government - the institution through which a society makes and enforces its public policies.Government is made up of those people who exercise its powers, all those who have authority and control over people.

public policies - the public policies of a government are, in short, all of those things a government decides to do. Public polcies cover matters ranging from taxation, defense, education, crime, and health care to transportation, the environment, civil rights, and working conditions.

Every government has and exercises three basic kinds of power:

legislative power - power to make law and to frame public policies

executive power - the power to execute, enforce, and administer law

judicial power - the power to interpret laws, to determine their meaning, and to settles disputes that arise within the society

constitution - the body of fundamental laws setting out the principles, structures, and processes of a government

dictatorship - the ultimate responsibiity for the exircise of these powers may be held by a single person or by a small group, as in a dictatorship

democracy - the responsibilty for the exercise of powers rests with a majority of the people

sovereign - spreme and abosute power within its own territoty and can decide its own foreign and domestic policies. it is neither subordinate nor responsible to any other authority.

 

Standards: 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, 12.5