A government is a group or board of people governing a society, usually a nation. In the United States the system of government consists of several organs including: The federal government, State government, local government and the courts. The members of the government constitute government at-will, with-hold or emergency powers. The term ‘government at-will’ means that government can disinherit or appoint whomever it chooses whenever it wants. This article will look at the various types of government at-will.
A major part of government at-will is when the government provides for the production of public goods that benefit all citizens of the nation. Public goods are usually essential to the economic well being of a country as they are needed by individuals to make their lives easier. For example, food, fuel, shelter, healthcare and education are all important public goods. However, the government often fails to provide for these goods in a sufficient manner leading to social decay, corruption and poor leadership.
A form of a participatory government at-will is when citizens decide how they will use their wealth and resources and how they will share them with others. When this system exists there is no formal institution of slavery or involuntary servitude and no legal restrictions on wealth acquisition or transfer. Citizens and their representatives are allowed to pursue their own personal, religious beliefs and values or participate in public programs. If, however, a country has a sufficiently developed system of direct democracy where citizens are allowed to govern themselves freely without the interference of a centralized power structure such as a government must be based upon self-rule rather than collectivism.
Direct democracy requires a highly developed system of indirect democracy, which is nothing more than a form of indirect autarchy. In indirect autarchy the government serves the people through its agents. In a direct democracy the people serve the government through its elected representatives. In essence, a participatory democratic government must end up with a ruling elite which has absolute power over the people through their votes and/or their representatives. Such an elite group must be responsive to the will of the majority of the people within that community and be willing to use its position to defend that will against any assault by an opposition which does not have popular support.
Unlike capitalism, socialism is based upon the idea that humans are inherently equal and that some degree of economic activity is the natural right of all citizens. In socialism, the means by which the distribution of wealth occurs is controlled by the state. In capitalism, private individuals voluntarily exchange their goods for money, which represents the true nature of capitalism. In socialism, public goods are administered through the intervention of the state. In short, the state creates value through its regulation of business activities, whereas private enterprise creates value for its own sake.
Under democracy, people are permitted to pursue their own private interests but are directed toward the general good of society as a whole. The concept of democracy is not limited to economics, however, since it also encompasses the promotion of social justice. By extension, this means that public goods and services are provided to all, regardless of ability to pay. The distribution of wealth is equally distributed between rich and poor, so that everyone has access to the basic necessities of life. By contrast, in a truly democratic economy, those with real property are protected from the adverse effects of economic fluctuations by being able to engage in rent control or other protective measures. A true democracy does not allow big businesses to dominate small businesses and serve their will via ownership of the means of production.