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Item 1 - purpose and function of our government - general.

Published on Mon, May 17, 2021 9:00AM PDT | Updated Mon, May 17, 2021 9:10AM PDT

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The United States of America (US) is a federal republic composed of 50 states, a federal district of Washington, D.C., five major and various minor insular areas, as well as over 90,000 local governments, including counties, municipalities, townships, school districts, and special district governments. At 3.8 million square miles and with over 329 million people, the US is the world’s third-largest country by total area and the third most populous.

Our vision and mission

As documented in the US Constitution, the people of the US, through our Government, seek to form a more perfect union by establishing justice, ensuring domestic tranquility, providing for the common defense, promoting the general welfare, and securing the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

Our strategy

To achieve the mission of the people, our Government raises money, spends money, and exercises its authority. Through these actions, it enables, incentivizes, and forces certain behaviors (e.g. saving for retirement through Social Security and Medicare, attending minimum years of school, getting vaccinated) in an effort to maintain or improve various key metrics related to American life.

Raising and spending money

Our Government raises money through taxes and non-tax sources, including businesses it runs. This money is used to pay government expenditures and to transfer money to individuals and others. At the federal level, when the money raised is not sufficient to cover the money spent (most years), the US Department of the Treasury may borrow money to finance the difference. States may borrow funds for projects but may not borrow to fund annual deficits, except Vermont, where its constitution does not preclude it from doing so.

Exercising authority

Our Government exercises its authority directly by regulating, legislating, and issuing executive orders and court orders. It also grants authority to, and rescinds it from, government agencies and state and local governments.

See more at Government operations below.

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About this report, government structure, explore the 2021 government 10-k, introduction, item 1a. risk factors, item 2. properties, item 3. legal proceedings, item 6. selected financial data, item 7. management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations, item 7a. quantitative and qualitative disclosures about market risk, item 8. financial statements and supplementary data, item 9a. controls and procedures, item 10. executive officers and governance, item 11. executive officer compensation, item 13. certain relationships and related transactions, and director independence, item 15. exhibits, sign up for the newsletter.

Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — American Government — 3 Branches of Government

3 Branches of Government

• Categories: American Government

About this sample

Words: 432 |

Published: Jan 30, 2024

Words: 432 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, a. overview of the three branches of government, b. checks and balances, c. importance of separation of powers, d. interactions between the branches.

• The Federalist Papers
• U.S. Constitution
• Supreme Court decisions

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The Roles of State and Federal Governments

A discussion of the roles of the state and federal governments, and their concurrent and exclusive powers.

Social Studies, Civics

President James Madison

“[T]he powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State,” Madison.

