What is Government for?
In a recent article, Kevin Schaal, writing in response to comments about Tim Keller on abortion, politics, and law, made a statement about the purpose of government:
The most basic responsibility of human government is the protection of life.
One of our readers raised a question about this point in a comment we thought worth a longer reply, hence today’s article. Here is the question (lightly edited):
[I wonder] about the idea that the purpose of government is to protect. Based on Genesis and Romans the government’s job is to execute justice … [when you say] the governments job is to protect, [it] opens the door to arbitrary measures in the name of protection.
What is the purpose of government?
According to the United States Constitution, the American government has six purposes:
“We the People of the United States, in Order to (1) form a more perfect Union, (2) establish Justice, (3) insure domestic Tranquility, (4) provide for the common defence, (5) promote the general Welfare, and (6) secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (Numbering added for clarity.)
In a quick survey of internet discussions on this question, we find that some will list these six purposes, others list five, still others list four.
For example:
“Governments of all the countries, including the United States of America, have five purposes. They are defense, national identity, representation, social welfare, and infrastructure.”1
“In general, there are four main purposes of government: to establish laws, maintain order and provide security, protect citizens from external threats, and promote the general welfare by providing public services.”2
Another argues for a simpler summary of purposes:
“Governments first emerged around the world as people realized that there was a greater benefit to society if they stayed together. Those groups established a prominent member, or a leader, of those groups. This concept is called ‘sovereignty,’ and it means that a group or country is free from outside interference. To carry out their sovereign duty, governments must protect their citizens and defend themselves against attack.”3
What are the common themes in these discussions?
Commonly, people expect their government to establish a sovereign nation, protecting against external threats and internal disorder. People also expect governments to further the prosperity of the nation by doing collectively what would be difficult or costly to do individually.
For example, one article mentioned “infrastructure,” meaning roads and highways, bridges, and related transportation construction. In theory, private individuals or corporations could build their own roads and highways, but this could hinder efficient transportation. Private concerns would want tolls to pay for construction and/or maintenance, might not build to the same standard, might restrict use in various ways and so on. It is much better for the general public to make this kind of infrastructure a government responsibility, “promoting the general Welfare,” in the words of the U. S. constitution.
One way of summarizing the common responsibilities would be like this:
- External threats: establishing sovereignty, negotiating foreign affairs, and projecting military force (at least in a defensive capacity)
- Laws: establishing laws and punishing lawbreakers
- Order/Security: exercising police power and regulative power
- General Welfare: ensuring well-being of citizens through various programs and services
How far does “General Welfare” extend?
The “$64,000 question” is, “How far does ‘General Welfare’ extend?” Our reader wonders if we say government has a responsibility to protect its citizens, does that include protecting citizens from themselves? (I paraphrase his question above.) Recent events caused all of us to wonder about this.
No doubt healthcare is a government responsibility. We as a people authorize (through our representatives) various government programs and services to provide some healthcare for some of our citizens at least. In the articles I consulted, at least one remarked on how this differs from country to country, especially in healthcare, but also in other areas.
“While all governments share this broad purpose, they act to implement this goal to different degrees, depending on the values of society. Social welfare states, such as those found in much of Europe, provide extensive government services, including free public education, income support, and government-supplied health care. In the United States, with its strong emphasis on individualism, liberty, and free markets, the government plays a less active role. Though localities provide free public school education, individuals who wish to pursue postsecondary education must fund their own schooling. In addition, while the government has programs to ensure health care for the poor, disabled, and elderly, most Americans obtain health insurance from employers or on their own.”4
Does government have the authority (or does government exist for the purpose) of protecting life? When it comes to the unborn, Bible-believing Christians will respond affirmatively (with enthusiasm!). However, when it comes to such things as vaccine mandates, or “Covid camps” such as found in Australia, many begin to get queasy.
On the abortion question, it seems easy to decide: a life is at stake. Can we not argue that in the threat of a pandemic, lives are also at stake? Or can we not argue that health-care policies fall under the “General Welfare” purpose of government?
These questions make us uneasy, because we also value individual liberty, especially as we saw how easily government imposed far-reaching mandates, not just on vaccines, but on public movement, mask-wearing, and seemingly every other area of life. In the aftermath, we are seeing some credible reports that these measures had little to no effect in mitigating the virus. This tends to breed disrespect and cynicism towards our authorities.
Conclusion
Every discussion of the purposes of government includes some acceptance of “General Welfare” as legitimate government activity. We want governments to regulate the food-packing and distribution sector. We don’t want outbreaks of disease. We want health and safety and through collective experience, governments establish safety standards for workplaces. We want them to be active in these ways.
We also know that God instructs us that the ruler “is the minister of God to thee for good…” (Rm 13.4). Biblically, government has a responsibility to look out for the General Welfare, that is, to protect life.
The extent to which the government may legitimately go in protecting life, however, is a political question. The people in any democracy have the power to influence the answer to that question through their political activism and votes. Nevertheless, I don’t think we can deny that government has authority to make regulations to protect life. In fact, it is a significant purpose of government.
Don Johnson is the pastor of Grace Baptist Church of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
- https://opinionfront.com/what-are-five-purposes-of-government [↩]
- https://www.coursehero.com/sg/american-government/purposes-of-government/ [↩]
- https://www.reference.com/world-view/purpose-government-eeffd4bcf1ebf1e7 Note that this view is somewhat “evolutionary.” Government began when God authorized a system of justice by the decree following the flood, Gen 9.6. [↩]
- https://www.coursehero.com/sg/american-government/purposes-of-government/ [↩]