Responsibilities of Government
We can begin to address the question of what are the responsibilities of government by first looking at the Declaration of Independence to document the legitimacy of government, then looking at the United States Constitution to determine the obligations of government.
The Declaration of Independence in 1776 provided the following foundation for the right of government to exist:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed....
The Declaration of Independence went on to say that the new government to be established in what was then the 13 British colonies would lay its foundation:
…on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
From this document it is clear that the Founding Fathers of our country saw government as an essential vehicle for citizens to achieve justice, obtain security, and to pursue happiness.
After winning the War of Independence the Founding Fathers gathered again in 1787 to write the Constitution for the new government they had won the right to establish. Their philosophy of the role of government is stated in the first paragraph, i.e. the preamble, of 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 defense, 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.
The specific responsibilities of the government of the United States are important enough, and misunderstood enough, to warrant repeating:
- Form a more perfect union.
- Establish justice.
- Insure domestic tranquility.
- Provide for the common defense.
- Promote the general welfare.
- Secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
In determining if government is functioning in a responsible manner, we can come back to these obligations of government to see if they are adequately being fulfilled.
An excerpt from the body of the Constitution might also be of assistance in determining whether government is acting is a responsible manner is specific situations. Article I Section 8 states:
The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes…to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States … (and)
To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States…
From both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution it is clear that the federal government has an obligation to do what it can to promote the general welfare of citizens, and to assure that future generations will inherit a nation that provides justice, liberty, and the protection of the general welfare. It is clear that Congress can levy taxes and regulate interstate commerce in order to fulfill these obligations.
Questions.
1. Based on your knowledge of the structure of government in the US, what obligation(s) does the government have to the people?
2. Provide at least THREE examples of ways in which the government meets these obligations.
3. To what extent should the government go, in order to meet these obligations?