Painting by Gilbert Stuart from the U.S. Library of Congress

The United States is a constitution -based federal system, meaning power is distributed between a national ( federal ) government and local (state) governments. Although the Supremacy Clause states that the Constitution , federal laws, and treaties are the “supreme law of the land,” according to the Supreme Court, it is clear that the Constitution created a federal government of limited powers. The Supreme Court has noted that “every law enacted by Congress must be based on one or more of its powers enumerated in the Constitution .” These limited powers are set forth as what are termed “enumerated powers” in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution . These enumerated powers include, among other things, the power to levy taxes , regulate commerce, establish a uniform law of naturalization , establish federal courts (subordinate to the Supreme Court), establish and maintain a military, and declare war. In addition, the Necessary and Proper Clause has been interpreted by the Supreme Court to define “implied powers,” those which are necessary to carry out those powers enumerated in the Constitution . In McCulloch v. Maryland , Justice John Marshall set forth the doctrine of implied powers, stating, that a government entrusted with great powers must also be entrusted with the power to execute them. While the Constitution thus grants broad powers to the federal government, they are limited by the 10th Amendment, which states that “[t]he powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution , nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” As James Madison explained, “[t]he powers reserved to the several States will extend to all the objects which, in the ordinary course of affairs, concern the lives, liberties, and properties of the people, and the internal order, improvement, and prosperity of the State.” These reserved powers have generally been referred to as “police powers,” such as those required for public safety, health, and welfare. Finally, certain powers are called concurrent powers, which the states and the federal government both may exercise. These can include, for example, setting up courts, levying taxes , and spending and borrowing money. Typically, these are powers necessary for maintenance of public facilities. As can be appreciated, one of the difficulties in the federal system is determining which entity, if any, has the power to legislate in a particular realm. In general, the problem of conflicting laws between the states and the federal government has given rise to what is called the doctrine of preemption. Under this doctrine, based on the Supremacy Clause, if a state or local law conflicts with a federal law, the state or local law must give way (unless the federal law is itself unconstitutional , in other words, it exceeds the power of the federal government). As Justice Marshall put it in McCulloch v. Maryland , “[s]tates have no power, by taxation or otherwise, to retard, impede, burden, or in any manner control the operations of the Constitutional laws enacted by Congress to carry into execution the powers vested in the Federal Government.” Under this doctrine, the Supreme Court has indicated that the Supremacy Clause may entail preemption of state law either by express provision, by implication, or by a conflict between federal and state law. If there is an express provision in the legislation , or if there is an explicit conflict between the state law at issue and the federal law, the state law provision is immediately invalid. Field preemption occurs when Congress legislates in a way that is comprehensive to an entire field of an issue. Impossibility preemption occurs when it would be impossible for someone to comply with both state and federal laws. Purposes and objectives preemption occurs when the purposes and objectives of the federal law would be thwarted by the state law.

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Related Resources

Essay on Government

Students are often asked to write an essay on Government in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Government

What is government.

Government is a group of people who make decisions and laws for a country. They are responsible for providing services like education, healthcare, and security to the public.

Types of Government

There are different types of governments, such as democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and communism. In a democracy, people choose their leaders through voting.

Roles of Government

Governments have many roles. They protect citizens, make laws, and manage the economy. They also provide public services like schools and hospitals.

Importance of Government

Government is important because it maintains order, protects citizens, and provides necessary services. Without it, society would be chaotic.

250 Words Essay on Government

Introduction.

The term ‘Government’ fundamentally signifies the governing body of a nation or state that exercises authority, controls, and administers public policy. It is the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states.

The Role of Government

The government plays a crucial role in society by ensuring the smooth functioning of the nation. It is responsible for maintaining law and order, protecting citizens’ rights, and providing public services. The government also shapes the economy by implementing policies that either stimulate or slow down economic growth.

Governments can be categorized into several types based on their structure and the extent of power they exercise. These include democracy, where power is vested in the people; monarchy, where power is held by a single ruler; and autocracy, where a single person holds unlimited power.

Government and Democracy

In democratic governments, citizens have the right to elect their representatives who make decisions on their behalf. This system promotes accountability, transparency, and the protection of individual rights. However, democracy’s success hinges on an informed and active citizenry that can hold the government accountable.

In conclusion, the government is a fundamental institution in any society. It plays a pivotal role in maintaining societal order, ensuring the welfare of its citizens, and driving the nation’s growth and development. The efficiency of a government is largely determined by its structure, the extent of its powers, and the level of citizen participation.

500 Words Essay on Government

Introduction to government.

The government’s primary role is to safeguard the rights and freedoms of its citizens. This involves ensuring the security of the people, maintaining law and order, and providing public goods and services. A government has the responsibility to protect its citizens from internal and external threats, which is why it maintains law enforcement agencies and a military.

The government also plays a crucial role in economic regulation and stabilization. By controlling monetary and fiscal policies, it can influence the country’s economic trajectory, ensuring growth, stability, and equity. Furthermore, the government is responsible for the provision of public goods and services such as education, healthcare, infrastructure, and social welfare programs.

Forms of Government

In between these extremes, there are numerous variations, such as constitutional monarchies, where a monarch shares power with a constitutionally organized government, or oligarchies, where power rests with a small number of people.

The Importance of Good Governance

Good governance is integral to the effective functioning of a government. It is characterized by transparency, accountability, efficiency, and adherence to the rule of law. Good governance ensures that the government’s actions benefit the majority of the population and that public resources are used efficiently and ethically.

