Values Pursed by Government

Running head : VALUES PURSUED BY GOVERNMENT

Introduction

Governments all over the world pursue a number of values aimed at improving the welfare of the citizenry . The purpose of civil society as posited by the likes of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke was the preservation of life and the protection of property . They perceived of the `state of nature ' as being unsuitable for the development of mankind and that only in the commonwealth could man achieve self actualization It is for this reason that governments came into being (Locke , 1690

Chief among

the things that governments aspire to do for their people is to facilitate the provision of the basic needs . This includes food shelter and clothing . Relief food is periodically supplied to those communities that have no food to feed themselves due to failed harvests or harsh climatic conditions . Responsible governments ensure that housing projects are built to cater for the low income people who cannot afford decent privately leased units . The rent paid for such houses is a very low amount that most of the disadvantaged in society can afford . In some cases the state provides free housing to people with special needs in society like the physically impaired or mentally challenged . For those who have no land of their own , settlement schemes are set up by the governments to resettle them . Non governmental organizations (NGO 's , churches and relief organizations supplement government efforts to meet the needs of the populace by supplying food , building materials and clothing to the poor members of society . This cooperation between state and civil society is necessary as the state is unable to meet all the needs of its citizens

Health for all is another goal of state authorities . The health of a nation is taken to be of extreme importance as a healthy nation can be very productive . Enormous amounts of money are spent on providing healthcare to all citizens and state hospitals as well as clinics are set up in every corner of the country . Most of the services in medical institutions are free or heavily subsidized

Security for all is a fundamental role of any government . For there to be social , peace and security must prevail (Walker , 1977 . The citizenry should be able to go about their business without the fear of being attacked or robbed on the streets or in their homes . These concerns extend to security from external threats . Consequently governments keep a standing army which protects the bs of the nation from incursions from foreign enemies

Education for all is a key objective for any government . The success with which it can provide quality education to those in need of it is considered as a measure of its overall development index . From early childhood to university level , states ' budget colossal amounts of money to finance the training of its people

Social equality and justice are values that governments strive to achieve . By enacting anti discrimination laws and setting up courts all over the country , states endeavor...