In the modern world, we can see that society is government itself and the society governs itself. The democracy form of governance which has been accepted by almost the entire world in the modern times. The first accepted form of leadership and governance was that of tribal leaders, followed by monarchy and democracy. The term society is quite a heavy, important and is almost synonymous to the terms mankind and human existence. Prominent sociological thinkers, scientists and philosophers like, Émile Durkheim, Max Webber and Karl Marx have studied the human behavior as a member of society. The tribal leaders and monarchy which were earliest forms of government had basically evolved because men chose to follow come capable leaders.
The democratic form was however a form of government where men chose to elect their own leaders. Both these forms were products of society and according to many sociologists, they came into being to sever the society by governing it. Thus, government in today's world plays a critical role in society because it is a product of the society.
Role of Government in Society
In the early times of tribal leaders and early monarchs, the government had a laissez-faire policy meaning that the government and the leading king were principally bestowed a role where in they undertook the duty of only defending their people and lands. However as the times progressed the duties that were to be executed by the governing parties became more and more complicated and difficult with each passing day. The Greek, Roman, Harappan, Egyptian and Babylonian civilizations had governments that had a fantastic system of governance which helped them to cope with all possible problems even in everyday life.
The democratic form was however a form of government where men chose to elect their own leaders. Both these forms were products of society and according to many sociologists, they came into being to sever the society by governing it. Thus, government in today's world plays a critical role in society because it is a product of the society.
Role of Government in Society
In the early times of tribal leaders and early monarchs, the government had a laissez-faire policy meaning that the government and the leading king were principally bestowed a role where in they undertook the duty of only defending their people and lands. However as the times progressed the duties that were to be executed by the governing parties became more and more complicated and difficult with each passing day. The Greek, Roman, Harappan, Egyptian and Babylonian civilizations had governments that had a fantastic system of governance which helped them to cope with all possible problems even in everyday life.
- Military Duties: The oldest function of every ruler was to provide sufficient protection from foreign aggression to the people. The military duties have substantially increased as several new components such as external affairs, alliances, treaties and development of arms and related manpower have also come into being. The military duties of the government are extremely important due to the fact that they insure the integrity of the nation and thus help civilization, economic activity and social components within, thrive.
- Civic Amenities: The second most important role of government in society is the provision of civic amenities. Human habitation of a particular area or land requires some basic amenities such as sanitation, hygiene and a secure environment to live in.
- Education: The proper role of government in education is the provision of education. Every society needs knowledge to think and food for thought is derived from this knowledge. An essential function that is to be fulfilled by the government is providing all levels of education to the people, right from small kindergarten schools to universities. Education is a profound need of any human society as it makes mankind rational, intellectually enriched and thoughtful. Hence to complete all the elements of society, one of the most important role of government in society is providing adequate education.
- Justice and Administration: In order to prevent haywire and chaotic functioning in the society, it is essential to have some simple mechanisms and laws. Such laws may include, small unspoken norms such as standing in a line for the bus or can be of complex nature and may include complex tax laws. This function which is also known as judicial function, basically helps the society to function smoothly. This judicial function also includes the role of government in business as in the modern era, as the growing volume of economic activity needs good mercantile laws for governance. The economic activities also need some infrastructure and support such as banks and foreign trade, which further increases the importance of the role of government in economy.