Conclusion: The Evolving Role of Government

In today’s rapidly changing world, the role of government is evolving. With the advent of technology and globalization, governments are not just confined to traditional roles but are increasingly involved in areas such as digital infrastructure, climate change, and global health crises.

As we move forward, the challenge for governments worldwide will be to adapt to these changes and continue to serve their citizens effectively. Understanding the nature, role, and complexities of government is crucial for us as we navigate the political landscape of the 21st century.

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America's Founding Documents

The Constitution: What Does it Say?

The Constitution of the United States contains a preamble and seven articles that describe the way the government is structured and how it operates. The first three articles establish the three branches of government and their powers: Legislative (Congress), Executive (office of the President,) and Judicial (Federal court system). A system of checks and balances prevents any one of these separate powers from becoming dominant. Articles four through seven describe the relationship of the states to the Federal Government, establish the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, and define the amendment and ratification processes.

Article I  assigns the responsibility for making laws to the Legislative Branch (Congress). Congress is divided into two parts, or “Houses,” the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bicameral Congress was a compromise between the large states, which wanted representation based on population, and the small ones, which wanted the states to have equal representation.

Article II details the Executive Branch and the offices of the President and Vice President. It lays down rules for electing the President (through the Electoral College), eligibility (must be a natural-born citizen at least 35 years old), and term length. The 12th and 25th Amendments modified some of these rules.

Article III

Article III establishes the Judicial Branch with the U.S. Supreme Court as the federal court system’s highest court. It specifies that Federal judges be appointed for life unless they commit a serious crime. This article is shorter than Articles I and II. The Federal Convention left much of the work of planning the court system to the First Congress. The 1789 Judiciary Act created the three-tiered court system in place today.

Article IV outlines states’ powers in relationship to each other. States have the authority to create and enforce their own laws but must respect and help enforce the laws of other states. Congress may pass Federal laws regarding how states honor other states’ laws and records.

Article V explains the amendment process, which is different and more difficult than the process for making laws. When two-thirds of the Senate and two-thirds of the House of Representatives vote to change the Constitution, an amendment goes to the state legislatures for a vote. Alternatively, two-thirds of the state legislatures can submit an application to Congress, and then Congress calls a national convention at which states propose amendments. Three-fourths of the state legislatures or state conventions must vote in favor of an amendment to ratify it.

Article VI states that Federal law is supreme, or higher than, state and local laws. This means that if a state law conflicts with a Federal law, Federal law takes precedence.

Article VII

Article VII describes the ratification process for the Constitution. It called for special state ratifying conventions. Nine states were required to enact the Constitution. Rhode Island became the 13th state to ratify the Constitution in 1790.

Back to Constitution main page How Did it Happen?

Roles and Responsibilities of the Government to Citizens

• Post author: Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC
• Post published: February 16, 2022
• Post category: Scholarly Articles

Responsibilities of the government to the citizens: Aside from making rules, the primary purpose of a government, according to its history, was to protect people from conflict and to provide law and order.People learned that staying together in groups and agreeing that one (or several) in the group should have greater power than others made it simpler to protect themselves.

A government must not only defend its population from one another, but also organize to prevent attack from the outside. Government responsibilities have expanded in recent years to include the economy and public service. The responsibility of the government to the citizens is deeply seated in the purpose of the foundation of government. The government’s responsibilities to citizens include the citizens’ responsibilities to the government.

Recommended: Types of Constitution: 6 Different Types of Constitution

Responsibilities Every Government has Towards its Citizens

Here are some of the responsibilities of the government to its citizens:

1. Maintenance of law and order: It is the government’s primary responsibility to preserve law and order and keep society peaceful. The executive arm of the government maintains law and order through its agencies, which include the police, military, and paramilitary.

We live in a society where law and order must be maintained. To keep the peace, the police must enforce the laws. While the courts ensure that violators receive legal punishment,

2. Provision of security : It is the government’s responsibility to protect the lives and property of individuals and the state. The state’s existence is predicated on the protection of life and property. The protection of life and property entails that citizens are free to go around without fear of being attacked or intimidated. For the defence of the state, the government is responsible for establishing agencies such as the police, army, and state security service.

The government is responsible for providing the supplies and equipment required for environmental protection. State creation necessitates the supply of equipment and personnel to ensure the security of state property and lives. This protection is not limited to individuals who live within the country, but also encompasses citizens who live outside of it.

Also see: Three Arms of Government and Their Functions

3. Provision of social welfare services : The government’s social obligation includes promoting people’s social and cultural lives. The government must create an environment that encourages cross-cultural interaction and marriage. Governments are virtually always required to provide fundamental services to their residents, such as road construction and firefighting, but they occasionally go above and beyond.

Many governments offer food, shelter, and medical treatment to individuals in need in order to ensure their citizens’ basic well-being. The government’s social responsibilities include the provision of parks, gardens, theatres, stadiums, and cultural areas. Citizens’ training and education in social areas of life is equally critical to their well-being. In socialism or social democratic regimes, this is a core government service, although it can be contentious in more capitalist countries.

4. Protection of Human Rights: The government’s primary responsibility is to preserve basic human rights such as the right to life, liberty, and property. As previously said, when society founded a government, the notion was that some people should be given more power in order to safeguard others. Natural rights are based on the belief that everyone deserves to have these rights. People are presumed to be born with these rights, which should not be taken away from them without their consent.

When these rights are infringed upon, the government owes it to the citizens to protect them. And the government can only accomplish this if the judiciary is independent and the law is supreme.

Also see: Positive and Negative Effects of Colonialism in Africa

5. Protection from external attack: It is the government’s job to establish positive external ties with other countries in order to promote peaceful cohabitation. However, in recent times, when wars and international squabbles have occurred, governments have also had to safeguard their citizens from external threats.

Most countries’ laws and constitutions state that the government is responsible for maintaining peace inside its boundaries. External aggressors should be kept at bay as well.

6. Economic stability: The government has a responsibility to ensure that the economy is efficient, dynamic, and self-sufficient. It must utilize national resources to the country’s advantage and maintain national economic control to ensure maximum welfare for citizens and reduce wealth concentration in a few hands.

They are to minimize unemployment, control inflation, encourage economic growth, and construct monetary systems that will aid in the growth and development of the economy. These services assist citizens in developing trust in the government while also encouraging foreign investment in the country.

A civilized government has a responsibility to combat poverty and enhance the lives of its residents. To do so, the government must establish an atmosphere that encourages materially better living standards and economic progress.

Also see: Differences Between Nazism and Fascism

7. Income redistribution : To spread the benefits of prosperity, governments should ensure that the economic pie becomes larger. The government accomplishes this by taxing the wealthy and distributing the proceeds to various groups of individuals who require these services.

They are also responsible for giving financial or in-kind assistance to people or families that lack the ability or opportunity to work.

As a result, one of the functions of government is to transfer resources from the wealthy to poorer people. They also redistribute resources from the young to the disabled, the socially marginalized, and the elderly. Furthermore, wealthier governments subsidize the poor with food, housing, pensions, and healthcare.

Most of the highlighted responsibilities of the government to its citizens are usually contained in the social contract chapter of the constitution. Depending on the jurisdiction, it may be enforceable if not fulfilled.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.

This Post Has One Comment

Hello ,my name is Arben Delija and to my understanding I would like to find a attorney to help me and my family have a better way of life in America the country I am born in I’m not sure if I use the word (sovereign) but feel like I would like to find out more information on how I can get answers to any bonds,money,etc and to live free like the constitution says we can and be given the affordability to do so and feel safe .There is much more I would like to talk

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Three Branches of Government

By: History.com Editors

Updated: September 4, 2019 | Original: November 17, 2017

The three branches of the U.S. government are the legislative, executive and judicial branches. According to the doctrine of separation of powers, the U.S. Constitution distributed the power of the federal government among these three branches, and built a system of checks and balances to ensure that no one branch could become too powerful.

Separation of Powers

The Enlightenment philosopher Montesquieu coined the phrase “trias politica,” or separation of powers, in his influential 18th-century work “Spirit of the Laws.” His concept of a government divided into legislative, executive and judicial branches acting independently of each other inspired the framers of the U.S. Constitution , who vehemently opposed concentrating too much power in any one body of government.

In the Federalist Papers , James Madison wrote of the necessity of the separation of powers to the new nation’s democratic government: “The accumulation of all powers, legislative, executive and judiciary, in the same hands, whether of one, a few, or many, and whether hereditary, self-appointed, or elected, may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”

Legislative Branch

According to Article I of the Constitution, the legislative branch (the U.S. Congress) has the primary power to make the country’s laws. This legislative power is divided further into the two chambers, or houses, of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate .

Members of Congress are elected by the people of the United States. While each state gets the same number of senators (two) to represent it, the number of representatives for each state is based on the state’s population.

Therefore, while there are 100 senators, there are 435 elected members of the House, plus an additional six non-voting delegates who represent the District of Columbia as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

In order to pass an act of legislation, both houses must pass the same version of a bill by majority vote. Once that happens, the bill goes to the president, who can either sign it into law or reject it using the veto power assigned in the Constitution.

In the case of a regular veto, Congress can override the veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses. Both the veto power and Congress’ ability to override a veto are examples of the system of checks and balances intended by the Constitution to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.

Executive Branch

Article II of the Constitution states that the executive branch , with the president as its head, has the power to enforce or carry out the laws of the nation.

In addition to the president, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces and head of state, the executive branch includes the vice president and the Cabinet; the State Department, Defense Department and 13 other executive departments; and various other federal agencies, commissions and committees.

Unlike members of Congress, the president and vice president are not elected directly by the people every four years, but through the electoral college system. People vote to select a slate of electors, and each elector pledges to cast his or her vote for the candidate who gets the most votes from the people they represent.

In addition to signing (or vetoing) legislation, the president can influence the country’s laws through various executive actions, including executive orders, presidential memoranda and proclamations. The executive branch is also responsible for carrying out the nation’s foreign policy and conducting diplomacy with other countries, though the Senate must ratify any treaties with foreign nations.

Judicial Branch

Article III decreed that the nation’s judicial power, to apply and interpret the laws, should be vested in “one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.”

The Constitution didn’t specify the powers of the Supreme Court or explain how the judicial branch should be organized, and for a time the judiciary took a back seat to the other branches of government.

But that all changed with Marbury v. Madison , an 1803 milestone case that established the Supreme Court’s power of judicial review, by which it determines the constitutionality of executive and legislative acts. Judicial review is another key example of the checks and balances system in action.

Members of the federal judiciary—which includes the Supreme Court, 13 U.S. Courts of Appeals and 94 federal judicial district courts—are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Federal judges hold their seats until they resign, die or are removed from office through impeachment by Congress.

Implied Powers of the Three Branches of Government

In addition to the specific powers of each branch that are enumerated in the Constitution, each branch has claimed certain implied powers, many of which can overlap at times. For example, presidents have claimed exclusive right to make foreign policy, without consultation with Congress.

In turn, Congress has enacted legislation that specifically defines how the law should be administered by the executive branch, while federal courts have interpreted laws in ways that Congress did not intend, drawing accusations of “legislating from the bench.”

The powers granted to Congress by the Constitution expanded greatly after the Supreme Court ruled in the 1819 case McCulloch v. Maryland that the Constitution fails to spell out every power granted to Congress.

Since then, the legislative branch has often assumed additional implied powers under the “necessary and proper clause” or “elastic clause” included in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.

Checks and Balances

“In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty is this: You must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place, oblige it to control itself,” James Madison wrote in the Federalist Papers . To ensure that all three branches of government remain in balance, each branch has powers that can be checked by the other two branches. Here are ways that the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches keep one another in line:

· The president (head of the executive branch) serves as commander in chief of the military forces, but Congress (legislative branch) appropriates funds for the military and votes to declare war. In addition, the Senate must ratify any peace treaties.

· Congress has the power of the purse, as it controls the money used to fund any executive actions.

