The development of a society, country or nation means that there is a balance in all facets of society, integrated to ensure transformation and sustainable growth. Government on the other hand, is a term which broadly understood means the ordering of a group or community by a central organization or it may refer to central organization itself. Thus, we may speak of a government of a club, private association or a church as well as the government or state or bodies politic. But when narrowed to its political meaning, government refers to the management or administration of the state. And for the purpose of this blog post, we would look at it from this angle.
The findings of anthropology suggest that the origins of the governments are tribal and monarchic. Primitive societies are generally based on familial relationships and authority is often times execised either by a man who is a patriarch or by a woman, who is a matriarch, recognized by the others as the leader. Until the last two centuries and a half, the idea was common amongst political thinkers in the west, that men once lived in a state of nature in which there was no government or state, and that these men once lived in a state of nature in which there was no government or state, and that these men then joined together binding themselves with a social contract to bring a government into being which would serve their common interests. However, this view of the origin of society and government has been wholly rejected by modern scientific studies.
All forms of government, however different they may be are similar in certain aspects. The main purpose of government is for the advancement of society. In other words, the purpose of all governments include the maintenance of law and public order, the defense of society against external enemies, and the progress and advancement of what is thought to be the welfare of the society or the state.
All governments promulgate laws binding upon all members of society and enforce these laws by virtue of their sovereign power. Yet, all governments endure only so long as they manage to enforce their will. Men in times past, and still presently have continually experimented with the forms of government, speculated about them and analyzed their advantages and disadvantages.
The republic of Plato and politics of Aristotle were classic efforts by the Greeks of the pre- Christian era to define the possibilities and the ideals of government. Western political theory is seen to have evolved from the writings of these philosophers and from the experiences of the Greek City states.
In broad terms, one can say that governments may be based upon the rule of one person, whether monarch, dictator, or tyrant; a small clique; many persons as in a republic or by all persons in the society as in a pure democracy; a small number of persons as in an oligarchy, aristocracy or military clique.
Every good government and subsequently good governance will ultimately end up in peace, progress, prosperity, advancement and finally the development of the people and society at large. Regardless of the type of rule the government is based upon, the fact remains that a leader who is unselfish and considerate; who refuses to be enticed by frivolous and profligate measures and pleasures, and the immediate need to gratify them at the expense of the welfare of his subjects, will run the affairs of the state effectively with equity and justice. In such cases, development in all ramifications of the society is imminent, achievable and attainable.
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