The What and Why of Goverment

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The What and Why of Goverment
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What is Government? 2 Definitions

• Textbook Government is composed of
  institutions and processes that rulers establish
  to strengthen and perpetuate their power or
  control over a land and its inhabitants.
• Power and control Govt is tools toward that
  end.

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What is Government? 2 Definitions

• Max Weber Government is that
  human institution having a
  monopoly on the legitimate use of
  force over a given territory. (1918)
• Force No govt without force.
• Legitimacy Denies others the right to use force.

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2 Foundations of Government

• A Means of Coercion.
• Force/Coercion/Power is the fundamental
  characteristic of govt.
• Examples?
• A means of collecting revenue.
• Government can do no nothing w/o financial
  resources.
• Cannot successfully coerce (but can use coercion
  to collect revenue).
• Cannot provide us things we want, but cannot
  provide ourselves.

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Types of Government(ancient version)

• Autocracy Government by 1 individual.
• Greek autokrates autos self kratia rule
  (from kratos strength, power).
• Oligarchy Government by a small group.
• M. Fr (from Greek oligarkhia). Oligoi a few
  arkhein to rule.
• Democracy Rule by the citizens, or the people.
• Greek demokratia Demos common people kratia
  rule (from kratos strength, power).
• Republic Rule by representatives of the people.
• Latin res affair, matter, thing publica
  public.

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Types of Government(contemporary version)

• Authoritarian Government is supreme, with no
  formal limits on its power, and no inherent
  rights for citizens. Informal constraints (like
  other social institutions) may limit its exercise
  of power.
• Citizens can usually remain safe by following the
  rules.
• Totalitarian An authoritarian government
  unhindered by either formal or informal
  constraints. Seeks absolute control over the
  lives of its citizens. Maintains power through
  the use of terror, such
• Terror Citizens can never be assured of safety,
  even by following the rules. Any action may
  potentially be treated as a threat to the state.

• Constitutional Government A government that is
  constrained by formal and effective limits on its
  use of power.
• Formal Usually means written down. (But English
  constitution means the traditional
  system/structure.)
• Effective Words on paper mean nothing unless
  they actually constrain the governments actions
  in the real world.
• The purpose is limited government To limit the
  ability of the government to make use of its
  force, coercion, and power. Ensure the safety of
  citizensthe publicagainst their government.

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But Why Have Government?

• To Maintain Social Order (Thomas Hobbes)

It is manifest that during the time men live
without a common power to keep them all in awe,
they are in that condition which is called war
and such a war as is of every man against every
man with continual fear, and danger of violent
death and the life of man, solitary, poor,
nasty, brutish, and short. (Leviathan)
Hobbes 1588-1679)
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But Why Have Government?

• To Protect Property (John Locke)

IF man in the state of nature be so free, . . .
why will he part with his freedom? . . . To which
it is obvious to answer, that . . . enjoyment of
it is . . . constantly exposed to the invasion of
others . . . the enjoyment of the property he
has in this state is very unsafe, very unsecure.
This makes him willing to . . . join in society
with others . . . for the mutual preservation of
their lives, liberties and estates, which I call
by the general name, property. (2nd Treatise on
Governent)
Locke 1632-1704
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But Why Have Government?

• To Provide Public Goods (John Locke)

Two neighbours may agree to drain a meadow,
which they possess in common because . . . each
must perceive, that the immediate consequence of
his failing in his part, is, the abandoning the
whole project. But tis very difficult, and
indeed impossible, that a thousand persons shou'd
agree in any such action . . . while each seeks a
pretext to free himself of the trouble and
expence, and wou'd lay the whole burden on
others. (A Treatise of Human Nature)
Hume 1711-1776
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Public Goods
A good that (1) can be used by different people
at the same time, and (2) it is difficult to
exclude anyone from using when it is provided.
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Collective Action Free Riders
Two neighbours may agree to drain a meadow,
which they possess in common . . . But tis
very difficult, and indeed impossible, that a
thousand persons shou'd agree in any such action
. . . while each seeks a pretext to free himself
of the trouble and expence, and wou'd lay the
whole burden on others. (David Hume A Treatise
of Human Nature)

• Collective Action Problem
• When we can all benefit from working together,
  even those who dont share in the work.
• Everyone tries to get the benefit w/o doing the
  work, so nobody works.
• So no benefit is obtained.
• Free Riders
• Those who try to get the benefit w/o
  contributing.
• E.g., Spring Break trip to Florida. What if
  no-one contributes to paying for gas? How far
  would you get?

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Collective Action Free Riders

• So without the coercion of government
• to force free-riders to pay their share
• public goods might not be provided.

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Questions

• What is the defining feature of government?
• Is this any less true of democracies?
• What are the 2 foundations of government?
• What are the 3 justifications for government?
• Which justification of government is most
  convincing to you?