· The president nominates federal officials, but the Senate confirms those nominations.

· Within the legislative branch, each house of Congress serves as a check on possible abuses of power by the other. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate have to pass a bill in the same form for it to become law.

· Once Congress has passed a bill, the president has the power to veto that bill. In turn, Congress can override a regular presidential veto by a two-thirds vote of both houses.

· The Supreme Court and other federal courts (judicial branch) can declare laws or presidential actions unconstitutional, in a process known as judicial review.

· In turn, the president checks the judiciary through the power of appointment, which can be used to change the direction of the federal courts

· By passing amendments to the Constitution, Congress can effectively check the decisions of the Supreme Court.

· Congress can impeach both members of the executive and judicial branches.

Separation of Powers, The Oxford Guide to the United States Government . Branches of Government, USA.gov . Separation of Powers: An Overview, National Conference of State Legislatures .

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• Americans’ Views of Government’s Role: Persistent Divisions and Areas of Agreement

Wide majorities of Biden and Trump supporters oppose cuts to Social Security

Table of contents.

• Views on the efficiency of government
• Views on the government’s regulation of business
• Confidence in the nation’s ability to solve problems
• Views on the effect of government aid to the poor
• Views on government’s role in health care
• Views on the future of Social Security
• Trust in government
• Feelings toward the federal government
• Acknowledgments
• The American Trends Panel survey methodology

Note: A new report is available as of Aug. 26, 2024: “ The Political Values of Harris and Trump Supporters .” The report and its accompanying detailed tables update the material in this report, examining how these issues are viewed by supporters of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

Vote preference used in the new report was measured in a survey conducted Aug. 5-11, 2024, after Joe Biden had exited the presidential race. The values data in the new report was measured in the same survey used in this report, conducted April 8-14.

The patterns of opinion in the new report are largely the same as those discussed in this report (which used Biden/Trump preferences as of April).

Pew Research Center conducted this study to understand Americans’ attitudes about U.S. government, such as its size and role.

This report is based primarily on a survey of 8,709 adults, including 7,166 registered voters, from April 8 to 14, 2024. Some of the analysis in this report is based on a survey of 8,638 adults from May 13 to 19, 2024.

Everyone who took part in these surveys is a member of the Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national, random sampling of residential addresses. This way nearly all U.S. adults have a chance of selection. The survey is weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population by gender, race, ethnicity, partisan affiliation, education and other categories. Read more about the ATP’s methodology .

Here are the questions used for the report and its methodology .

While the economy, immigration and abortion have emerged as major issues in the 2024 election, Joe Biden and Donald Trump also have dramatically different ideas about the size and role of government.

These differences reflect decades-old divisions between Democrats and Republicans over the scope of government.

Among registered voters, large majorities of Biden supporters – roughly three-quarters or more – favor a bigger, more activist government.

• 74% say they would rather have a bigger government providing more services.
• 76% say government should do more to solve problems.
• 80% say government aid to the poor “does more good than harm.”

Trump supporters, by comparable margins, take the opposing view on all three questions.

The Pew Research Center survey of 8,709 adults – including 7,166 registered voters – conducted April 8-14, 2024, examines Americans’ views of the role and scope of government , the social safety net and long-term trends in trust in the federal government .

Democratic support for bigger government is little changed in the last five years but remains higher than it was a decade ago. Republicans’ views have shifted less over the last 10 years.

Among all adults, about three-quarters of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents favor a bigger government, up from about six-in-ten in 2014 and 2015. The share of Republicans and Republican leaners who prefer a bigger government has increased only modestly over the same period.

Democratic support for bigger government, while slightly lower than in 2021 (78%), remains at nearly its highest level in five decades. During Bill Clinton’s presidency in the 1990s, fewer than half of Democrats said they preferred a bigger government with more services.

Voters continue to express very different views about government’s role in specific areas than about the government generally.

A large majority of voters (80%) – including 82% of Biden supporters and 78% of Trump supporters – say that in thinking about the long-term future of Social Security, benefits should not be reduced in any way.

