Meaning of Government

Introduction: What is Government?

Government is the machinery, agency, or institution that carries out the business of the state. It is the process, method, or pattern by which the state formulates and implements its policies, rules and regulations. 

Government is also a social subject studied in secondary schools and tertiary institutions which offers theories and concepts that help in governance.

It can also be defined as a need to have a person, or group of persons vested with power and authority to make, enforce, interpret and adjudicate cases in a state in order to maintain law and order. In societies, conflicts arise over what to do and how it should be done. In order to resolve such conflicts, societyThe term society is derived from the Latin word 'socius' meaning friendship or companionship. Society is a community, nation or group of people who share the same traditions, institutions, rules and... More sets a person or persons aside and grants them power and authority to control them. Absence of such control results in a state of anarchy, lawlessness, or breakdown of law and order.

Government has three (3) organs or arms: legislativeThe legislative branch of government is responsible for making laws within a country. Legislatures are made up of people called legislators who, in democracies, are elected by the country’s population More, executiveThe executive, also referred to as the executive branch or executive power, is the term commonly used to describe that part of government which enforces the law and has overall responsibility... More, and judiciaryThe judicial branch of government refers to a country’s court system. Judiciaries are responsible for interpreting and applying a country’s laws in particular cases, and can also be invested with the... More: The legislature makes the law, the executive implements the law and the judiciary interprets the law and adjudicates cases.

Defining Government:

There are three different ways Government can be defined, these are:

• Government as an institution of a state.
• Government as a process or the art of governing.
• Government as an academic field of study.

1. Government as an Institution of a State:

As an institution of a state, government is an agency established by a state to make, enforce and interpret the law in order to maintain law and order. This includes all the government institutions and agencies that carry out the business of government e.g. the executive, legislative and judiciary, police, army, etc.

Levels of government: Federal, State, and Local government are the three levels or tiers of government.

2. Government as a Process or the Art of Governing:

Government as an art or process of governing is the process of carrying out the day-to-day administration of the affairs of the state which involves making, enforcing, and interpreting laws. This involves all the processes involved in making rules and regulations, implementing these rules, interpreting the rules, and adjudicating cases.

Among them are:

• the process of law-making.
• the process of implementation of law.
• the process of interpretation of law.
• the process of administration of justice or settlement of cases.
• the process of punishment of law offenders.
• the process of regulation of the economy.
• the process of provision of social amenitiesSocial amenities, or public amenities, refer to places, buildings or infrastructural facilities which are to be shared and to become convergence spots for the local and surrounding communities. Examples include good... More and infrastructure.

3. Government as an Academic Field of Study:

It is studied in secondary schools and tertiary institutions as a subject or course, which involves the study of political theories, concepts, comparative government, local government, public administration, etc. that help in governance. Teaching of government as a subject started in the 1950s in the United States of America and in Nigeria in the 1970s.

(i) As an academic field of study, the study involves the organization and processes of political institutions, their functions, powers, and relationships.

(ii) It is a subject taught in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

(iii) The study involves the study of ideas, values and doctrines of political thinkers and how they can be applied to resolve political conflicts.

(iv) It has developed systematic scientific techniques which are used for solving problems in society.

(v) It borrows concepts from other subjects such as Mathematics, Economics, Sociology, English, Statistics etc.

(vi) It is a science subject and the study involves the use of research, statistics, computer and data analysis.

(vii) This study has branches which include public administration, international relations, comparative government, political theory, etc.

Evaluation Questions: