ABSTRACT
The one, indispensable, common element across all forms of government is the existence of executive power-the ability to act backed by the threat or use of force. In the evolution of governing structures of all types, three of the crucial factors have always been the power to muster force of arms, to collect taxes, and to enforce the will of the rulers among the people. In the modern world, another characteristic of all sovereign states is their ability to enter into and conduct relations with other states. And as society has grown more complex, most states have developed executive-branch bureaucracies for regulating and supervising various aspects of the society and economy and for providing programs and services. In some countries, executive power may also extend to direct control of, or at least some, role in the legislative task of writing laws and allocating funds, and the judicial role of interpreting the law.
