How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Government

Disciplines > Government

People create legislature | Legislature creates laws | Civil servants administer laws | Police and courts enforce laws | See also

People create legislature

There are two extremes  of government, with many variations in between. At one end, a single person seizes power and impose their will on the country. At the other end, everyone in the country has a say in what happens and there is true sharing of power. There is also anarchy, where there is no government (although the human tribal tendency means that true anarchy never lasts). 

In between, there are other forms of coercive government such as military juntas, and collaborative governments, from republics to communes. 

The legislature is thus either a self-appointed person or committee, or else a representative group. The self-appointed system is, in many ways, much simpler in creation and execution, although unless it is benevolent, it usually requires force to maintain. The representative group requires a system of selection (such parties and voting) and organizing. 

The basic level of persuasion is thus to the people who elect or support the government, which may be the army or the population. Canvassing, promises and other electioneering tactics are used to convince the voter that their wishes will be fulfilled.

Legislature creates laws

Laws get proposed, researched, debated and agreed. This can be a long process with committees and sub-committees ensuring that each law does not conflict with other existing laws and is true and fair in line with the broader intentions of the government and country.

The organization of the legislature often includes many checks and balances to ensure fairness and prevent bad laws being 'slipped through'. Dual chamber houses, head-of-state sign-off and so on are used for this purpose.

Persuasion in law-creation often includes a great deal of lobbying by pressure groups which range from farmers to mothers and assorted racial and religious societies.

Civil servants administers laws

Once laws are passed, for the most part they then pass to a huge body of civil servants who ensure that the laws get implemented. This includes informing those who must obey the laws and checking that the laws are obeyed as written.

Persuasion in administration includes basic communication along with escalations of warnings that promise prosecution or worse if the laws are not obeyed. 

Police and courts enforce laws 

When the laws are not obeyed, then there is a clear system of enforcement. The police act to enforce criminal law and can immediately react to such as disorder on the streets. Civil laws also allow citizens to prosecute one another, in which cases police seldom have to intervene.

Persuasion at this level is often coercive, either physically or by threat of physical intervention. Most people will obey edicts of the courts, though for those who do not the police and others (for example bailiffs) can physically intervene. The ultimate punishments are the confiscation of assets, imprisonment and even execution.

See also