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Government

Definition: Government

Government

Noun

1. The organization that is the governing authority of a political unit; "the government reduced taxes"; "the matter was referred to higher authorities".

2. The system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed; "tyrannical government".

3. The act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government".

4. The study of government of states and other political units.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "government" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1258. (references)

Etymology: Government \Gov"ern*ment\, noun. [French expression gouvernement. See Govern.]. (references)

 

Specialty Definition: Government

DomainDefinition

Computing

An Internet domain name ("dot gov"). Source: European Union. (references)

Language

Relation between a principal and a dependant member of a syntactic construction. Both do not exhibit the same categorie instead the dependent member is determined with respect to the relevant categorie by the principal member. Source: European Union. (references)

Law

The agencies or officials of a contracting State responsible for the application and enforcement of the particular laws and regulations of that State. Source: European Union. (references)

Public Administration

Alle ministers(inclusief de minister-president)en staatssecretarissen samen. Source: European Union. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Specialty Definition: Government

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A government is a political and economic organization that attempts to maintain control of a territory. The modern standard unit of territory comprises a state. "State" may also be used to refer to the governing body of the state itself.

Within a state, subnational entities may have local governments which do not have the full power of a national government. "Control" involves activities such as collecting taxes, controlling entry and exit to the state, preventing encroachment of territory by neighbouring states and preventing the establishment of alternative governments within the state.

Governments use a variety of methods to maintain control, such as police and military forces, (particularly under despotism, see also police state), making agreements with other states, and maintaining support within the state; infrastructure. Typical methods of maintaining support include infrastructure providing justice, administration and social welfare, claiming support of deities, providing benefits to influential groups, holding elections for important posts within the state, limiting the power of the state through laws and constitutions and appealing to nationalism. Groups opposed to government control include libertarians and anarchists.

Various forms of government have been implemented or proposed. A government in a developed state is likely to have various sub-organisations known as offices, departments, or agencies, which are headed by politically appointed officials, often called ministers or secretaries. Ministers may in theory act as advisors to the head of state, but in practice have a certain amount of direct power in specific areas. In most modern democracies, the elected legislative assembly has the power to dismiss the government, though the head of state generally has great latitude in appointing a new one.

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Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Government."

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Government of Finland

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Finland is a republic with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. The affairs of Government are decided by the Council of State which is lead by a Prime Minister. The Prime Minister and the Ministers in the Council of State are responsible for their actions to the Parliament of Finland.

Head of Government

Main article: Prime Minister of Finland

Head of Government: Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (since 2003)
Council of State: Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister and confirmed by Parliament
Elections: The Prime Minister designate is appointed by the President of Finland and then confirmed by Parliament
Election results: Matti Vanhanen is elected Prime Minister forming a Center minority government. After the general elections in 2003 the Center continues to depend on the Social Democrat Party and the Swedish Peoples Party to achieve a majority in Parliament.

Council of State

From June 24, 2003:

Prime Minister's Office

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of the Interior

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry

Ministry of Transport and Communications

Ministry of Trade and Industry

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

Ministry of Labour

Ministry of the Environment

Office of the Chancellor of Justice

See also

External links

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Government of Sweden

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. The affairs of Government are decided by a Cabinet of Ministers, which is lead by a Prime Minister. The Cabinet and the Prime Minister are responsible for their actions to the Parliament of Sweden.

Head of Government

Main article: Prime Minister of Sweden

Head of Government: Prime Minister Göran Persson (since March 21, 1996)
Cabinet: Ministers are appointed by the Prime Minister and confirmed by Parliament
Elections: The Prime Minister is first appointed by the Speaker of Parliament and then confirmed (with the cabinet ministers) by Parliament
Election results: Göran Persson is elected Prime Minister forming a Social Democrat minority government. After the general elections in 2002 the Social Democrat Government continues to depend on the Left Party and the Green Party to achieve a majority in Parliament.

Cabinet Government

As of the Cabinet reshuffle effective on October 10, 2003, in wake of the murder of Minister for Foreign Affairs, Anna Lindh, the Cabinet has 22 Ministers including the Prime Minister. Since the last organizational change in 1998 the Government Offices has, apart from the Prime Minister's Office and an Office for Administrative Affairs, ten Ministries. The Prime Minister leads the work of the Cabinet and is the official Head of Government. On occasion there has been appointed Deputy Prime Ministers, but when none such exist the Minister with the most seniority in Cabinet, is the designate Deputy Prime Minister. Ten of the Cabinet Ministers are also Heads of Office for their respective Ministries.

Government Offices

From October 10, 2003:

Prime Minister's Office

Ministry of Justice

Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Ministry of Finance

Ministry of Education and Science

Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries

Ministry of Culture

Ministry of the Environment

Ministry of Industry, Employment and Communications

Office for Administrative Affairs

The Office for Administrative Affairs, or Statskontoret, is staffed and led by civil servants. The Permanent Secretary, currently Gunnar Holmgren, is not a member of government.

Government Agencies

See also: Government Agencies in Sweden

The Ministries in Sweden are relatively small and merely policy-making organizations, relying on Government Agencies who independently carry out Government Policy. A Government Agency is constituted under the authority of a Ministry, but the Ministry is only allowed to influence the Agency by making policy. The Minister in charge is furthermore prohibited from interfering with the day-to-day operation and the outcome in individual cases. An exception to this are the Legations and Embassies in foreign countries, which are under the direct authority and integrated with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

See also

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Government of the United States

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

This article is about the national government of the United States. For information about the state and local governments, see: Politics of the United States and the individual state entries.

The government of the United States, established by the Constitution, is a federal republic of 50 states. The national government consists of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The head of the executive branch is the President of the United States of America. The legislative branch consists of the United States Congress, while the Supreme Court of the United States is the head of the judicial branch.

The legal system of the United States is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations.

Legislative branch

Article I of the Constitution grants all legislative powers of the federal government to a Congress divided into two chambers, a Senate and a House of Representatives. The Senate is composed of two members from each state as provided by the Constitution. Its current membership is 100. Membership in the House is based on each state's population, and its size is therefore not specified in the Constitution. Its current membership is 435.

The Constitution does not specifically call for congressional committees. As the nation grew, however, so did the need for investigating pending legislation more thoroughly. The 106th Congress (1999-2000) had 19 standing committees in the House and 17 in the Senate, plus four joint permanent committees with members from both houses: Library of Congress, printing, taxation, and economic. In addition, each house can name special, or select, committees to study specific problems. Because of an increase in workload, the standing committees have also spawned some 150 subcommittees.

The Congress has the responsibility to monitor and influence aspects of the executive branch. Congressional oversight prevents waste and fraud; protects civil liberties and individual rights; ensures executive compliance with the law; gathers information for making laws and educating the public; and evaluates executive performance. It applies to cabinet departments, executive agencies, regulatory commissions, and the presidency. Congress's oversight function takes many forms:

Executive branch

Article II of the Constitution establishes the Executive branch of Government. The President is both the head of government, chief of state, and commander-in-chief. The current President and Vice President are George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, since January 20, 2001.

The office of president of the United States is one of the most powerful offices of its kind in the world. The president, the Constitution says, must "take care that the laws be faithfully executed." To carry out this responsibility, he presides over the executive branch of the federal government, a vast organization numbering about 4 million people, including 1 million active-duty military personnel. In addition, the president has important legislative and judicial powers. Within the executive branch itself, the president has broad powers to manage national affairs and the workings of the federal government.

The Executive Departments

The day-to-day enforcement and administration of federal laws is in the hands of the various executive departments, created by Congress to deal with specific areas of national and international affairs. The heads of the 15 departments, chosen by the president and approved by the Senate, form a council of advisers generally known as the president's "Cabinet." In addition to departments, there are a number of staff organizations grouped into the Executive Office of the President. These include the White House staff, the National Security Council, the Office of Management and Budget, the Council of Economic Advisers, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. There are also a number of independent agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency and the Environmental Protection Agency.

The Constitution makes no provision for a presidential cabinet. It does provide that the president may ask opinions, in writing, from the principal officer in each of the executive departments on any subject in their area of responsibility, but it does not name the departments nor describe their duties. Similarly, there are no specific constitutional qualifications for service in the cabinet.

The cabinet developed outside the Constitution as a matter of practical necessity, for even in the days of George Washington, the country's first president, it was impossible for the president to discharge his duties without advice and assistance. Cabinets are what any particular president makes them. Some presidents have relied heavily on them for advice, others lightly, and some few have largely ignored them. Whether or not cabinet members act as advisers, they retain responsibility for directing the activities of the government in specific areas of concern.

Each department has thousands of employees, with offices throughout the country as well as in Washington. The departments are divided into divisions, bureaus, offices, and services, each with specific duties.

Department of Agriculture

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) supports agricultural production to ensure fair prices and stable markets for producers and consumers, works to improve and maintain farm income, and helps to develop and expand markets abroad for agricultural products. The department attempts to curb poverty, hunger, and malnutrition by issuing food stamps to the poor; by sponsoring educational programs on nutrition; and by administering other food assistance programs, primarily for children, expectant mothers, and the elderly. It maintains production capacity by helping landowners protect the soil, water, forests, and other natural resources.

USDA administers rural development, credit, and conservation programs that are designed to implement national growth policies, and it conducts scientific and technological research in all areas of agriculture. Through its inspection and grading services, USDA ensures standards of quality in food offered for sale. The department's Agricultural Research Service works to develop solutions to agricultural problems of high national priority, and it administers the National Agricultural Library to disseminate information to a wide cross-section of users, from research scientists to the general public.

The USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) serves as an export promotion and service agency for U.S. agriculture, employing specialists abroad who make surveys of foreign agriculture for U.S. farm and business interests. The U.S. Forest Service, also part of the department, administers an extensive network of national forests and wilderness areas.

Department of Commerce

The United States Department of Commerce serves to promote the nation's international trade, economic growth, and technological advancement. It offers assistance and information to increase U.S. competitiveness in the global marketplace; administers programs to create new jobs and to foster the growth of minority-owned businesses; and provides statistical, economic, and demographic information for business and government planners.

The department comprises a diverse array of agencies. The National Institute of Standards and Technology, for example, promotes economic growth by working with industry to develop and apply technology, measurements, and standards. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which includes the National Weather Service, works to improve understanding of the earth's environment and to conserve the nation's coastal and marine resources. The Patent and Trademark Office promotes the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for authors and inventors the exclusive right to their creations and discoveries. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration advises the president on telecommunications policy and works to spur innovation, encourage competition, create jobs, and provide consumers with better quality telecommunications at lower prices.

Department of Defense

Headquartered in The Pentagon, one of the world's largest office buildings, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) is responsible for all matters relating to the nation's military security. It provides the military forces of the United States, which consist of about 1 million men and women on active duty. They are backed, in case of emergency, by 1.5 million members of state reserve components, known as the National Guard. In addition, about 730,000 civilian employees serve in the Defense Department in such areas as research, intelligence communications, mapping, and international security affairs. The National Security Agency, which coordinates, directs, and performs highly specialized intelligence activities in support of U.S. government activities, also comes under the direction of the secretary of defense.

