at the same price (such as clean air or education).
There is a necessary role for government in a market economy because the private sector cannot provide all the necessary goods and services at low enough costs for everybody. Examples of public goods include national security, education, health care and transportation. Governments can finance these things by collecting taxes and borrowing money, which are paid back by those who use the services.
One of the most important functions of government is to protect the people, their property and their liberties. Governments can do this by providing a well-trained police force, an impartial judiciary and a strong defense force.
Governments must ensure the country has access to all the resources it needs to survive and thrive. At the state level, this means allocating money for such things as state colleges and universities, road maintenance, wildlife management and public parks. At the federal level, it means funding a robust military and ensuring that Social Security and veterans’ pensions are paid. The government must also protect the nation from foreign attacks by providing armed forces and intelligence services.
The government must also manage the nation’s finances and address issues such as inflation and debt. This requires the government to create budgets, control spending and establish taxation laws. It must also regulate the economy to ensure fair competition in the private sector and uphold entrepreneurship.
The people must be able to trust that the government is making decisions in their best interest. The government must be transparent in its decision-making process and share all the information it uses to make its determinations with citizens. This is why the government must allow citizens to review all the documents and statistics that go into a decision. Any exceptions to this principle must be explained by the agency in question. For example, if an agency claims that something is confidential, it must be able to prove that the information meets the criteria for confidentiality established by law. Otherwise, the exception must be deemed invalid by a court of law.