Government is an organization that enforces and sets policy. Depending on the country or state, this may be done through the legislature (Senate and House of Representatives), the executive branch (the President and about 5 million employees) and/or the judiciary (Supreme Court and lower courts). The term is also used to refer to the system of rules and procedures for governing an organization. Often, these are contained in an authoritative document called a constitution.
One of the most important functions of government is to provide stability for society by providing essential services like free public education, police and fire service, mail delivery and regulating access to common goods such as wildlife and public lands. Whether or not a government is able to accomplish these tasks depends on its values and priorities, which are set by citizens through the political process and elections.
Governing is a complex and ever-changing business. Increasingly, it is taking place on many levels of government—from local to global. This makes it difficult to describe in a simple way. But the basic elements are:
The most important function of government is to protect the people’s right to life, liberty and property. A government’s priorities determine the extent to which it protects these rights. For example, if a government prioritizes national security over individual liberty, it will be more likely to allow the tapping of private phone conversations and restrict what a newspaper can publish. If a government prioritizes economic equality, it will be more likely to subsidize public education and health care for the poor.