We may take as a model of the purpose of government the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States --
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
(In the United States the Constitution is explicitly the supreme law of the land, and its author is given as "We the People".)
Under the U.S. model, the entire purpose of government is to ensure the welfare and happiness of The People: all government agencies are created, and all government actions are undertaken, for this end.
The theory of separation of powers or division of powers divides governmental power into several branches.
Some are frequently and formally recognized, others less so.
The familiar formulation of Montesquieu divides governments into three standard branches:
The Legislature, which makes laws
The Executive, which enforces the laws
The Judiciary, which interprets the laws and ajudicates possible infractions
This schematic applies well to most contemporary liberal democracies, such as the United States. In a healthy republic, the branches of government maintain a friendly opposition to one another, so that none can grow dangerously powerful.
We can also mention various other "countervailing powers" in society and government which also act to keep the formal branches in check.
- "The People" are, in various formulations, more or less strongly recognized as a political power. Formal democracies vary in the amount of power referred to the people.
In strongly democratic systems the people may actually create law through referenda, in more weakly democratic ones they may elect representatives to the formal branches of government.
However, even under stringent dictatorships, the people aid or hinder the actions of the the formal government agencies through their cooperation or non-cooperation.
- The Press are often explicitly recognized as a check to the formal government bodies -- the "Fourth Estate".
- The Military is not recognized as a separate power under the Montesquieuan schematic (it is an organ of the Executive)
however, there are many historical examples of the military deposing the existing executive and replacing it (a coup). ( - Something like fifty successful coups d'état and an additional fifty or so unsuccessful attempts since 1970 listed in this Wikipedia article.)
We expect to see a more or less open and formal
opposition to whatever policies are currently ascendent. In the UK this is formally recognized as "the loyal opposition" (and is the party with the largest number of seats in Parliament which not actually part of the acting administration). In totalitarian governments, this takes the form of covert support or opposition, intrigue, alliances, and betrayals.
Moving now from the theoretical to the specific, how healthy is the political system of the USA circa 2008?
The power of the executive under the George W. Bush administration is obviously highly exaggerated, under the theory of the "Unitary Executive".
The legislature has been strongly supportive of the administration.
The opposition (Democratic Party) have demonstrated strong cooperation with the majority.
The press has largely abandoned its watchdog role, instead functioning as a propaganda organ of the government to a degree well-nigh unprecedented in U.S. history.
The military has been greatly strengthened.
The people have been steadily deprived of (and have complacently relinquished) a large measure of their Constitutional rights and powers.
In short, by the "opposition of powers test", the government of the United States is seriously sick, and strong measures should be taken to restore a healthy system of checks and balances.