The department directs the separately organized military departments of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force, as well as the four military service academies and the National War College, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and several specialized combat commands. DoD maintains forces overseas to meet treaty commitments, to protect the nation's outlying territories and commerce, and to provide air combat and support forces. Nonmilitary responsibilities include flood control, development of oceanographic resources, and management of oil reserves.

Department of Education

While schools are primarily a local responsibility in the U.S. system of education, the United States Department of Education provides national leadership to address critical issues in American education and serves as a clearinghouse of information to help state and local decisionmakers improve their schools. The department establishes policy for and administers federal aid-to-education programs, including student loan programs, programs for disadvantaged and disabled students, and vocational programs.

In the 1990s, the Department of Education focused on the following issues: raising standards for all students; improving teaching; involving parents and families in children's education; making schools safe, disciplined, and drug-free; strengthening connections between school and work; increasing access to financial aid for students to attend college and receive training; and helping all students become technologically literate.

Department of Energy

Growing concern with the nation's energy problems in the 1970s prompted Congress to create the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The department took over the functions of several government agencies already engaged in the energy field. Staff offices within DOE are responsible for the research, development, and demonstration of energy technology; energy conservation; civilian and military use of nuclear energy; regulation of energy production and use; pricing and allocation of oil; and a central energy data collection and analysis program.

The Department of Energy protects the nation's environment by setting standards to minimize the harmful effects of energy production. For example, DOE conducts environmental and health related research, such as studies of energy-related pollutants and their effects on biological systems.

Department of Health and Human Services

The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees some 300 programs, probably directly touches the lives of more Americans than any other federal agency. Its largest component, the Health Care Financing Administration, administers the Medicare and Medicaid programs, which provide health care coverage to about one in every five Americans. Medicare provides health insurance for 30 million elderly and disabled Americans. Medicaid, a joint federal-state program, provides health coverage for 31 million low-income persons, including 15 million children.

HHS also administers the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world's premier medical research organization, supporting some 30,000 research projects in diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, arthritis, heart ailments, and AIDS. Other HHS agencies ensure the safety and effectiveness of the nation's food supply and drugs; work to prevent outbreaks of communicable diseases; provide health services to the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native populations; and help to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services.

Department of Homeland Security

Created in 2002 and activated in 2003, the United States Department of Homeland Security is responsible for protecting the nation against attacks to the homeland. The department consolidates 22 previously separate agencies under the authority and control of one department. The department covers border & transportation security, emergency preparedness & response, information analysis & infrastructure protection, science & technology, Coast Guard, Secret Service, and citizenship & immigration Services. It also is responsible for coordination of homeland security related concerns with state and local governments as well as the private sector.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) manages programs that assist community development and help provide affordable housing for the nation. Fair housing laws, administered by HUD, are designed to ensure that individuals and families can buy a home without being subjected to discrimination. HUD directs mortgage insurance programs that help families become homeowners, and a rent-subsidy program for low-income families that otherwise could not afford decent housing. In addition, it operates programs that aid neighborhood rehabilitation, preserve urban centers from blight, and encourage the development of new communities. HUD also protects the home buyer in the marketplace and fosters programs to stimulate the housing industry.

Department of the Interior

As the nation's principal conservation agency, the United States Department of the Interior is responsible for most of the federally owned public lands and natural resources in the United States. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers 500 wildlife refuges, 37 wetland management districts, 65 national fish hatcheries, and a network of wildlife law enforcement agents. The National Park Service administers more than 370 national parks and monuments, scenic parkways, riverways, seashores, recreation areas, and historic sites, through which it preserves America's natural and cultural heritage.

Through the Bureau of Land Management, the department oversees the land and resources, from rangeland vegetation and recreation areas to timber and oil production, of millions of hectares of public land located primarily in the West. The Bureau of Reclamation manages scarce water resources in the semiarid western United States. The department regulates mining in the United States, assesses mineral resources, and has major responsibility for protecting and conserving the trust resources of American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. Internationally, the department coordinates federal policy in the territories of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands, and oversees funding for development in the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.

Department of Justice

The United States Department of Justice represents the U.S. government in legal matters and courts of law, and renders legal advice and opinions upon request to the president and to the heads of the executive departments. The Justice Department is headed by the attorney general of the United States, the chief law enforcement officer of the federal government. Its Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the principle law enforcement body for federal crimes, and its Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) administers immigration laws. A major agency within the department is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which enforces narcotics and controlled substances laws, and tracks down major illicit drug trafficking organizations.

In addition to giving aid to local police forces, the department directs U.S. district attorneys and marshals throughout the country, supervises federal prisons and other penal institutions, and investigates and reports to the president on petitions for paroles and pardons. The Justice Department is also linked to INTERPOL, the International Criminal Police Organization, charged with promoting mutual assistance between law enforcement agencies in 176 member countries.

Department of Labor

The United States Department of Labor promotes the welfare of wage earners in the United States, helps improve working conditions, and fosters good relations between labor and management. It administers federal labor laws through such agencies as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Employment Standards Administration, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. These laws guarantee workers' rights to safe and healthy working conditions, hourly wages and overtime pay, freedom from employment discrimination, unemployment insurance, and workers' compensation for on-the-job injury. The Department also protects workers' pension rights, sponsors job training programs, and helps workers find jobs. Its Bureau of Labor Statistics monitors and reports changes in employment, prices, and other national economic measurements. For job seekers, the department makes special efforts to help older workers, youths, minorities, women, and the disabled.

Department of State

The United States Department of State advises the president, who has overall responsibility for formulating and executing the foreign policy of the United States. The department assesses American overseas interests, makes recommendations on policy and future action, and takes necessary steps to carry out established policy. It maintains contacts and relations between the United States and foreign countries, advises the president on recognition of new foreign countries and governments, negotiates treaties and agreements with foreign nations, and speaks for the United States in the United Nations and in other major international organizations. The department maintains more than 250 diplomatic and consular posts around the world. In 1999, the Department of State integrated the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and the U.S. Information Agency into its structure and mission.

Department of Transportation

The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) establishes the nation's overall transportation policy through 10 operating units that encompass highway planning, development, and construction; urban mass transit; railroads; civilian aviation; and the safety of waterways, ports, highways, and oil and gas pipelines.

For example, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operates a network of airport towers, air traffic control centers, and flight service stations across the country; the Federal Highway Administration provides financial assistance to the states to improve the interstate highway system, urban and rural roads, and bridges; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration establishes safety performance standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment; and the Maritime Administration operates the U.S. merchant marine fleet. The U.S. Coast Guard, the nation's primary maritime law enforcement and licensing agency, conducts search and rescue missions at sea, combats drug smuggling, and works to prevent oil spills and ocean pollution.

Department of the Treasury

The United States Department of the Treasury is responsible for serving the fiscal and monetary needs of the nation. The department performs four basic functions: formulating financial, tax, and fiscal policies; serving as financial agent for the U.S. government; providing specialized law enforcement services; and manufacturing coins and currency. The Treasury Department reports to Congress and the president on the financial condition of the government and the national economy. It regulates the sale of alcohol, tobacco, and firearms in interstate and foreign commerce; supervises the printing of stamps for the United States Postal Service; operates the Secret Service, which protects the president, the vice president, their families, and visiting dignitaries and heads of state; suppresses counterfeiting of U.S. currency and securities; and administers the Customs Service, which regulates and taxes the flow of goods into the country.

The department includes the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Treasury official who executes the laws governing the operation of approximately 2,900 national banks. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is responsible for the determination, assessment, and collection of taxes ? the source of most of the federal government's revenue.

Department of Veterans Affairs

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), established as an independent agency in 1930 and elevated to cabinet level in 1989, dispenses benefits and services to eligible veterans of U.S. military service and their dependents. The Veterans Health Administration provides hospital and nursing-home care, and outpatient medical and dental services through 173 medical centers, 40 retirement homes, 600 clinics, 133 nursing homes, and 206 Vietnam Veteran Outreach Centers in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. It also conducts medical research in such areas as aging, women's health issues, AIDS, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

The Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) oversees claims for disability payments, pensions, specially adapted housing, and other services. The VBA also administers education programs for veterans and provides home loan assistance to eligible veterans and active-duty service personnel. The VA's National Cemetery System provides burial services, headstones, and markers for veterans and eligible family members within 116 cemeteries throughout the United States.

Judicial branch

Article III of the Constitution states the basis for the federal court system: "The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in one Supreme Court, and such inferior courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish." The Federal judiciary consists of the Supreme Court of the United States, whose nine justices are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and various "lower" or "inferior courts," among which are the United States courts of appeals, the United States district courts, and the United States bankruptcy courts.

The Federal Court System

With this guide, the first Congress divided the nation into districts and created federal courts for each district. From that beginning has evolved the present structure: the Supreme Court, 13 courts of appeals, 94 district courts, and two courts of special jurisdiction. Congress today retains the power to create and abolish federal courts, as well as to determine the number of judges in the federal judiciary system. It cannot, however, abolish the Supreme Court.

There are three levels of federal courts with general jurisdiction meaning that these courts handle criminal cases and civil law suits between individuals. The other courts, such as the bankruptcy courts and the tax court, are specialized courts handling only certain kinds of cases.

The United States district courts are the "trial courts" where cases are filed and decided. The United States circuit courts are "appellate courts" that hear appeals of cases decided by the district courts. The Supreme Court of the United States hears appeals from the decisions of the courts of appeals.

The judicial power extends to cases arising under the Constitution, an act of Congress, or a treaty of the United States; cases affecting ambassadors, ministers, and consuls of foreign countries in the United States; controversies in which the U.S. government is a party; controversies between states (or their citizens) and foreign nations (or their citizens or subjects); and bankruptcy cases. The Eleventh Amendment removed from federal jurisdiction cases in which citizens of one state were the plaintiffs and the government of another state was the defendant. It did not disturb federal jurisdiction in cases in which a state government is a plaintiff and a citizen of another state the defendant.

The power of the federal courts extends both to civil actions for damages and other redress, and to criminal cases arising under federal law. Article III has resulted in a complex set of relationships between state and federal courts. Ordinarily, federal courts do not hear cases arising under the laws of individual states. However, some cases over which federal courts have jurisdiction may also be heard and decided by state courts. Both court systems thus have exclusive jurisdiction in some areas and concurrent jurisdiction in others.

The Constitution safeguards judicial independence by providing that federal judges shall hold office "during good behavior" ? in practice, until they die, retire, or resign, although a judge who commits an offense while in office may be impeached in the same way as the president or other officials of the federal government. U.S. judges are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Congress also determines the pay scale of judges.

Related Articles

Executive Office of the President

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Head of government

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The head of government is the leader of the government or cabinet.

Different titles of Head of government

The title Prime Minister is often used to describe the head of government, though often constitutions use different titles. In addition to Prime Minister, titles used include:

A Parliamentary Prime Minister

In parliamentary systems, government functions along the following lines:

All of these directly impact on the prime ministerial role, often requiring that the Prime Minister play a 'day to day' role on the floor of the House, answering questions and defending 'his' government on the 'floor of the House'. In contrast, prime ministers in semi-presidential systems may be required to play less of a role in the functioning of parliament.

