A government is an entity or group of individuals governing an entire organized society, usually a nation. Governments are generally established to guarantee the public’s welfare or to protect the nation from external threats. Historically, governments were usually hereditary aristocrats appointed by the king or queen. Since modern nations began to develop and industrialize, delegations to various governments have been increasingly used until now where delegations are now routinely made by private citizens, even members of the legislature.
All major countries around the world, from Japan to India, Australia to South Africa, have government institutions which people can go to for assistance. But not all developed countries have government institutions that people can turn to for help. In some cases, private sector players are entrusted with certain tasks like running certain public utilities. Others, such as oil exploration companies, are also expected to provide assistance. The government is, however, expected to provide services that it has developed or mandated in the past, so people should check if they are still being provided by the government institution they think they are still working at.
The idea of a country’s government changing its structure, and becoming more efficient, is not new. The US, Russia, and several other developed countries have put through dramatic changes to their governments in the recent years. However, many developing countries have been able to implement their change without drastic changes to their overall economic structures and tax systems. One reason why some developing countries have been able to successfully implement major change is because they can develop and implement their own institutions and authorities as long as the political will exists to do so. They do not need outside help. They can simply adapt to the changes.
It has been noted, though, that even developed nations face problems with developing adequate institutions and government policies for citizens. This is because people expect their governments to do well and look after them. Developed countries often have a higher standard of living, better healthcare, and greater access to education than most of the developing countries. Because of this, people expect their government to look after them. Unfortunately, it does not always happen like they want it to. Poor government policies, corruption, and an inadequate educational system are some of the reasons why this occurs.
In many developing countries, there are some people who believe that the people are not properly receiving development aid. There are those who question the level of transparency in government development projects and how these are being handled. Some people question the whole premise on why development work needs to be done at all, and point out that development projects are a bit hokey because they have no direct use. This is despite the fact that every country has a developmental mission and the government spends money on such projects as they develop. Critics of developing countries also point out that developed countries tend to get what they deserve in international aid.
There are many who feel that development work should only be done on a local level. By developing things within a country or even between countries, they argue, it will be much easier to track how much money and what kind of services have been rendered. By doing so, it can then be easily monitored by the government and held accountable for how well the institutions were able to serve the people. It can also be used as a way of creating better conditions for the people so that things do not slip away from them.