Government


 
 
Government

A government is the body that has the power to make and enforce laws within an organization or group. In its broadest sense, "govern" means the power to administrate, whether over an area of land, a set group of people, or a collection of assets. The word government is derived the Greek Κυβερνήτης (kubernites), which means "steersman", "governor", "pilot" or "rudder".

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One approach is to define government as the dominant decision-making arm of the state, and define the latter on the basis of the control it has over violence and the use of force within its territory. Specifically, the state (and by extension the government) has been considered by some to be the entity that holds a monopoly on the legitimate use of force within a territory. This view has been taken by the political economist Max Weber and subsequent political philosophers. The exact meaning of it depends on what is understood by “legitimate”. If we use the term in an ethical sense, then this definition would suggest that an organisation might be considered a state by its supporters but not by its detractors. An alternative definition is to take "legitimate" violence to be simply that which has active or tacit acceptance by the vast majority of the population. In this view, the presence of insurrection or civil war against an entity would jeopardise its claim to be a state, provided the insurrection enjoyed significant popular support. Similarly, an entity that shared military or police power with independent militias and bandits could be considered to have a monopoly on “legitimate” violence but to be failing to enforce it, reducing its claim to statehood. In practice, such situations are often described as "failed states".


 

Power: The concept of power has many senses, all of which imply control or force....

Organization: :Alternative meaning: Organisation (band)....

Greek: The noun Greek refers to:...


Government related Images and Photos (experimental)

Government
Government
Government
Government
Government House at Malacca  Engraved by George Cooke
Government House at Malacca Engraved by George Cooke
A Government Jail Gang  Sydney  New South Wales  19th Century
A Government Jail Gang Sydney New South Wales 19th Century
The Blessings of Good Government (Detail)  Mural
The Blessings of Good Government (Detail) Mural
Government Building in City  United Nations Building  Manhattan  New York City  New York State  USA
Government Building in City United Nations Building Manhattan New York City New York State USA
Prisoners Outside the Government Jail in Sydney
Prisoners Outside the Government Jail in Sydney
Allegory of Good Government  1338-40
Allegory of Good Government 1338-40
Facade of a Government Building  Illinois State Capitol  Springfield  Illinois  USA
Facade of a Government Building Illinois State Capitol Springfield Illinois USA
Allegory of the Good Government of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) Le Soutien De La France
Allegory of the Good Government of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) Le Soutien De La France
V for Vendetta People and Government Black T-Shirt
V for Vendetta People and Government Black T-Shirt
South East View of the New Government House  Calcutta
South East View of the New Government House Calcutta

~ Table of Content ~

Introduction
Definitions
Forms of government
Theories
Operations
Scale of government
See also
 
FR: Gouvernement


 

~ Related Subjects ~

Police (1) - Military (1) - Civil war (1) - Militias (1) - Force (1) - Control (1) - Failed state (1) - Political philosophers (1) - Greek (1) - Organization (1) - Power (1) - State (1) - Max Weber (1) - Monopoly on the legitimate use of force (1) - Violence (1) -
 

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