Appointing a Prime Minister in a Parliamentary System

In some states, a head of government is elected by parliament. In many, they are commissioned to form a government by the head of state, on the basis of the strength of party support in the lower (democratically elected) house. Many parliamentary systems require ministers to serve in parliament, while others ban ministers from sitting in parliament, they resigning on becoming ministers.

Removing a Prime Minister in a Parliamentary System

Prime Ministers typically exit power in a parliamentary system by


Alternatively a prime minister, if so defeated, may seek a parliamentary dissolution from the head of state.

Some constitutions allow a head of state or a governor-general to dismiss a prime minister, though its use can be controversial, as occurred in 1975 when then Australian Governor-General Sir John Kerr dismissed prime minister Gough Whitlam (an unprecedented act) over Whitlam's failure to gain Supply in the upper house (a legal requirement but which the Senate by convention did not insist on), and his resulting decision not to resign or seek a dissolution.

First Among Equals or Dominating the Cabinet?

Constitutions differ in how many powers they give to prime ministership; indeed some older constitutions (Australia's 1900 text, Belgium's 1830 text) never mentioned the office of prime minister at all, the office becoming a de facto reality without a formal constitutional status. Some constitutions make a prime minister primus inter pares (first among equals) and that remains the practical reality in places like Finland and Belgium. Other states however, make their prime minister a central and dominant figure within the cabinet system; Ireland's Taoiseach (the Irish language word, meaning 'The Leader', which is translated as 'prime minister') for example alone can decide when to seek a parliamentary dissolution, in contrast to other countries where this is a cabinet decision, with the Prime Minister just one member voting on the suggestion.) Under Britain's unwritten constitution, the Prime Minister's role has evolved, based often on the personal appeal and strength of character, as contrasted between, for example, Winston Churchill as against Clement Attlee, Margaret Thatcher as against John Major.

In a number of states the allegation has been made that the increased personalisation of leadership, a product in part on media coverage of politics that focuses on the leader and his or her mandate, rather than on parliament, and also on the increasing centralisation of power in the hands of the prime minister, has led to accusations of prime ministers becoming themselves semi-presidential figures. Such allegations have been made against two recent British prime ministers, Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair. It was made against then Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau and against the then Chancellor of West Germany and later Germany Helmut Kohl.

See also: History of Parliamentarism

Further reading

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Politics of Australia

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Government

The Commonwealth government was created with a constitution patterned partly on the United States Constitution. The powers of the Commonwealth are specifically defined in the constitution, and the residual powers remain with the states. (See Australian Constitutional History.)

Australia is an independent nation within the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth II is the sovereign and since 1973 has been officially styled "Queen of Australia." The Queen is represented throughout Australia by a governor general and in each state by a governor.

The federal Parliament is bicameral, consisting of a 76-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. Twelve senators from each state and two from each territory are elected for 6-year terms using a single transferable vote system, with half elected every 3 years. The members of the House of Representatives are allocated among the states and territories roughly in proportion to population. In ordinary legislation, the two chambers have coordinate powers, but all proposals for appropriating revenue or imposing taxes must be introduced in the House of Representatives. Under the prevailing Westminster parliamentary system, the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that wins a majority of the seats in the House of Representatives is named prime minister. The prime minister and the cabinet wield actual power and are responsible to the Parliament, of which they must be elected members. General elections are held at least once every 3 years; the last general election was in November 2001.

Each state is headed by a premier, who is the leader of the party with a majority or a working minority in the lower house of the state legislature. Australia also has two self-governing territories, the Australian Capital Territory (where Canberra is located) and the Northern Territory, with political systems similar to those of the states.

At the apex of the court system is the High Court of Australia. It has general appellate jurisdiction over all other federal and state courts and possesses the power of constitutional review.

Political Conditions

Three political parties dominate the center of the Australian political spectrum: the Liberal Party (LP), nominally representing urban business-related groups; the National Party (NP), nominally representing rural interests; and the Australian Labor Party (ALP), nominally representing the trade unions and liberal groups. Although embracing some leftists, the ALP traditionally has been moderately socialist in its policies and approaches to social issues. All political groups are tied by tradition to domestic welfare policies, which have kept Australia somewhere near the forefront of societies offering extensive social welfare programs. Australia's social welfare safety net has been reduced in recent years, however, in response to budgetary pressures and a changing political outlook. There is strong bipartisan sentiment on many international issues.

The Liberal Party/National Party coalition came to power in the March 1996 election, ending 13 years of ALP government and electing John Howard as Prime Minister. Re-elected in October 1998 and November 2001, the coalition now holds 82 seats (69 Liberal/13 National) in the House of Representatives, against 65 for the ALP and 3 independents. In the Senate, the Liberal/National coalition holds 35 seats, against 28 for the ALP, 8 for the Australian Democrats, 2 for the Greens, 1 for One Nation, 1 for the Country Labor Party, and 1 Independent. Lacking a majority in the Senate, the Liberal/National coalition has relied on the smaller parties and independents to enact legislation. Howard's conservative coalition has moved quickly to reduce Australia's government deficit and the influence of organised labor, placing more emphasis on workplace-based collective bargaining for wages. The Howard government also has accelerated the pace of privatisation, beginning with the government-owned telecommunications corporation. The Howard government has continued the foreign policy of its predecessors, based on relations with four key countries: the United States, Japan, China, and Indonesia.

Political Data

Country name:
conventional long form: Commonwealth of Australia
conventional short form: Australia

Government type: democratic, federal-state system recognizing the British monarch as sovereign

Capital: Canberra

Administrative divisions: 6 states:

and 2 territories: Dependent areas: Ashmore and Cartier Islands, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Coral Sea Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, Norfolk Island

Independence: 1 January 1901 (federation of UK colonies)

National holiday: Australia Day, 26 January (1788)

Constitution: 9 July 1900, effective 1 January 1901

Legal system: based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Major General Michael Jeffery, AC, CVO, MC (Retd)(since 11 August 2003).

Institutions

Executive Branch


head of government: Prime Minister John Winston HOWARD (since 11 March 1996); Deputy Prime Minister John ANDERSON (since NA)
cabinet: Cabinet selected from among the members of Federal Parliament by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister
elections: The monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general for a three-year term
note: government coalition - Liberal Party and National Party

Legislative Branch

A bicameral Federal Parliament consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives

Elections:

Senate and House of Representatives - last held Saturday, 10 November 2001
Election results:
House of Representatives- percent of vote by party:
Liberal Party 37.08
National Party 5.61
Australian Labor Party 37.84
Northern Territory Country Liberal Party 0.32
Australian Democrats 5.41
Australian Greens 4.96
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party 4.34
Unity - Say No To Hanson 0.21
Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 0.57
Other 3.67

House of Representatives - seats by party:
Liberal Party 68
National Party 13
Australian Labor Party 64
Northern Territory Country Liberal Party 1
Australian Democrats 0
Australian Greens 1
Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party 0
Unity - Say No To Hanson 0
Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group) 0
Other (Independent) 3

(Source: Australian Electoral Commission)

Political Parties

Significant political parties (and their federal leaders):

Formerly significant parties:

Judicial branch

The High Court, comprising the Chief Justice and six other justices are appointed by the Prime Minister through the Governor-General

International organization participation

ANZUS, APEC, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, C, CCC, CP, EBRD, ESCAP, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNITAR, UNTAET, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, Zangger Committee

Flag description:
See: Flag of Australia

Reference

Much of the material in this article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

See also : Australia

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Politics of Australia."

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Politics of Brazil

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Government

Brazil is a federal republic with 26 states and a federal district. The 1988 constitution grants broad powers to the federal government, made up of executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The president holds office for 4 years, with the right to re-election for an additional 4-year term, and appoints his own cabinet. There are 81 senators, three for each state and the Federal District, and 513 deputies. Senate terms are for 8 years, with election staggered so that two-thirds of the upper house is up for election at one time and one-third 4 years later. Chamber terms are for 4 years, with elections based on a complex system of proportional representation by states. Each state is eligible for a minimum of 8 seats; the largest state delegation (Sao Paulo's) is capped at 70 seats. The result is a system weighted in favor of geographically large but sparsely populated states.

Fifteen political parties are represented in Congress. Since it is common for politicians to switch parties, the proportion of congressional seats held by particular parties changes regularly. The following are the major political parties:

States are organized like the federal government, with three government branches. Because of the mandatory revenue allocation to states and municipalities provided for in the 1988 constitution, Brazilian governors and mayors have exercised considerable power since 1989.

Principal Government Officials

Brazil maintains an embassy in the United States at 3006 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-238-2700). Brazil maintains consulates general in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles; and consulates in Miami, Houston, Boston, San Francisco, and Orlando.

Country name:
conventional long form: Federative Republic of Brazil
conventional short form: Brazil
local long form: República Federativa do Brasil
local short form: Brasil

Data code: BR

Government type: federative republic

Capital: Brasilia

Administrative divisions: 26 states (estados, singular - estado) and 1 federal district* (distrito federal); Acre, Alagoas, Amapa, Amazonas, Bahia, Ceará, Distrito Federal*, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraiba, Paraná, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondonia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo, Sergipe, Tocantins

Independence: 7 September 1822 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 7 September (1822)

Constitution: 5 October 1988

Legal system: based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: voluntary between 16 and 18 years of age and over 70; compulsory over 18 and under 70 years of age. President, State governors and Mayors are elected in 2 turns. First 2 candidates of the first turn go for second. Senate is elected in 1 turn, winner takes all. Deputys are elected by proportional elections, but with no list.

Executive branch:
chief of state: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva(since 1 January 2003); Vice President José Alencar Gomes da Silva (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva(since 1 January 2003); Vice President José Alencar Gomes da Silva (since 1 January 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held October 2003(next to be held October 2007)
election results: Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reelected president; percent of vote - 61,2%

Legislative branch: bicameral National Congress or Congresso Nacional consists of the Federal Senate or Senado Federal (81 seats; three members from each state or federal district elected according to the principle of majority to serve eight-year terms; one-third elected after a four year period, two-thirds elected after the next four-year period) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camara dos Deputados (513 seats; members are elected by proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: (Please get new data!) Federal Senate - last held October 2002 for one-third of Senate (next to be held NA October 2002 for two-thirds of the Senate); Chamber of Deputies - last held 4 October 1998 (next to be held October 2007)
election results: Federal Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PMDB 27, PFL 20, PSDB 16, PT 7, PPB 5, PSB 3, PDT 2, PPS 1; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PFL 106, PSDB 99, PMDB 82, PPB 60, PT 58, PTB 31, PDT 25, PSB 19, PL 12, PCdoB 7, other 14

Judicial branch: Supreme Federal Tribunal, 11 judges are appointed for life by the president and confirmed by the Senate

Political parties and leaders: Brazilian Democratic Movement Party or PMDB [Jader BARBALHO, president]; Brazilian Labor Party or PTB [Jose Carlos MARTINEZ, president]; Brazilian Social Democracy Party or PSDB [Teotônio VILLELA Filho, president]; Brazilian Socialist Party or PSB [Miguel ARRAES, president]; Brazilian Progressive Party or PPB [Paulo MALUF, president]; Communist Party of Brazil or PCdoB [Renato RABELO, president]; Democratic Labor Party or PDT [Leonel BRIZOLA, president]; Liberal Front Party or PFL [Jorge BORNHAUSEN, president]; Liberal Party or PL [Valdemar COSTA Neto, president]; Popular Socialist Party or PPS [Roberto FREIRE, president]; Worker's Party or PT [Jose GENOÍNO, president]

Political pressure groups and leaders: left wing of the Catholic Church, Landless Worker's Movement, and labor unions pressure the government for more intense reforms on taxation and land property, while rightist PFL and PSDB are critical of government's social and economic policies.

