Understanding Government Essay

515 Words3 Pages
1. Government has been defined as “the institution created by a society to create and enforce public policies”. It has also been defined as “a group of people who have the power to make and enforce laws.” Which definitions better expresses what your understanding of government is? Explain your choice. If you find both definitions inadequate, write your own, and explain it. Answer: The first definition is more accurate from my experiences and understanding. Even if the ones who are ruled object to the power given to the leaders, they still have to exist for the leaders to hold power. Also, public policies might not always be laws, as the second definition says. (10 points) 2. List five purposes of government. Provide an example of…show more content…
What is power? Why is understanding power essential to understanding government? Answer: Power is the ability to control others in a society. In order to understand government you need to understand that most of the time there will be people with power over you. After accepting that you can focus on just how much you want that power to be limited, but in order for you to benefit from the government you have to realize that they will have that power. (10 points) 4. Write a paragraph that compares and contrasts two types of government. Choose two types that both fall under the same category of government classification (i.e., by who has the power, by how much power the government has, by where the power is located, or by how the power is divided between branches). Answer: A dictatorship and democracy are quite different, but they can also be similar. In a dictatorship the common people have no say in the on goings of government or the treatment of the governed. In a democracy the people DO have a say in what goes on, and they vote to make decisions. Both can be good in bad in their own ways. Some say a dictatorship is better because the people don’t know what is and isn’t good for them. Others might claim that a democracy isn’t necessarily the better option because there could be a lot hidden between the lines that people vote for without a second through. Both can be abused, and both can be
Open Document