# What Is the Primary Function of Government **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 8, 2010, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432 "2010-10-08T00:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Blaster\_Master](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/cab0a1/32.png) [@Blaster\_Master](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blaster_Master)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/41 "2010-10-10T04:15:07Z")
Seems to me that it’s to declare the rights/responsibilities of the governed and to protect/enforce them. In a government leaning toward totalitarianism, it will tend to have fewer rights and more responsibilities for it’s citizens, and it will tend to use lots of force, or threat of force, to enforce them. In a government leaning toward libertarianism, it will likely have more rights and fewer responsibilities, but is also likely to do much less to enforce them. A modern democracy will tend to be somewhere in the middle, declaring a number of rights (speech, religion, etc.) and responsibilites (taxes, laws, etc.), and will use some force (imprisonment, fees, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/42 "2010-10-10T09:38:27Z")
A government should; [ul] [li]Maintain order and stability.[/li][li]Related to that, set and enforce safety standards.[/li][li]Help people who cannot help themselves.[/li][li]Protect people from unnecessary harm.[/li][li]Allow people to do whatever they want, unless it negatively impacts other people.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/43 "2010-10-10T13:09:17Z")
Establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/44 "2010-10-10T18:07:56Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > To establish justice, secure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty. Y’know, like in that song. I’d’a said the function was hooking up words and phrases and clauses, but yours is good, too. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/45 "2010-10-10T18:48:30Z")
> [@Unintentionally\_Blank](#): > > > [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > > > The primary function of government is not to “help” me or “give” me things. The primary function of government is to assist in the protection and defense of my individual freedoms & liberties. > > Except for things like, you know, roads. And hurricanes…and education…and the development of things like Nuclear power… > > Government can’t easily be lumped into one or two things. A lot of conservatives like **Crafter\_Man** are still thinking in terms of the pre-industrial political philosophy of John Locke. Well, so were the Framers. But that dissonance shows an important point: The proper “primary function of government” **is not timeless,** but varies by the historical circumstances of the society it governs. E.g., the U.S. is a modern scientific-industrial state – **not** having public education would be unthinkable if we are to remain competitive in a global economy – therefore education is a proper primary function regardless of whether it can be fit into a “protection of individual freedoms” paradigm. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/46 "2010-10-10T22:11:39Z")
This is very enlightening thread. My response is that the function of government should be protection of individual liberty. That, of course, gets messy and complicated in the real world. However I still believe that the government should not exist to provide \*things \*to people but to provide the liberty needed so that individuals can create and use those things that they need/want. In other words, each individual should be responsible for providing for their own life and the government should be responsible for protecting the liberty of each individual so that they can do so. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/47 "2010-10-10T22:27:45Z")
Deliver the mail and protect the coast. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/48 "2010-10-10T22:34:28Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > E.g., the U.S. is a modern scientific-industrial state – **not** having public education would be unthinkable if we are to remain competitive in a global economy – therefore education is a proper primary function regardless of whether it can be fit into a “protection of individual freedoms” paradigm. Why should assuring that we “remain competitive in a global economy” itself be a function of government? ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2010, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/49 "2010-10-10T23:17:50Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > > E.g., the U.S. is a modern scientific-industrial state – **not** having public education would be unthinkable if we are to remain competitive in a global economy – therefore education is a proper primary function regardless of whether it can be fit into a “protection of individual freedoms” paradigm. > > Why should assuring that we “remain competitive in a global economy” itself be a function of government? I’d say that falls under the heading of “promoting the general welfare” of the nation’s citizenry. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/50 "2010-10-11T00:17:23Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/51 "2010-10-11T00:52:46Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > To collect taxes from the peons I am currently refraining from executing so that they can toil in my vineyards to raise money for taxes. Hail Ming! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/52 "2010-10-11T00:54:24Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > > [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > > To collect taxes from the peons I am currently refraining from executing so that they can toil in my vineyards to raise money for taxes. > > Hail Ming! 😃 :mad: Ming shall kneel before Zod! ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/53 "2010-10-11T00:57:57Z")
Ummmm, well then… Hail Zod! ---
**Author:** ![A.Selene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ec8ea/32.png) [@A.Selene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.Selene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/54 "2010-10-11T14:49:42Z")
To maximize both the freedoms and securities of the people it governs. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/55 "2010-10-11T23:12:02Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > What is the primary function of government? I don’t mean there can’t be any other functions but what should its main purpose and duty be? To me Governments function is to restrict the rights of people by punishment for a people who do not know the ways of Love. It’s the devil’s alternative to God. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2010, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/56 "2010-10-11T23:33:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > > [@SteveG1](#): > > > > Hail Ming! 😃 > > :mad: Ming shall kneel before Zod! Like I wouldn’t keep kryptonite bullets around just in case. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/57 "2010-10-12T00:03:04Z")
To govern to the laws agreed via a democratic vote, ensure a strong economy and to supply those services that the market cannot or wont provide at a reasonable cost. protection from external parties is a role of government if that is what the populace wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/58 "2010-10-12T01:09:10Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > > > What is the primary function of government? I don’t mean there can’t be any other functions but what should its main purpose and duty be? > > To me Governments function is to restrict the rights of people by punishment for a people who do not know the ways of Love. It’s the devil’s alternative to God. Except according to Romans government is instituted by God and agents of the government are His servants (indirectly of course). ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2010, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/59 "2010-10-12T01:26:26Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > > [@LouisB](#): > > > > What does the OP consider to be the primary function of government? > > To restrain evil and maintain order. To promote good too. ---
**Author:** ![adhay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@adhay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhay)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432/60 "2010-10-14T17:58:18Z")
According to Madison, the proper function of govt is to protect the property/interests of the “opulent” minority from the depredations of the poor (much larger) majority. That exactly is what the Constitution provides for with enough “democracy” thrown in to make it reasonable with the masses. It mostly worked fine while there was land/resources to steal from the indigenous Americans and anyone could become rich by moving West. Now, who has a chance but the CEOs and big investors who own the govt? Has the “common man” _really_ ever had anything to say about our foreign and domestic policies? I think the proper functions of govt should be to protect its citizens from coercion be it economic, physical or moral and assure and facilitate the equitable distribution of the country’s resources. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-primary-function-of-government/556432.md?page=4)