International organization participation: AfDB, BIS, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, NAM (observer), NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOP, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

See also : Brazil, café com leite, coronelismo, history of Brazil, Integralism

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Politics of Brazil."

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Politics of Israel

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Israel's governmental system is based on several basic laws enacted by its unicameral parliament, the Knesset. The president (chief of state) is elected by the Knesset for a 5-year term. Since August 2000, this post has been filled by Moshe Katsav. The prime minister (head of government) exercises executive power and is selected by the president as the party leader most able to form a government. After the president selects, the choice has forty-five days to form a government. In the May 1996 elections, Israelis for the first time voted for the prime minister directly, but direct election has since been repealed. The members of the cabinet must be collectively approved by the Knesset. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (from the Likud party) was first elected 17 February 2001, and re-elected 28 Jan 2003, forming a coalition government with Shinui, National Union, and the Mafdal (National Religious Party). (In addition, Yisrael Ba-Aliya dissolved itself into Likud.)

The Knesset's 120 members are elected by secret ballot to 4-year terms, although the prime minister may decide to call for new elections before the end of the 4-year term. Voting is for party lists rather than for individual candidates, and the total number of seats assigned each party reflects that party's percentage of the vote (see Party-list proportional representation). Successful Knesset candidates are drawn from the lists in order of party-assigned rank. All members of the Knesset are elected at large. Suffrage is universal among Israeli citizens 18 years old. Polling locations are open in Israel and in settlements in the occupied territories; absentee ballots are limited to dimplomatic staff and the merchant marines.

The independent judicial system includes secular and religious courts. The secular courts have a mixture of English common law and British Mandate regulations, while the religious courts are for personal matters. The courts' right of judicial review of the Knesset's legislation is limited. Judicial interpretation is restricted to problems of execution of laws and validity of subsidiary legislation. The highest court in Israel is the Supreme Court, whose judges are approved by the president and serve life-time terms. In December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction.

Israel has no formal constitution. Some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Independence (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law.

Israel is divided into six districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz): Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv. Administration of the districts is coordinated by the Ministry of Interior. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for the administration of the disputed territories.

Political conditions

From the founding of Israel in 1948 until the election of May 1977, Israel was ruled by successive coalition governments led by the Labor alignment or its constituent parties. From 1967-70, the coalition government included all of Israel's parties except the communist party. After the 1977 election, the Likud bloc, then composed of Herut, the Liberals, and the smaller La'am Party, came to power forming a coalition with the National Religious Party, Agudat Israel, and others.

As head of Likud, Menachem Begin became Prime Minister. He remained Prime Minister through the succeeding election in June 1981, until his resignation in the summer of 1983, when he was succeeded by his Foreign Minister, Yitzhak Shamir. After losing a Knesset vote of confidence early in 1984, Shamir was forced to call for new elections, held in July of that year.

The vote was split among numerous parties and provided no clear winner leaving both Labor and Likud considerably short of a Knesset majority. Neither Labor nor Likud was able to gain enough support from the small parties to form even a narrow coalition. After several weeks of difficult negotiations, they agreed on a broadly based government of national unity. The agreement provided for the rotation of the office of prime minister and the combined office of vice prime minister and foreign minister midway through the government's 50-month term.

During the first 25 months of unity government rule, Labor's Shimon Peres served as prime minister, while Likud's Yitzhak Shamir held the posts of vice prime minister and foreign minister. Peres and Shamir switched positions in October 1986. The November 1988 elections resulted in a similar coalition government. Likud edged Labor out by one seat but was unable to form a coalition with the religious and right-wing parties. Likud and Labor formed another national unity government in January 1989 without providing for rotation. Yitzhak Shamir became Prime Minister, and Shimon Peres became Vice Prime Minister and Finance Minister.

The national unity government fell in March 1990, in a vote of no-confidence precipitated by disagreement over the government's response to U.S Secretary of State Baker's initiative in the peace process.

Labor Party leader Peres was unable to attract sufficient support among the religious parties to form a government. Yitzhak Shamir then formed a Likud-led coalition government including members from religious and right-wing parties.

Shamir's government took office in June 1990, and held power for 2 years. In the June 1992 national elections, the Labor Party reversed its electoral fortunes, taking 44 seats. Labor Party leader Yitzhak Rabin formed a coalition with Meretz (a group of three leftist parties) and Shas (an ultra-Orthodox religious party). The coalition included the support of two Arab-majority parties. Rabin became Prime Minister in July 1992. Shas subsequently left the coalition, leaving Rabin with a minority government dependent on the votes of Arab parties in the Knesset.

Rabin was assassinated by a right-wing Jewish radical on November 4, 1995. Peres, then Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, once again became Prime Minister and immediately proceeded to carry forward the peace policies of the Rabin government and to implement Israel's Oslo commitments (including military redeployment in the West Bank and the holding of historic Palestinian elections on January 20, 1996).

Enjoying broad public support and anxious to secure his own mandate, Peres called for early elections after just 3 months in office. (They would have otherwise been held by the end of October 1996.) In late February and early March, a series of suicide bombing attacks by Palestinian terrorists took some 60 Israeli lives, seriously eroding public support for Peres and raising concerns about the peace process. Increased fighting in southern Lebanon, which also brought Katyusha rocket attacks against northern Israel, also raised tensions and weakened the government politically just a month before the May 29 elections.

In those elections - the first direct election of a prime minister in Israeli history - Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu won by a narrow margin, having sharply criticized the government's peace policies for failing to protect Israeli security. Netanyahu subsequently formed a predominantly right-wing coalition government publicly committed to pursuing the peace process, but with an emphasis on security first and reciprocity. His coalition included the Likud party, allied with the Tsomet and Gesher parties in a single list; three religious parties (Shas, the National Religious Party (Mafdal), and the United Torah Judaism bloc); and two centrist parties, The Third Way and Yisrael b'Aliyah. The latter is the first significant party formed expressly to represent the interests of Israel's new immigrants. The Gesher party withdrew from the coalition in January 1998 upon the resignation of its leader, David Levy, from the position of Foreign Minister.

The February 17, 2001 elections resulted in a "national unity" coalition government, led by Ariel Sharon of Likud, and including the Labor Party. This government fell when Labor pulled out, and elections held 28 January 2003, resulted in the following party structures:

Party (translation in quotes, party leader in parentheses) - percent of vote by party -

Notes:
Yisra'el Ba'Aliya dissolved into Likud shortly after the elections.

14 parties didn't pass the qualifying threshold of 1.5%. These parties got 4.0% of votes in total. For a complete list of political parties, see list of political parties in Israel. Information on past elections can be found at the archive.

Political pressure groups and leaders:

Political issues

Major issues in Israeli political life include the approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict specifically and the Arab-Israeli conflict generally; the relationship between segments of Judaism and the secular or religious nature of the state of Israel; and the economy.

Country name:


conventional long form: State of Israel
conventional short form: Israel
local long form: Medinat Yisra'el (Hebrew: מדינת ישראל)
local short form: Yisra'el (Hebrew: ישראל)

Data code: IS

Capital: Jerusalem
note: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but most countries maintain their embassies in Tel Aviv.

National holiday:

Independence Day, 14 May 1948; note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May. Its Hebrew date is 5 Iyyar.

International organization participation:

BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO.

Flag description:

white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Star of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag.

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Politics of Israel."

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Politics of Italy

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Italy has been a democratic republic since June 2, 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum (see Birth of the Italian Republic). The constitution was promulgated on January 1, 1948.

The Italian State is highly centralized, with a central state authority (the Government), 20 regions and about a hundred provinces. The prefect of each of the provinces is appointed by and answerable to the central government, which he locally represents.

The national constitution provides for 20 regions with limited governing powers. Five regions (Sardinia, Sicily, Trentino-Alto Adige, Valle d'Aosta, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia) have special autonomy statutes. The other 15 regions were established in 1970 and vote for regional "councils." The establishment of regional governments throughout Italy has brought some decentralization to the national governmental machinery.

The 1948 constitution established a bicameral parliament (Chamber of Deputies and Senate), a separate judiciary, and an executive branch composed of a Council of Ministers (cabinet), headed by the president of the council (prime minister). The president of the republic is elected for 7 years by the parliament sitting jointly with a small number of regional delegates. The president nominates the prime minister, who proposes the other ministers (formally named by the president). The Council of Ministers (mostly, but not necessarily composed of members of parliament) must retain the confidence (Fiducia) of both houses.

The houses of parliament are popularly and directly elected by a mixed majoritarian and proportional representation system. Under 1993 legislation, Italy has single-member districts for 75% of the seats in parliament; the remaining 25% of seats are allotted on a proportional basis. The Chamber of Deputies has 630 members, of whom twelve represent Italians residing overseas. The Senate includes 315 elected members, of whom six represent Italians residing overseas, former presidents and several other persons appointed for life according to special constitutional provisions. Both houses are elected for a maximum of 5 years, but either may be dissolved before the expiration of its normal term. Legislative bills may originate in either house and must be passed by a majority in both.

The Italian judicial system is based on Roman law modified by the Napoleonic code and later statutes. There is only partial judicial review of legislation in the American sense. A constitutional court, which passes on the constitutionality of laws, is a post-World War II innovation. Its powers, volume, and frequency of decisions are not as extensive as those of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Political conditions

There have been frequent government turnovers since 1945. The dominance of the Christian Democratic (Democrazia Cristiana) party during much of the postwar period lent continuity and comparative stability to Italy's political situation.

From 1992 to 1997, Italy faced significant challenges as voters (disenchanted with past political paralysis, massive government debt, extensive corruption, and organized crime's considerable influence) demanded political, economic, and ethical reforms. In 1993 referendums, voters approved substantial changes, including moving from a proportional to a largely majoritarian electoral system and the abolishment of some ministries (some of which have however been reintroduced with only partly modified competences).

Major political parties, beset by scandal and loss of voter confidence, underwent far-reaching changes. New political forces and new alignments of power emerged in March 1994 national elections. The election saw a major turnover in the new parliament, with 452 out of 630 deputies and 213 out of 315 senators elected for the first time. The 1994 elections also swept media magnate Silvio Berlusconi (leader of "Freedom Pole" (Casa delle Libertà) coalition) into office as Prime Minister. Berlusconi, however, was forced to step down in January 1995 when one member of his coalition withdrew support. The Berlusconi government was succeeded by a technical government headed by Prime Minister Lamberto Dini, which fell in early 1996.

A series of center-left coalitions dominated Italy's political landscape between 1996 and 2001. In April 1996, national elections led to the victory of a center-left coalition (the Olive Tree) under the leadership of Romano Prodi. Prodi's government became the third-longest to stay in power before he narrowly lost a vote of confidence (by three votes) in October 1998. A new government was formed by Democratic Party of the Left (PDS) leader and former-communist Massimo D'Alema. In April 2000, following a poor showing by his coalition in regional elections, D'Alema resigned. The succeeding center-left government, including most of the same parties, was headed by Giuliano Amato, who previously served as Prime Minister in 1992-93.