However, Biden supporters are more likely than Trump supporters to say Social Security should cover more people with greater benefits.

• 46% of Biden supporters favor expanding Social Security coverage and benefits, compared with 28% of Trump supporters.

Most Americans (65%) continue to say the federal government has a responsibility to make sure all Americans have health care coverage.

Democrats overwhelmingly (88%) say the federal government has this responsibility, compared with 40% of Republicans.

The share of Republicans who say the government has a responsibility to provide health coverage has increased 8 percentage points since 2021, from 32% to 40%.

There are wide income differences among Republicans in opinions about the government’s role in health care:

• 56% of Republicans with lower family incomes say the government has a responsibility to provide health coverage for all, compared with 36% of those with middle incomes and 29% of higher-income Republicans.

When asked how the government should provide health coverage, 36% of Americans say it should be provided through a single national program, while 28% say it should be through a mix of government and private programs. These views have changed little in recent years.

Democrats continue to be more likely than Republicans to favor a “single payer” government health insurance program (53% vs. 18%).

Other key findings in this report

• Americans’ trust in the federal government remains low but has modestly increased since last year. Today, 22% of American adults say they trust the government to do what is right always or most of the time, which is up from 16% in June 2023.
• While the public overall is divided over the nation’s ability to solve important problems, young adults are notably pessimistic about the country’s ability to solve problems . About half of Americans (52%) say the U.S. can’t solve many of its important problems, while 47% say it can find a way to solve problems and get what it wants. Roughly six-in-ten adults under age 30 (62%) say the nation can’t solve major problems, the highest share in any age group and 16 points higher than two years ago.

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The Political Values of Harris and Trump Supporters

As robert f. kennedy jr. exits, a look at who supported him in the 2024 presidential race, harris energizes democrats in transformed presidential race, many americans are confident the 2024 election will be conducted fairly, but wide partisan differences remain, joe biden, public opinion and his withdrawal from the 2024 race, most popular, report materials.

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Essay: Responsibilities of Citizenship

When the Framers presented the Constitution to the American people for ratification, they believed that they had crafted a system of government that would protect people’s natural rights as outlined in the Declaration of Independence.

In order to participate fully in the republic, the Founders believed that citizens should educate themselves on important policy issues to be informed voters.

In order to participate fully in the republic, the Founders believed that citizens should educate themselves on important policy issues to be informed voters. The structure of the Constitution allowed citizens to participate fully, and it would prevent public officials from taking advantage of the system or the citizens themselves. While only white property-holding men could vote in colonial America, the franchise expanded over time. When writing their state constitutions after breaking from Great Britain, many of the new states in the United States opened the franchise to include more groups. Some states included free black men in their voting pool, but others continued to limit the franchise to white men. Many decades later, in 1870, African-American men were granted the right to vote. Women did not obtain suffrage until 1920.

Voting is a basic right that is paramount to participation in our republic, but it is not the only way in which citizens can be involved.

It is the responsibility of American citizens to inform themselves, vote, and engage in civil discourse at all levels: local, state, and national. At the local level, active participation probably has the most immediate effect, since it is local politics that has the most direct effect on everyday life of most Americans. Often, an individual’s first political experience is at the local level. People begin their political careers by running for local office or working for a local campaign, then move on to state or national politics. Citizen participation at the local level can include private philanthropic activities, like donating time or money to charitable causes, or public activities such as serving on jury duty or working at the polls during an election.

Citizen participation at the local level can include private philanthropic activities, like donating time or money to charitable causes, or public activities such as serving on jury duty or working at the polls during an election.

While James Madison understood that a healthy republic was impossible without engaged citizens, he also recognized that in a free nation people would divide into competing interests for a variety of reasons. For instance, plantation owners would be interested in legislation about shipping, import taxes, and transportation between states, while fishermen in New England would be concerned with whether the United States could protect their ships while they were fishing in open oceans or near their shores. These interests tend to focus on their own needs, sometimes at the expense of the needs of other persons or groups. Although Madison acknowledged that self-interest drives most people, he believed that people could exercise good judgment and moderation in the pursuit of their goals.

