ABSTRACT
The Meaning and Purpose of Government What Is Government? Saint Augustine quotes a captured pirate as saying to Alexander the Great, “Because I [keep hostile possession of the sea] with a petty ship, I am called a robber, whilst thou who dost it with a great fleet art styled emperor.” In perilous times, the primary distinction between a government and a gang can be size. Strength and acceptance also convey authority, and a government is a body with
the authority to govern. Any type of government can go astray of environmental and social goals, although democratic elections provide incentives for even the most selfish leaders to address their constituents’ needs. In modern times, environmentalism has become a political ideology in itself, embraced by political parties such as the Green Parties of Britain, Canada, and the United States.
