What is the purpose of government?

The purpose of the government is to maintain peace among the states, create markets, and control the functioning of commerce. The government can perform such functions due to the developed government system with the help of the Constitution.

Explanation:

The government system in the US is unique as it is a federal republic in which the president is the head of the country. However, Congress and Federal courts also share powers. The Federal government has three branches: the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary, where the president is the head of the executive branch. The legislative branch consists of a Senate and the House of Representatives. The judiciary branch is independent of the other two, and it is composed of the Supreme and Federal courts, along with the supportive organizations. The judiciary system applies and upholds laws and makes legal decisions.

The two predominant forms of government are presidential and parliamentary. The USA has a presidential form of government as the president appears as a leader of the country who presents an executive branch. Also, such form has additional branches: legislative and judiciary. In the parliamentary government, the prime minister is a leader, a parliament is composed of a large governing body, and its participants can choose the leader. The following illustration shows the difference in the relationship between the two forms.

Even though the government may have a different structure, its primary purposes and functions are similar. Social peace maintenance is one of the government’s basic purposes, which is achieved through the protection of society from aggression. The government ensures that people can live peacefully and collectively to use public goods, such as schools, water, roads, etc. Abraham Lincoln stated that the government should serve functions that individuals cannot perform themselves, assuring a comfortable living for the citizens. For instance, the government is responsible for building bridges, ports, and roads, and other facilities for commerce. Such protection refers to the insurance of domestic tranquility, which delivers the peace between the states.

The other purpose of the government is the creation of markets. Even though the private sectors are leading on the markets, they still need government regulation. The government ensures consumer protection, fair work conditions, and property rights control. Moreover, private sectors cannot provide all the services, and the government assures that public needs, such as school and transportation, are satisfied. A special-purpose government is authorized by state law and serves limited designated functions. The example of a special district government is a fire or water districts, or public transportation.

The Constitution is the primary legal document that regulates the governments and sets the rules that it must follow. It sets the structure and the law policies and also sets the right and values of the society.

The government policies are the rules and principles that exist with the purpose of better decision making to enhance the community. Policies are not a law; however, they contain reasons things are performed in a certain way and can lead to the law. The policy statement presents government policy activities as it describes political activities and intentions that are related to the particular cause. Hence, such statements help to enhance safety, provide access, deliver the right infrastructure, and reduce adverse effects on the climate.