The prudent legislator, Madison thought, would balance the interests of his own community with the interests of the nation as a whole.

Madison understood that there would be many competing interests throughout the nation. In  Federalist No. 10  (1787), Madison proposed a way to keep interests in check. He believed that in a large republic with a multiplicity of competing interests, none would be able to maintain a permanent advantage. Individuals with similar interests would form coalitions or partnerships. Madison also believed that coalition politics would become a practical necessity, but that coalition building would promote moderate politics. Likewise, the Constitution provided a means—the separation of powers—to protect against individuals who might abuse the position to which they were elected, and consequently, the public trust. While not Madison’s original intention, it is from these coalitions that political parties, special interest groups, and lobbying firms formed. These groups may be active in local, state, or federal government.

At the local level, active participation probably has the most immediate effect, since it is local politics that has the most direct effect on everyday life of most Americans.

From the time of the Founding through the Civil War, most Americans identified with their home state rather than the country. Citizens would identify themselves as a Pennsylvanian or a Virginian not as an American. Following the Civil War, Americans were attempting to put the country back together, and with the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment, all persons born or naturalized in the United States were granted citizenship. Also during the second half of the nineteenth century, millions of immigrants began to arrive in the United States. Changes in the makeup of the citizenry brought about vast changes in the participation in government as well. Women began to organize to fight for the right to vote; white supremacy groups organized; states passed segregation laws; and immigrants fought against discrimination pertaining to their religion or country of origin. These groups asserted their rights of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly and petition through writings, speeches, rallies, elections, and other modes. Despite your opinions on the beliefs of any of these groups, they were all participating citizens.

In Federalist No. 1 , Alexander Hamilton asserted that: “It seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force” (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist No. 1 , 1787).

The Founders knew that good judgment as well as good morals would be necessary in order to perpetuate “good government from reflection and choice.” The American people and public officials need to keep their interests in check by exercising self-restraint and moderation. Not only the electorate but also the elected would need the qualities of character that Madison and other leading Founders considered to be imperative to the success of any nation—a public conscience, vigilance, and dedication to something larger than oneself.

Related Content

Responsibilities of Citizenship

This lesson provides activities that help students analyze characteristics of good citizenship.

Home / Essay Samples / Government / American Government / The Role of Government in Society: Why is It Important

The Role of Government in Society: Why is It Important

• Category: Government , Science
• Topic: American Government , Global Governance , Political Culture

Pages: 3 (1450 words)

• Downloads: -->

Role of Government 

Function of government .

• The main function of government is to protect basic human rights, including the right to life, liberty, and property rights. The idea of natural rights is due to the fact that everyone deserves these rights. These are the rights that a God gave humans beings when they were born. It is assumed that people are born with these rights and should not be stripped of them without their consent.
• Government has a duty to fight poverty and improve the quality of life of its citizens. To achieve this, the government must create an environment that is good for prosperity and economic growth.
• All modern governments accept the responsibility of protecting the political and social rights of their citizens.
• Government can participate directly in the economy for promoting various economic activities.
• The function of government is to form a more perfect Union.
• Government is form to establish justice in the society.
• Government can provide health services, education and welfare services to the peoples of the societies.
• Government can promote the common well-being in the state or the country.
• Government provides security to the peoples live within a country or a state.
• The government provides public services because the public is happier if they are taken care of and they also need support.
• It gives national security because the defense of a country must be structured to ensure the safety and health of its population
• Government can sets the laws, rules and regulations in the country because we need rules to determine how well a nation works so people know how to act. To enforce the 'rule of law', the government must operate a system of laws and courts.
• Managing foreign affairs is one of the most important functions that the government performs.
• One of the most important functions of government is to protect civil liberties.

Significance of Government 

Branches of government .

• Executive branch
• Legislative branch
• Judiciary branch

Executive Branch

Legislative branch, judiciary branch, levels of government .

• Federal government
• State and territory government
• Local government

Federal Government

State and territory government, local government, system of government.

• Unitary system
• Federal system
• Confederate system

Unitary System

Federal system, confederate system.

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