Concept of Government and Relationship between State and Government.
Louis the Fourteenth of France used to say, “I am the state.” In his day the state and the government counted as one thing. Today they do not. Bangladesh has changed its government many times, and the state is the same state. This note shows what a government is, what it does, and where it differs from the state.
1. What a government is and does
Government is an essential element of a state. No state can be formed without one, and it is through the government that the state is run.
The government does three kinds of work: making laws, running the administration, and judicial work. So it has three organs: the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.
The legislature enacts the laws a country needs. The executive enforces those laws and so governs the country. The judiciary punishes the guilty and frees the innocent, and in this way establishes justice in society. Put the three in order.
in ordermake, enforce, judge
Path of law
Whose work comes first of all?
Right. And then?
Not yet. Without a law there is nothing to enforce or to judge.
Right order: make the law, enforce the law, then judge. The three organs together are the government.
So the government refers to that population which is associated with a state's law making, governance and establishing of justice.
In a democratic state the people form the government through an election. The government then works as the agent of its people.
2. State and government are not the same
In ancient times no difference was drawn between state and government. Louis the Fourteenth’s “I am the state” belongs to that age. In modern times there are vast differences between the two.
Formation: a state is formed of four elements, population, territory, government and sovereignty, and government is one of them. Population: the state consists of all the people of a country, while the government consists of the persons employed in the legislature, executive and judiciary.
Permanence: the state is a permanent institution, but the government is temporary and changeable. The government of Bangladesh has changed many times, but the state has stayed as it was.
Nature: all states share the same nature and characteristics, but the nature of government varies from state to state. Sovereignty: the state possesses absolute power, and the government is only the agent that implements it. Concept: the state is abstract and cannot be seen; the government is concrete, because the persons who make it up can be seen. Tap the grid and check the six differences.
gridsix differences: tap a cell
State and government
difference
state
government
Formation
four elements
one element
Population
all the people
persons employed in the three organs
Permanence
permanent
temporary, changeable
Nature
same everywhere
varies
Sovereignty
possessor
implementer
Concept
abstract
concrete
Population, territory, government and sovereignty make up the state. Government is one of those elements, the one by which the state is run.
The state holds all the people of the country. The government holds only those employed in the legislature, executive and judiciary.
The state is permanent, the government temporary and changeable. Bangladesh has changed its government many times, and the state has not changed.
All states have the same nature and characteristics. A government’s nature and characteristics differ from one state to another.
The state is sovereign, the possessor of absolute power. The government is only the agent that implements that power.
The state is an abstract concept and cannot be seen. The government is concrete, because the persons who make it up are visible.
Drag time from the ancient age into the modern one. Each step the government changes; does the line of the state move?
governments changedrag the time
the state stays, governments go
The government numbers are a sketch. The book says only that Bangladesh's government has changed many times.
Now take a few statements and say whether each is about the state or the government.
spot thempermanent versus temporary
Which one?
The state. The state is the permanent institution. The government is temporary.
The government. The government of Bangladesh has changed many times, the state has not.
The state. The state is an abstract concept. The persons in a government can be seen, so the government is concrete.
The government. The state possesses sovereign power, the government implements it.
Both. In the age of Louis the Fourteenth, that is in ancient times, no difference was drawn between state and government. In modern times it is.
All five seen. Permanent, abstract, possessor: the state. Temporary, concrete, implementer: the government.
Despite the differences, the two are closely related. A government is formed only to run the state.
3. Check yourself
Three questions, in the book’s own words.
check yourselfpick one answer
Question 1
One of the main elements of the formation of a state is-
That is not the answer: Legislature. Government is one of the four elements of a state.
That is not the answer: Secretariat. Government is one of the four elements of a state.
Right. Government is one of the four elements of a state.
That is not the answer: Institution. Government is one of the four elements of a state.
Think a little on the second.
check yourselfpick one answer
Question 2
'A' is the government of a country. In running the state, 'A' will do-
i. i. making laws ii. ii. governing iii. iii. judicial matters
This combination does not match; the true statements are i, ii and iii. The government does legislative, executive and judicial functions.
This combination does not match; the true statements are i, ii and iii. The government does legislative, executive and judicial functions.
This combination does not match; the true statements are i, ii and iii. The government does legislative, executive and judicial functions.
Right. The government does legislative, executive and judicial functions.
The last one is about how state and government relate.
check yourselfpick one answer
Question 3
Suman is the supreme authority of his area and its head; through him the sovereign power of the area is implemented. Whose sovereign power does this represent?
That is not the answer: The people's. The government is only the implementer of sovereign power.
That is not the answer: The society's. The government is only the implementer of sovereign power.
Right. The government is only the implementer of sovereign power.
That is not the answer: The family's. The government is only the implementer of sovereign power.
The whole note on seven cards.
cut from the notetap to turn over
Seven cards
QuestionWhich three kinds of functions does the government perform?
AnswerLegislative, executive and judicial functions.
QuestionWhat does government refer to?
AnswerThat population associated with law making, governance and establishing justice.
Question"I am the state", who used to say this?
AnswerLouis the fourteenth of France.
QuestionWhich of state and government is permanent, and which is temporary and changeable?
AnswerThe state is permanent; the government is temporary and changeable.
QuestionWho possesses sovereign power and who implements it?
AnswerThe state possesses it; the government only implements it.
QuestionWhich of state and government is abstract and which is concrete?
AnswerThe state is abstract; the government is concrete.
QuestionHow are state and government related, and why is a government formed?
AnswerClosely; a government is formed only for running the state.
Source: Civics and Citizenship, Classes 9-10 (NCTB), Chapter 1 “Civics and Citizenship”, the “Concept of Government and Relationship between State and Government” part.