National elections held on May 13, 2001 returned Berlusconi to power at the head of the five-party center-right "Freedom House" coalition, comprising the prime minister's own party, Forza Italia, the National Alliance, the Northern League, the Christian Democratic Center, and the United Christian Democrats.

In May 1999, the Parliament selected Carlo Azeglio Ciampi as the Republic's President. Ciampi, a former Prime Minister and Minister of the Treasury and before the governor of the Bank of Italy, was elected on the first ballot with an easy margin over the required two-thirds votes.

Political Parties

Italy's dramatic self-renewal transformed the political landscape between 1992 and 1997. Scandal investigations touched thousands of politicians, administrators, and businessmen; the shift from a proportional to majoritarian voting system (with the requirement to obtain a minimum of 4% of the national vote to obtain representation) also altered the political landscape.

Party changes were sweeping. The Christian Democratic party dissolved; the Italian People's Party and the Christian Democratic Center emerged. Other major parties, such as the Socialists, saw support plummet. A new liberal movement, Forza Italia, gained wide support among moderate voters. The National Alliance broke from the (alleged neo-fascist) Italian Social Movement (MSI). A trend toward two large coalitions (one on the center-left and the other on the center-right) emerged from the April 1995 regional elections. For the 1996 national elections, the center-left parties created the Olive Tree coalition while the center-right united again under the Freedom Pole. The May 2001 elections ushered into power a refashioned center-right coalition dominated by Berlusconi's party, Forza Italia. The Olive Tree coalition now sits in the opposition. This emerging bipolarity represents a major break from the fragmented, multi-party political landscape of the postwar era, although it appears to have reached a plateau, since efforts via referendums to further curtail the influence of small parties were defeated in 1999 and 2000. The constant debate among respective components of both coalitions, is however intense, and some observers noted in this dialectical activity some, perhaps inertial, similarities with the previous system.

The largest parties in the Chamber are:

Similar rankings generally apply in the Senate, in which Forza Italia and the Democrats of the Left remain the dominant parties.

Data

Country name:
conventional long form: Italian Republic
conventional short form: Italy
local long form: Repubblica Italiana
local short form: Italia
former: Kingdom of Italy

Data code: IT

Government type: republic

Capital: Rome

Administrative divisions: 20 regions (regioni, singular - regione); Abruzzi, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardia, Marche, Molise, Piemonte, Puglia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Toscana, Trentino-Alto Adige, Umbria, Valle d'Aosta, Veneto

Independence: 17 March 1861 (Kingdom of Italy proclaimed; Italy was not finally unified until September 20, 1870, conquest of Rome)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Republic, June 2 (1946)

Constitution: 1 January 1948

Legal system: based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal (except in senatorial elections, where minimum age is 25)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi (since 13 May 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister (referred to in Italy as the president of the Council of Ministers) Silvio Berlusconi (since 28 June 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister and approved by the president, then trusted by parliament
elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of both houses of Parliament and 58 regional representatives for a seven-year term; election last held 13 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2006); prime minister appointed by the president and confirmed by parliament
election results: Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI elected president; percent of electoral college vote - 70%

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Parlamento consists of the Senate or Senato della Repubblica (315 seats elected by popular vote of which 232 are directly elected and 83 are elected by regional proportional representation plus, in addition, there are a small number of senators-for-life including former presidents of the republic; members serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Camera dei Deputati (630 seats; 475 are directly elected, 155 by regional proportional representation; members serve five-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held April 2001; Chamber of Deputies - last held April 2001
election results:

Judicial branch: Constitutional Court or Corte Costituzionale, composed of 15 judges (one-third appointed by the president, one-third elected by Parliament, one-third elected by the ordinary and administrative supreme courts)

Political parties and leaders:

Political pressure groups and leaders:

International organization participation: AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-7, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS IHO, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, NMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNTSO, UPU WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, Zangger Committee

Flag description:
The italian national flag has three equal vertical bands of green (hoist side), white, and red; similar to the flag of Ireland, which is longer and is green (hoist side), white, and orange; also similar to the flag of the Cote d'Ivoire, which has the colors reversed - orange (hoist side), white, and green
note: presumably inspired by the French flag brought to Italy by Napoleon in 1797. Other sources say instead it was chosen by Giuseppe Garibaldi (the "2 Worlds hero") as the flag for his army "Cacciatori delle Alpi", not really much more than a platoon with which he defeated several better organised armies, like Austrian one. After Independence Wars, the "tricolore" (the way the flag is popularly called), was unofficially tolerated by Carlo Alberto, King of Sardinia and Piedmont, and then finally declared official flag in 1847.

See also : Italy

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Politics of Italy."

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Politics of New Zealand

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

New Zealand is a Constitutional Monarchy with a parliamentary system of government closely patterned on that of the United Kingdom. Under the New Zealand Royal Titles Act of 1953, Queen Elizabeth II is Queen of New Zealand and is represented as head of state by the Governor General, Dame Silvia Cartwright. Although both main parties, when in government, have raised the issue of New Zealand becoming a republic within the Commonwealth, there has been little support for such constitutional change compared to neighbouring Australia.

There is no formal, written constitution; New Zealand's constitution consists of various documents, including certain acts of the UK and New Zealand Parliaments; Most constitutional provisions have been consolidated into the Constitution Act 1986.

Executive

Executive authority is exercised by the Cabinet, which is responsible to Parliament. (The Cabinet is the practical expression of a formal body known as the Executive Council.) The Cabinet is led by the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the political party or coalition of parties holding the majority of seats in the House of Representatives. All Cabinet Ministers must be Members of Parliament (MPs) and are collectively responsible to it.

Legislature

Parliament is unicameral, consisting of the 120-seat House of Representatives. Since 1996, New Zealand has used the mixed member proportional (MMP) system, under which 66 MPs are elected by popular vote in single-member constituencies, with the remainder appointed from party lists. Six seats are currently reserved for Maori elected on a separate Maori roll. However, Maori may alternatively vote and run for the non-reserved seats and several have entered Parliament in this way. Parliaments are elected for a maximum term of three years, although elections can be called sooner. In New Zealand, everyone (male and female) over the age of 18 years can vote, women having gained the vote in 1893.

Elections were last held 27 July 2002 (next must be called by July 2005) Labour Party and the Progessive Coalition formed the government coalition; the United Future undertook to support the government on essential matters. The National Party remained the official Opposition.

Judiciary

The judiciary consists of the Court of Appeals, the High Court, and the District Courts. New Zealand law has three principal sources - English common law, certain statutes of the UK Parliament enacted before 1947, and statutes of the New Zealand Parliament. In interpreting common law, the courts have been concerned with preserving uniformity with common law as interpreted in the United Kingdom. This uniformity has been bolstered by the maintenance of the Privy Council in London as the final court of appeal and by judges' practice of following British decisions, even though, technically, they are not bound by them. However, in October 2003, the House of Representatives passed legislation to end this right of appeal from 2004, and establish the Supreme Court of New Zealand in Wellington, which will begin hearings in July of that year.

Local Government

New Zealand is divided into 12 regions, which have either a regional council or a unitary authority. Regional council areas are divided into territorial authority areas, each of which is administrated by either a city council or a district council. Local government in New Zealand has only the powers conferred upon it by parliament. Regional councils are directly elected, set their own tax (rating) rates, and have a chairman elected by their members. Regional council responsibilities include environmental management, regional aspects of civil defence, and transportation planning. The 74 territorial authorities -- 16 city councils, 57 district councils in rural areas, and one council for the Chatham Islands -- are directly elected, raise local taxes at rates they themselves set, and are headed by popularly elected mayors. The territorial authorities may delegate powers to local community boards. These boards, instituted at the behest either local citizens or territorial authorities, advocate community views but cannot levy taxes, appoint staff, or own property.

Party Politics

For a listing of registered parties, see Political parties in New Zealand

The conservative National Party and the left-leaning Labour Party have dominated New Zealand political life since a Labour government came to power in 1935. During 14 years in office (1935 - 1949), the Labour Party implemented a broad array of social and economic legislation, including comprehensive social security, a large scale public works programme, a 40-hour working week, a minimum basic wage, and compulsory unionismism. The National Party won control of the government in 1949 and adopted many welfare measures instituted by the Labour Party. Except for two brief periods of Labour governments in 1957 - 1960 and 1972 - 1975, National held power until 1984. After regaining control in 1984, the Labour government instituted a series of radical market-oriented reforms in response to New Zealand's mounting external debt. It also enacted anti-nuclear legislation that effectively brought about New Zealand's suspension from the ANZUS security alliance with the United States of America and Australia.

In October 1990, the National Party again formed the government, for the first of three, 3-year terms. In 1996, New Zealand inaugurated the new electoral system, Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) to elect its Parliament. The system was expected (among numerous other goals) to increase representation of smaller parties in Parliament and appears to have done so in the MMP elections to date. Since 1996, neither National nor Labour has had an absolute majority in Parliament, and for all but one of those years, the government has been a minority one. After 9 years in office, the National Party lost the November 1999 election. Labour outpolled National by 39% to 30% and formed a coalition, minority government with the left-wing Alliance Party. The government often relied on support from the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand to pass legislation.

The Labour Party retained power in the 27 July 2002 election, forming a coalition with Jim Anderton's new party, the Progressive Coalition, and reaching an agreement for support from the United Future party. Helen Clark remained prime minister.

See Also

Foreign relations of New Zealand

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Politics of New Zealand."

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Politics of the United Kingdom

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The United Kingdom is a unitary state governed by a democratic constitutional monarchy. Its system of government (often known as the Westminster system) has directly inspired the government of other countries, such as Canada, India, Australia, and Jamaica.

The constitution is largely unwritten, being made up of constitutional conventions, and various elements of statutory law and common law which are collectively referred to as British constitutional law.

The head of state and theoretical ultimate source of power in the UK is the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. In reality, the Queen has an essentially ceremonial role, restricted in exercise of power by convention and public opinion, though the monarch does have three essential rights, the right to be consulted, the right to advise and the right to warn. The longer the monarch reigns, the greater the degree of his or her experience and knowledge, something all governments and prime ministers tap into in their weekly confidential meetings with the monarch. In practical terms, the political head of the country is the Prime Minister (currently Anthony C. L. (Tony) Blair since May 2, 1997), who must have the support of the House of Commons. In formal terms, the Crown in Parliament is sovereign.

Government

The Government (formally, Her Majesty's Government) performs the Executive functions of the United Kingdom. The monarch appoints a Prime Minister, guided by the strict convention that the Prime Minister should be the member of the House of Commons most likely to be able to form a Government with the support of the House. The Prime Minister then selects the other Ministers which make up the Government and act as political heads of the various Government Departments and Ministries. About twenty of the most senior government ministers make up the Cabinet.

