Government is a group of people that has the power to rule over a territory, whether it be an entire country, state within a country, or a city or town. Governments make laws, collect taxes, and control the use of force in order to protect citizens. Governments also provide valuable goods and services, such as public education, police departments, mail service, and food, housing, and health care for all. Governments may be elected or appointed. They may be democratic, parliamentary, presidential, or federal.
People have different ideas about what role governments should play in their lives, which leads to a variety of different kinds of governments. Generally speaking, though, most governments are formed to meet certain fundamental needs. Some governments serve as protection against foreign invasion, while others provide goods and services to all citizens (as well as the rich and poor). The specific tasks that a government performs are determined by what the people want from it.
The most obvious function of a government is to make laws, and it does this by using a process called democracy. In a democratic government, a few people out of everyone are elected to make laws for the whole country. This is called a representative democracy, and in the United States, this happens through Congress.
After making laws, a government must make sure that these laws are followed. It does this by having a system of justice that lists the crimes that can be committed and describes the punishments for them. It also has a military to defend the country against foreign attack.
Governments also provide economic goods and services by raising money through taxes on income, property, and sales. This money is then used by the local, state, and national governments to pay for things like public schools, fire departments, police forces, and maintenance of roads and parks. Governments may also regulate business activities in an attempt to protect consumers, ensure the safety of products, and encourage innovation. Governments are also responsible for regulating the supply of natural resources, such as oil, coal, and water.
Another important function of a government is to redistribute wealth. This is done by taking taxes from people who are working and then giving some of this money to other people in the community who are not working (unemployment benefits, for example) or to people who are very old or sick (Social Security).
Governments also make international trade agreements and negotiate with other countries to avoid war. They also have diplomats who try to solve problems and disagreements between countries by having meetings and exchanges of cultural, social, or technological experiences and knowledge.