Government is defined as the
political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states. Some may question the need for government, asking if it is
possible to live without leaders or laws. I believe some form of government is
necessary in every society to provide a moral structure for that society to
live by.
For thousands of years, a system
of government has existed in many societies. The idea of an organized set of
leaders or governors would have given security to any group of people. Early
tribes could have had a leader that guided them or led them during hunting
trips. The Babylonians had Hammurabi’s code to live by, which outlined which
punishments would be implemented when a crime was committed. Before arriving in
the New World, the Pilgrims saw the necessity for a social contract, an
agreement among the people signifying their consent to be governed. The
Mayflower Compact was a document the pilgrims wrote that enumerated the scope
of their government and its expectation of citizens. Today, in the
United States of America, our federal government performs six fundamental functions:
to form a more perfect union; to establish justice; to provide for the common
defense; to secure the blessings of liberty; to promote the general welfare;
and to insure domestic tranquility. The forms of
government in most societies provided a sense of security to the people. With a
government established, they could prevent violation of their right to life,
liberty, and property.
Thomas Hobbes was an English theorist who argued that
humanity’s natural state was one of war. He theorized that government was
necessary to restrain humanity’s savage tendencies. Without the structure of
written, enforceable rules, humans would act wild, untamed, and barbaric. He argued
strongly for a single ruler to guarantee the rights of the weak against the
strong. John Locke, another English theorist, argued that a government’s major
responsibility was the preservation of private property. He believed
individuals were born equal and with natural rights that no ruler had the right
to void. Although these two theorists may have had different views, they both
still believed that some form of government was necessary to avoid chaos.
Having a government gives people a sense of security in
their daily lives. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration
determines what is safe for our consumption. The national, state, and local
governments work together to keep our roads in generally good condition. Our law
enforcement keeps order in the streets. The Environmental Protection Agency and
its state and local counterparts work together to limit the amount of pollution
produced by businesses and individuals to prevent the contamination of the air
we breathe and the water we drink. Finally, our national government provides a
national defense to discourage or repel any attempt by a foreign nation to
attack the United States or overthrow our government. Without government,
everyone would be living in fear and confusion. Everybody would have to defend
their life, liberty, and property by themselves, and that would result in
anarchy. Ultimately, some amount of government is necessary in any civilized
society