The Government is drawn from and is answerable to parliament - a vote of no confidence can be called if any government-sponsored legislation is defeated in the House of Commons, and, if passed, will force a prime minister either to resign or to seek a parliamentary dissolution and a general election. In practice members of parliament of all major parties are strictly controlled by "whips" who try to ensure they vote according to party policy. If the government has a large majority, then they are very unlikely to lose any votes. Governments with a small majority, or coalition governments, are much more vulnerable, and sometimes have to resort to extreme measures, such as "wheeling in" sick MPs, to get the necessary majority.

Parliament

Main article: Parliament of the United Kingdom

Parliament is the very centre of the political system in the United Kingdom. It is the supreme legislative body, and Government is drawn from and answerable to it.

It is made up of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

House of Commons

Main article: British House of Commons

The country is divided into parliamentary constituencies of broadly equal population (decided by the Boundaries Commission), each of which elects a Member of Parliament to the House of Commons. Most of these belong to a political party, although this is by no means a necessity and there is little recognition within the parliamentary constitution of parties.

There is almost always a party with an outright majority of MPs in the House. The leader of this party is invited by the monarch to form a government and becomes the Prime Minister. The leader of the second biggest party becomes the Leader of the Opposition.

There is usually a majority, thanks to the First Past the Post electoral system (which without the element of proportionality can magnify swings and so make it difficult not to win a majority of seats), so coalitions are rare. The monarch normally asks a person commissioned to form a government simply whether it can survive in the House of Commons, something which minority governments can do. In exceptional circumstances the monarch asks someone to 'form a government' with a parliamentary majority,1 in the event of no party having a majority, that requires the formation of a coalition government. This option is only ever taken at a time of national emergency, such as war-time. It was given in 1916 to Andrew Bonar Law, and when he declined, to David Lloyd George. In 1940, it was given to Lord Halifax, and when he declined, Winston Churchill. It is worth noting that a government is not formed by a vote of the House of Commons, merely a commission from the monarch. The House of Commons gets its first chance to indicate confidence in the new government when it votes on the Speech from the Throne, ie, the legislative programme proposed by the new government.

The House of Lords

The House of Lords was previously a hereditary, aristocratic chamber. Major reform is currently in progress, but it is currently a mixture of hereditary members and appointed members (life peers, with no hereditary right for their descendants to sit in the House). It currently acts to review legislation formed by the House of Commons, with the power to propose amendments, and delay legislation it doesn't approve of for about a year (see Parliament Act). Often governments will accept changes in legislation in order to avoid both the time delay, and the negative publicity of being seen to clash with the Lords.

The House of Lords is also the final court of appeal within the United Kingdom, although in practice only a small subset of the House of Lords, known as the Law Lords, hear judicial cases.

Civil Service

The Civil Service is a politically neutral organisation which serves the Government in an administrative function. It is primarily organised into Departments of State, each with a Secretary of State (a senior Government Minister) as the political head. Most Government Departments have headquarters inand around Whitehall (a London street), hence "Whitehall" is often used as a synonym for the central core of the Civil Service.

Devolution and Regional Government

In addition to the House of Commons, Scotland and Wales now have regional parliaments, and Northern Ireland has the Northern Irish Assembly. Some members of these bodies are elected by a form of proportional representation. Although these assemblies have some legislative and other powers, they do not have anywhere near the power of the national parliament. There are fundamental differences between them. For example, the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate, whereas the Welsh Assembly Government only has the power to spend the budget formerly allocated to a government department known as the Welsh Office. In addition, as devolved systems of regional government, they have no constitutional right to exist and can have their powers broadened, narrowed or changed utterly by simple Act of Parliament. Parliament can also by simple Act of parliament create more regional assemblies or abolish them all. Thus the United Kingdom is said to have a unitary state with a devolved system of government. This contrasts with a federal system, in which sub-parliaments or state parliaments and assemblies have a clearly defined constitutional right to exist and a right to exercise certain constitutionally guaranteed and defined functions and cannot be unilaterally abolished by Acts of the central parliament.

For further information on Scotland's political system see also:

Local Government

The country is divided into Local Authorities (often Councils), which are further subdivided (these subdivisions are often known as wards). In local elections (held at the same time throughout the country, but at a different time to parliamentary general elections), each of these small subdivisions elects a Councillor to represent them. The collection of Councillors together head the Local Authority.

Local Authorities are responsible for such matters as administering education, public transport, and the management of public spaces.

First Past the Post Electoral System

The First Past the Post, is non-proportional. Of the candidates standing in a given constituency, the one who receives the highest number of votes is elected. In practise in the vast majority of constituencies there will be more then two parties standing candidates. As such, candidates do not have to receive 50 or more percent of the vote to win. (The present government, for instance, was formed on the basis of around 40% of the vote, nationally.) This lack of proportional representation means it does not give parties a parliamentary party size directly related to the percentage vote they received. Thus, large parties have an advantage at the expense of small parties, larger than their votes warrant.

For example, in the last election Labour won 60% of the seats with only 40% of the vote. The system also means that the party with the most seats in parliament may not have had the most votes. Supporters of the First Past the Post system like the direct link it provides between voters and their local MP, and also the fact that it tends to produce Governments able to act decisively. Some people say that by discouraging minority parties, the system acts as a defence against extremist parties such as the BNP; on the other hand, critics believe that the system unfairly discriminates against smaller parties and is undemocratic.

According to Duverger's law, a first-past-the-post voting system naturally leads to a two-party system. This certainly seems borne out in the history of British parliamentary politics. However, the British political culture is not a 'pure' two-party system. The Liberal Democrat party has 53 of the 659 Commons seats in the 2001 Parliament, and several nationalist (regional) groupings sit, leading some spectators to regard the Westminster parliament as a "two and a half" party system.

Electoral reform, towards a proportional model, is desired by the Liberal Democrat party, the Green and other parties, as well as many members of the Labour party.

The Tories are predominantly against PR. One reason for this is that, despite the Conservative party not necesarily losing more political power than Labour might, it would find itself politically isolated on the right. This would allow the possibility of the Labour party remaining in power indefinately through a string of minority governments coalitions with any combination of the Liberal Democrats, Greens or newly represented socialist parties.

Advocates of PR counter that making Conservative factions, especially the europhile and libertarian wings, electable in their own right would provide more choice to those voters who favour a free market economy but that disagree with the Tory party on other issues.

Advocates of this political climate argue that it would lead to much more emphasis on consensus, providing novel political solutions and better representing the combined will of the electorate. Opponents claim that this makeup would be democratically opaque and subject to abuse and corruption, as well as giving small parties more power than their vote alone would suggest they deserve.

Political parties

There are three main national political parties in the United Kingdom, although it is worth noting that in Northern Ireland, where politics is dominated by sectarianism, none of these three main parties have a strong following.

They are:

The last General Election for the House of Commons was held on June 7, 2001. The results were as follows: (note - the party leaders mentioned are the current party leaders, not those who led the party in the general election.)

Numerous other political parties failed to win any seats.

Between them, the three main British political parties have, in one form or another, held power since 1678.

Political parties originated in 1662 in the aftermath of the English Civil War, with the creation of the Court Party and the Country Party, soon becoming known as the Tories (now the Conservative party) and the Whigs (now the Liberal Democrats). The two remained the main political parties until the 20th century.

The term Tory originates from the Exclusion Bill crisis of 1678-1681 - the Whigs were those who supported the exclusion of the Roman Catholic Duke of York from the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland, and the Tories were those who opposed it. Both names were originally insults: a "whiggamor" was a cattle driver, and a "tory" was an Irish term for an outlaw.

Generally, the Tories were associated with lesser gentry and the Church of England, while Whigs were more associated with trade, money, larger land holders (or "land magnates"), expansion and tolerance. Both were still committed to the political system in place at that time. Neither group could be considered a true political party in the modern sense.

After becoming associated with repression of popular discontent in the years after 1815, the Tories underwent a fundamental transformation under the influence of Robert Peel, himself an industrialist rather than a landowner, who in his 1835 "Tamworth manifesto" outlined a new "Conservative" philosophy of reforming ills while conserving the good.

Though Peel's supporters subsequently split from their colleagues over the issue of free trade in 1846, ultimately joining the Whigs to form what would become the Liberal Party, Peel's version of the party's underlying outlook was retained by the remaining Tories, who adopted his label of Conservative as the official name of their party.

The term "Liberal Party" was first used officially in 1868, though it was used colloquially for decades beforehand.

In the 20th century the Labour Party was established, leading to the demise of the Whigs as the liberal force in British Politics. The existence of the Labour Party on the left of British politics led to a slow waning of energy from the Liberal movement, ending with it taking third place in national politics.

After performing poorly in the elections of 1922, 1923 and 1924, the Liberal Party was superseded by the Labour Party as the party of the left, and inheritor of the spirit of the Whig movement.

Apart from two brief spells in minority governments in 1924 and 1929, the Labour Party had its first true victory after World War II in the 1945 "khaki election".

Throughout the rest of the twentieth century Labour governments alternated with Conservative governments. The Conservatives were in power for most of the time, with the Labour Party suffering the "wilderness years" of 1951-1964 (three straight General Election defeats) and 1979-1997 (four straight General Election defeats). During this second period Margaret Thatcher who became leader of the Conservative party in 1975 made a fundamental change to Conservative policies, turning the Conservative Party into a right-wing radical party. In the general election of 1979 she defeated James Callaghan's troubled Labour government after the winter of discontent. And for most of the 1980s and 1990s under her successor John Major pursued radical policies of Privatisation, anti-trade-union legislation and Monetarism, otherwise known as Thatcherism.

The Labour Party elected staunch left-winger Michael Foot as their leader after their 1979 election defeat, and he responded to Margaret Thatcher's government by moving the party further to the left, a move which split the party and was widely believed to have made Labour unelectable for a decade.

In response to the leftward shift of the Labour party, some moderate Labour party members in 1981 formed a breakaway group from the Labour Party, called the Social Democratic Party, it was formed as a centrist alternative to Labour and the Conservatives. It was widely accused of splitting the anti-Conservative vote and did not prosper, and eventually merged with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats. Support for the new party has increased ever since, and the Liberal Democrats (often referred to as LibDems) in 1997 and 2001 won a record number of seats in the House of Commons.

Labour were badly defeated by the Conservatives in the general election of 1983 and Michael Foot was replaced by the more moderate Neil Kinnock as leader of the Labour party, who expelled the far left-wing Militant group, and moderated many of the parties policies. He was replaced by John Smith after Labour's narrow defeat in the 1992 general election.

Tony Blair became leader of the Labour party after John Smith's sudden death of a heart attack in 1994, and continued to move the Labour Party back towards the centre (his critics would say to the centre-right, but most of them said the same about Kinnock and Smith) by loosening links with the unionss and dropping policies such as unilateral nuclear disarmament. This, coupled with the professionalising of the party machine's approach to the media helped Labour win the 1997 General Election with a historic landslide result. The Labour Party has moved from being a social democratic party to a radical socialist party, to being a social democratic party again. The Labour Party consolidated its position in 2001, winning a second consecutive General Election - the first time ever achievement for the Labour Party.

This has led to a crisis of confidence in the Conservative Party, which had become complacent with its position as the 'natural party of government' after its 18 years of power. The party's drift to the right lost it nearly all its working-class voters, and its aging membership (average age: 65) and vote (3rd party among the under 45's) mean that avoiding extinction is a higher priority than winning an election.

