CHAPTER THREE
Why Government?

Study

Although government seems to be everywhere, we seldom think about why governments began and why they continue to exist. Logic suggests that, initially, government emerged from collective action aimed at providing security. We can learn more about the continued existence of government by understanding human beings’ aversion to anarchy and their tendency toward hierarchy. Additionally, the concept of power and the dynamics of group behavior explain why governments persist. Students should learn two very important lessons from this chapter. First, the phenomena discussed here suggest that governments satisfy fundamental human desires. Second, as annoying as your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles can be, it is unlikely that it or any other form of government is going anywhere soon.

STUDY QUESTIONS

  1. What might the theorists we discussed in chapter 2 think about our story of Bob the Caveman? Which of the theorists would agree that government might have begun in a similar fashion? Which would likely disagree? Why?


  2. What are the four securities that are critical to the understanding the political dynamics of developing nations?


  3. Why is collective action the essence of government?


  4. What is power, and what are the various forms that it can take? What fictional examples can you think of that demonstrate the different forms of power? What are some real examples?


  5. How do hierarchy and context come together to shape human interaction?