Government is the system by which a society organizes and allocates power in order to accomplish collective goals and provide benefits that the society as a whole needs. Governments can take many forms but they are usually responsible for making and enforcing laws, collecting taxes, providing public goods and services, and representing the interests of their citizens. In addition to their traditional responsibilities, governments are also often active in promoting economic development by acquiring and controlling businesses or regulating them. Governments are also increasingly concerned with managing externalities – problems that affect more than one party to an agreement or activity.
Governments are typically organized as democracies, totalitarian regimes, or a variety of hybrid systems. In addition to the political system, governments can be classified by their method of election, their structure, and their rules regarding the distribution of power.
In the United States, people elect city councils, state legislatures, and Congress to make laws for their jurisdictions. Local, state, and federal governments are also responsible for collecting taxes and drafting budgets that determine how much they will spend on services such as education, police departments, and fire departments. When the government spends more than it takes in through taxes and other sources of revenue, it must borrow money. It does this by selling bonds to the public, which are IOUs that are redeemable at a later date for the original amount of the bond plus interest.
The most basic function of any government is maintaining law and order. This includes having an effective police force, a fair judicial system, and adequate military resources to defend the country against outside threats. Governments are also responsible for providing public goods and services, such as mail service, educational opportunities, and transportation infrastructure. They also regulate and protect the environment and ensure the safety of its citizens.
At the national level, a government may promote certain social values. For example, it may encourage its citizens to practice certain religions, or it may support the arts and education. In addition, it may create a legal framework in which its citizens can be protected from discrimination and other violations of their civil rights.
The government can also play an important role in a market economy by creating and maintaining certain types of goods and services, such as defense, infrastructure, and the issuance of currency. Governments can also control the prices of these goods and services, protect property rights, address environmental concerns, redistribute income, and make markets more competitive.
Another reason to work for the government is that it offers job security. Federal employees can move to different departments and even leave the government without fear of losing their jobs. They also get generous sick and annual leave, which increases with years of service. This is an especially valuable benefit during times of economic instability, like a global pandemic. This type of job security is not available in the private sector.