British politics and the European Union

The United Kingdom is part of the European Union (EU). In recent years, there have been divisions in both major parties as to whether the UK should form greater ties within the EU, leave things as they are, or leave the EU. A particularly divisive issue is whether the UK should adopt the Euro as its currency.

Such divisions run particularly deep in the Conservative Party, where opponents of greater European integration are known as "Eurosceptics".

Major issues in British national politics

Major issues in current British national politics, in very approximate order of voter concern (as of 2002), are:

There are also specific regional issues, not listed above, for which, see below.

The British mainland regional parties

Other, smaller, British political parties are generally regionally based, often advocating independence for their region. They include

Northern Irish politics

Northern Irish politics is particularly complex, due to the history of Northern Ireland, particularly The Troubles.

From the late 1960s until the mid-1990s, Northern Ireland was plagued by civil unrest and terrorism, known as The Troubles.

The current government of Northern Ireland was established as a result of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, properly known as the Belfast Agreement.

The Northern Irish parties are:

The fringe parties

Other political parties exist, but generally do not succeed in returning MPs to Parliament. There is a tendency on the far left and right for a proliferation of tiny groups (also known by the French term 'groupuscules'), sometimes characterized by extremely rigid ideologies and built around personalities, that are constantly splitting to create new groups.

However, in the European Parliament, the Green Party cannot be regarded as a fringe group.

Independents

There are also a few independent politicians with no party allegiance. This normally occurs only when an MP decides to break with his party in mid-session. Since the Second World War only two MPs have been elected as independents:

Government bodies

Judicial

See Courts of the United Kingdom.

Miscellaneous

Political pressure groups

International organization participation

AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, BIS, The Commonwealth, CCC, CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECA (associate), ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, European Union, FAO, G-5, G-6, G-7, G-8, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, SPC, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, Zangger Committee

See Also

Footnotes

1 The formal request from the monarch is either to (a) form a government capable of surviving in the House of Commons (which by implication does not require a majority behind it, given that skilled minority governments can and do survive for long periods, or (b) form a government capable of commanding a majority in the Commons, which by implication requires a majority behind it.

External links:

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Privy Council of Sweden

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

The Privy Council, or Riksrådet, was the principal government institution of Sweden from 1319 to 1974.

The Privy Council originated as a council of personal advisers to the Monarch where the foremost advisor received the title of Earl of Jarl. The last Earl of Sweden was Birger Jarl who died in 1266 and during the reign of king Magnus I of Sweden between 1275 and 1290 the informal meetings became a permanent institution called the Royal Council or Kungligt råd. In 1319 the name had been changed to Rikets råd or Council of the Realm, and had the offices of Lord Chancellor (Kansler), Chief Justfice (Drots) and Constable (Marsk).

Modern Sweden

The Royal declaration of 1611, the Constitution of 1634 and government under King Gustavus Adolphus and Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna layed a foundation for the modern Sweden. The current administrative subdivision into Counties is a legacy from this time. The senior posts of the Privy Council had been expanded to five:

Parliamentarism vs. Absolute Monarcy

King Charles XII had issued a new working order for the Privy Council Chancellery in 1713 to enable him to conduct government from the field. This provided opportunity for Riksdag of the Estates to influence the Constitutionss of 1719 and 1721, that gave Sweden half a century of parliamentary government. The Privy Council now had 16 members, was lead by the king, where each councilor had one vote, except for the king who had two. The Council was the government of the kingdom but also the supreme judicial authority. The estates could remove displeasing councilors, a tenet of parliamentary power and the majority would appoint the Chancellery President who was the first among equals in the Council. The Freedom of the Press Act was established during this period, 1766.

This parliamentary government would remain until the bloodless Coup d'Etat, or Revolution, perpetrated by king Gustav III in 1772 which restored royal sovereignty, under dictatorial forms. The loss of the Finnish War in 1809 by his son Gustav IV Adolf restored initiative to the Estates which used it to remove the King and replace him with a new dynasty and a new constitution.

The Constitution of 1809

On June 6, 1809 the new Constitution was adopted, and while the King still controlled the Council; the powers of Government had to be shared with the Estates. The Privy Council was revived, now with nine members where the leading members were the Prime Minister of State and the Prime Minister of Justice. The departmental reform of 1840 successfully created seven departments, or ministries, under the Council to better organize the tasks of government. In 1866 the Estates were abolished and the new Riksdag was organized in two chambers. The office Prime Minster was instituted in 1876, with Louis de Geer as the first head of Government.

In 1917 the parliamentarian principles had been firmly established in Swedish politics and the Monarch was no longer able to exercise any of his constitutionally granted political powers. The Government depended politically on support from the Parliament, but the powers were still exercised under the Royal authority of the Privy Council. The Swedish term used for the council, i. e. the Government, during this period was Kungl. Maj:t, an abbreviation of Kungligt Majestät (i Konselj), or Royal Majesty (in Council) in English.

The Constitution of 1974

In 1974 a new Instrument of Government replaced the previous one from 1809, which abolished the Privy Council as an active Government institution and replaced it, also formally, with a Cabinet Government under the Parliament.

Its function since 1975 has been limited to the initial meeting by each new Cabinet, which are held in Council, at the Royal Castle, chaired by the King, following approval by Parliament.

List of Lords High Chancellor and Chancellry Presidents

See also: History of Sweden, List of Swedish monarchs, Privy Council of the British monarch

Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Privy Council of Sweden."

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Provinces of Finland

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

Finland consists of 6 provinces (läänit/län), following a 1997 redesign that reduced their number from 12.

The province authority is part of the central government's executive branch; a system that hasn't changed drastically since its creation in 1634.

The State of Finland is since the late 19th century bilingual. Its governmental offices and agencies use both domestic languages in contacts with the public. Below the local names are given in Finnish/Swedish:

  1. Province of Southern Finland
    (Etelä-Suomen lääni/Södra Finlands län)
  2. Province of Western Finland
    (Länsi-Suomen lääni/Västra Finlands län)
  3. Province of Eastern Finland
    (Itä-Suomen lääni/Östra Finlands län)
  4. Province of Oulu
    (Oulun lääni/Uleåborgs län)
  5. Province of Lapland
    (Lapin lääni/Lapplands län/Saami: Lappi)
  6. Province of Åland¹
    (Ålands län²)

¹ Some duties, which on mainland-Finland are handled by the provinces, are on the autonomous Åland Islands transferred to the local government.
² The Åland Islands are unilingually Swedish. The name of the province in Finnish language is: Ahvenanmaan lääni.

Each province has a State Provincial Office (Lääninhallitus/Länsstyrelse) which act as the joint regional authority for seven ministries in the following domains:

Each State Provincial Office authority is lead by a Governor (Maaherra/Landshövding) who is appointed by the president after a proposal by the cabinet.

Abolished provinces

Before the redesign in 1997 the provinces were:
  1. Ahvenanmaan lääni/Ålands län
  2. Hämeen lääni/Tavastehus län
  3. Keski-Suomen lääni/Mellersta Finlands län
  4. Kuopion lääni/Kuopio län
  5. Kymen lääni/Kymmene län
  6. Lapin lääni/Laplands län
  7. Mikkelin lääni/St. Michels län
  8. Oulun lääni/Uleåborgs län
  9. Pohjois-Karjalan lääni/Norra Karelens län
  10. Turun ja Porin lääni/Åbo och Björneborgs län
  11. Uudenmaan lääni/Nylands län
  12. Vaasan lääni/Vasa län

See also

External links

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Abbreviations & Acronyms: Government

The following table is compiled from various sources, across various languages. When English abbreviations or acronyms come from a non-English source, this is noted.
EntrySourceExpressionField
GOAEnglishGovernment of AustraliaN/A

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Synonyms: Government

Synonyms: authorities (n), governance (n), governing (n), government activity (n), political science (n), politics (n), regime (n). (additional references)

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Synonyms within Context: Government

ContextSynonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus).

Authority

Noun: authority; influence, patronage, power, preponderance, credit, prestige, prerogative, jurisdiction; right;Noun: authority; influence, patronage, power, preponderance, credit, prestige, prerogative, jurisdiction; right; (title); direction; government; a.

Conduct

Management; husbandry; housekeeping, housewifery; stewardship; menage; regime; economy, economics; political economy; government; (direction).

Direction

Noun: direction; management, managery; government, gubernation, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance; bossism; legislature; steerage, pilotage; reins, reins of government; helm, rudder, needle, compass; guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star; cynosure.

Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus.

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Crosswords: Government

English words defined with "government": department of local government, department of the federal government ♦ federal government ♦ government agency, government agent, government building, government department, government income, government issue, government minister, government office, government officials, government revenue, government security ♦ local government ♦ municipal government ♦ Petticoat government ♦ state government ♦ U.S. government, United States government. (references)
Specialty definitions using "government": Carpet-bag Government, Coalition Government ♦ Financing, Government, Foreign Government Official ♦ Government Agencies, government impelled, government inspection agencies, Government Men, Government National Mortgage Association, Government of God, Government OSI Profile, Government Printing Office ♦ INSPECTOR, GOVERNMENT PROPERTY ♦ nonmaturing,nonredeemable government bond ♦ the Government Office for Merseyside. (references)
Etymologies containing "government": Statal. (references)
Non-English Usage: "Government" is also a word in the following language with the English translation in parentheses.

Serbo-Croatian (govt).

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Modern Usage: Government

DomainUsage

Screenplays

The Government of the United States wants to charge you two with murder (A Few Good Men; writing credit: Aaron Sorkin. Based on the play by Aaron Sorkin.)

First rule in government spending: why build one when you can have two at twice the price (Contact; writing credit: Carl Sagan;)

He did, but the French government refused him an export permit (Moonraker; writing credit: Christopher Wood)

Are they government issue or do all you guys go, like, to the same store to get them (Midnight Run ; writing credit: George Gallo)

Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government! Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony (Monty Python and the Holy Grail; writing credit: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin.)

Lyrics

Well, the government bugged the men's (All She Wants to Do Is Dance; performing artist: Don Henley)

Corrupted government actions (Get High On Life; performing artist: Exit-13)

Government gave us three thousand dollars (RAISED ON ROBBERY; performing artist: Joni Mitchell)

But yo we ain't on no government list ("Men in Black"; performing artist: Will Smith)

Clever

We have the best government that money can buy. (references; author: Mark Twain)

Government organization (references; author: unknown)

A penny saved is a government oversight. (references; author: unknown)

Even crime wouldn't pay if the government ran it. (references; author: unknown)

An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications. (references; author: unknown)

Movie/TV Titles

Government Story (1969)

The Government Inspector (1958)

Student Government at Work (1953)

Government Agents vs Phantom Legion (1951)

Canadian Government Arctic Expedition of 1925 (1926)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Commercial Usage: Government

DomainTitle

References

  • Osaka Prefectural Government Construction Projects in Japan: A Strategic Entry Report, 1996 (reference)

  • Government Procurement in Canada: A Strategic Entry Report, 1997 (reference)

  • Hyogo Prefectural Government Construction Projects in Japan: A Strategic Entry Report, 1996 (reference)

  • The 2001 Report on Government Public Health Activities: World Market Segmentation by City (reference)

  • The 2001 Long-Run Global Growth Prospects for Government Public Health Activities: A Physioeconomic Perspective (reference)

    (more reference examples)

  

Books

  • African Education in Colonial Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi: Government Control, Settler Antagonism and African Agency, 1890-1964 (reference)

  • Empty Category Principle Antecedent Government (reference)

  • The Killer Strain: Anthrax and a Government Caught Sleeping (reference)

  • 21st Century Anthrax Digest: Government Information on Biological Warfare and Bioterrorism, Symptoms, Vaccines, and Treatment (reference)

  • Ap U.S. Government & Politics: An Apex Learning Guide (reference)

    (more book examples)

  

Periodicals

  

Theater & Movies

  • The Standard Deviants - American Government 2-pack (reference)

  • Nude Secretaries: Government Workers (reference)

  • Standard Deviants TV: American Government (reference)

    (more DVD examples; more video examples)

  

Music

  

High Tech

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Image Slideshow: Government

Photos:
Government

More pictures...

Illustrations:
Government

More pictures...

Computer Images:
Government

More pictures...

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Photo Album: Government

ThumbnailDescription & CreditThumbnailDescription & Credit

The Understanding AIDS campaign marked the first time the federal government had attempted to contact virtually every resident, directly by mail, regarding a major public health problem. Credit: CDC.

Government Land Office survey camp in South Dakota. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

Turning in the government property when it looked like there were no more funds Triangulation party of Wilbur Porter. Credit: Coast & Geodetic Survey Historical Image Collection.

The Government House at Christiansted, under repair from hurricane damage. Credit: America's Coastlines.

"Christian's Fort and the Harbor from Government Hill, St. Thomas." In: "The Virgin Islands Our New Possessions and the British Islands", by Theodoor De Booy and John T. Faris, 1918. J. B. Lippincott and Company, Philadelphia. P. 30. Library Call Number C/hc100 V81 B. Credit: America's Coastlines.

In 1997, a partnership of industry and government rebuilt AQUARIUS. Credit: National Undersea Research Program (NURP).

End page of Edward Forbes' paper in which he challenges the scientific community to seek new knowledge of the sea and lays the groundwork for government support of oceanography. In: The Annual Report of the British Association for the Advancement of Science for the year 1843. NOAA Central Library Journal collection. Credit: Sailing for Science - the NOAA Fleet Then and Now.

Edmond Pope (center), the American businessman convicted of spying by the Russian government, arrived at Ramstein Air base, Germany, Dec. 14 following his release from prison. The 54-year-old retired Navy officer was to receive a medical evaluation at ne.

Jill Bowling of government staff looks at Porcupine in the Blitzen River WSA. Credit: Scott Moore.

Government Housing on St. Paul. Credit: Alaska Historical Image Library.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

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Digital Photo Gallery: Government
 

"The Sky" by Steve Matthews
Commentary: "This picture was taken from Tokyo - Government Buildings on the 45th floor."		"Red-eared slider" by Bobbie Osborne
Commentary: "Trachemys scripta elegans Sliders, especially the red-eared, have been heavily collected for the pet trade and are sold by the millions in pet shops across the world. Because of unsanitary conditions and a lack of knowledge on turtle care, few survive fo"

Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers.

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Familiar Quotations: Government

AuthorQuotation

Benjamin Disraeli

A conservative government is an organized hypocrisy.

Henry David Thoreau

That government is best which governs least.

James Reston

A government is the only vessel known to leak from the top.

John Adams

A government of laws and not of men.

Joseph De Maistre

Every country has the government it deserves.

Karl Wilhelm Von Humboldt

The government is best which makes itself unnecessary.

Napoleon Bonaparte

Public instruction should be the first object of government.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

The less government we have the better.

Ronald Reagan

Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Historic Usage: Government

AuthorDateQuotation

John Locke

1690

Whenever the society is dissolved, it is certain the government of that society cannot remain. (Second Treatise of Government)

US Declaration of Independence

1776

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. (reference)

US Constitution

1791

The president of the convention transmitted it to Congress, with a resolution stating how the proposed Federal Government should be put in operation, and an explanatory letter. (reference)

US Bill of Rights

1795

Amendment I. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (reference)

Amendment to US Constitution

1795-2016

The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; they shall be in addition to those appointed by the States, but they shall be considered, for the purposes of the election of President and Vice President, to be electors appointed by a State; and they shall meet in the District and perform such duties as provided by the twelfth article of amendment. (reference)

Marbury v. Madison

1803

The government of the United States is of the latter description. (reference)

Communist Manifesto

1848

Independent, or but loosely connected provinces, with separate interests, laws, governments and systems of taxation, became lumped together into one nation, with one government, one code of laws, one national class-interest, one frontier and one customs-tariff. (reference)

The Emancipation Proclamation

1862

And by virtue of the power and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States and parts of States are, and henceforward shall be, free; and that the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. (Abraham Lincoln)

Abraham Lincoln

1863

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. (The Gettysburg Address)

Treaty of Versailles

1919

The Government of the United States of America is requested to convene the Conference. (reference)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Use in Literature: Government

TitleAuthorQuote

Contact

Carl Sagan

Every government that prepares for war paints its adversaries as monsters, she said

Sylvie and Bruno Concluded

Carroll, Lewis

I think that method of government ought to answer well

Les Miserables

Hugo, Victor

Monsieur knows that the government demands a deal of money

Time Enough for Love

Robert Heinlein

An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications

Grapes of Wrath

Steinbeck, John

And without any signal the family gathered by the truck, and the congress, the family government, went into session

Gulliver's Travels

Swift, Jonathan

Another professor showed me a large paper of instructions for discovering plots and conspiracies against the government.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Non-Fiction Usage: Government

SubjectTopicQuote

Health

This service of the Administration on Aging is funded by the Federal Government. (references)

CHID is a database produced by health-related agencies of the Federal Government. (references)

Continuous maintenance of the ICD-9-CM is the responsibility of the federal government." (references)

Business

They are without government guarantees. (references)

Rodley met with many government officials. (references)

Spain has a federal-like system of government. (references)

Children

Suriname

If a family is unable to pay, the Government provides assistance. (references)

Tunisia

Some are funded by the Government and international organizations. (references)

Ghana

All fees approved by the Council are to be paid by the Government. (references)

Civil Liberties

Cote d'Ivoire

Both are owned and operated by the Government. (references)

Moldova

Internet access is not limited by the Government. (references)

Laos

Local news in all media reflects government policy. (references)

Discrimination

Azerbaijan

Preventing this discrimination is not a government priority. (references)

Madagascar

No specific government institutions are designated to enforce these antidiscrimination provisions. (references)

Burundi

Hutus continued to perceive, correctly, that the Tutsi-dominated Government and army discriminate against them. (references)

Economic History

Eritrea

Type: Transition government. (references)

Fiji

Type: Interim civil government. (references)

Burkina Faso

Defense: 8.5% of government budget. (references)

Human Rights

Morocco

The Ben Barka case continues to embarrass the Government. (references)

Switzerland

Under military law, the Government pays for defense costs. (references)

France

Wiretapping is recognized as a legal right of the Government. (references)

Indigenous People

Bangladesh

After vocal protests, the Government put the proposal on hold. (references)

Colombia

ONIC maintained its suspension of dialog with the Government at year's end. (references)

Guyana

Both Amerindian individuals and groups remain free to criticize the Government. (references)

Minorities

Niger

These two groups also dominated government and business. (references)

Kuwait

The Shi'a are underrepresented in high government positions. (references)

Congo

French is the language of government, commerce, and education. (references)

Political Economy

Sao Tome and Principe

The MLSTP refused to support the new Government. (references)

Austria

They form the government now along with the OVP. (references)

MEXICO

The rest are from eight other government agencies. (references)

Political Rights

Monaco

Together the four constitute the Government. (references)

Tonga

No woman has ever served as a government minister. (references)

Malaysia

Malaysia has a parliamentary system of government. (references)

Trade

Venezuela

In rare cases the government can apply controls. (references)

Chile

This is to help the government gather trade data. (references)

Russia

The issue is under debate in the Russian government. (references)

Travel

Indonesia

Note: A government hospital with a good intensive care unit. (references)

Azerbaijan

Many business and government offices also keep Saturday hours. (references)

Peru

The entering new government is planning for 2002 to keep with these projects. (references)

Women

Central African Republic

Only men are entitled to family subsidies from the Government. (references)

Bulgaria

No government agencies provide shelter or counseling for victims. (references)

Netherlands

In 1988 the Government started affirmative action programs for women. (references)

Worker Rights

New Zealand

Unions influence legislation and government policy. (references)

Israel and the occupied territories

These organizations are independent of the Government. (references)

Turkey

The IOM, ILO and UNHCR work closely with the Government. (references)

Lexicography

Devil's Dictionary

BRAIN, n. An apparatus with which we think what we think. That which distinguishes the man who is content to be something from the man who wishes to do something. A man of great wealth, or one who has been pitchforked into high station, has commonly such a headful of brain that his neighbors cannot keep their hats on. In our civilization, and under our republican form of government, brain is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office.

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

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Spoken Usage: Government

SpeakerPhrase(s)

Dennis Miller

We have government leaders who are more bought than a hooker's enthusiasm.

Geoffrey Hoon

I'm grateful for the condolences you express, and in return I have expressed mine to Donald Rumsfeld on behalf of the British government.

James Dobson

Well I have some apprehension about it. It all depends on how the legislation is written. If it begins to, you know, intrude on the practice of the faith, then I would be opposed to it. Certainly, Focus on the Family will not take any government money.

Jesse Ventura

Get unicameral or single-house on the ballot so that the people of Minnesota could have a choice of what their government would be.

John McCain

Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction as quickly as he can. The Czech government has revealed meetings, contacts between Iraqi intelligence and Mohamed Atta. The evidence is very clear.

Jon Stewart

That's what I'm saying, because you know our government goes away, meat will still be inspected, to a certain extent. Maybe not pork, maybe they are just going with beef, maybe chicken, maybe turkey, maybe they pick one meat. It is a shadow government.

King Constantine of Greece

Well, at the moment, I'm in the courts with the Greek government, because they have made every effort to take away my home, and I've been fighting that in the European court of human rights.

Robert Novak

Congressman, the homeland security bill is stalled in the Senate over the issue of government employee labor unions and how much power they should have.

Rush Limbaugh

Even throwing people in jail won't maintain government limits on speech.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Speeches: Government

SpeakerTermPhrase(s)

George Washington

1789-1797Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian.

Thomas Jefferson

1801-1809Sometimes it is said that man can not be trusted with the government of himself.

Abraham Lincoln

1861-1865His duty is to administer the present Government as it came to his hands and to transmit it unimpaired by him to his successor.

Herbert C. Hoover

1929-1933What America has done has given renewed hope and courage to all who have faith in government by the people.

Harry S. Truman

1945-1953Too many in Government have had to sacrifice too much in economic advantage to serve the Nation.

Dwight Eisenhower

1953-1961Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity.

Richard Nixon

1969-1974Your National Government has a great and vital role to play.

Ronald Reagan

1981-1989Back then, the reach of government had become intolerable.

Bill Clinton

1993-2001Previous government reform reports gathered dust.

George W. Bush

2001-2005Yet compassion is the work of a nation, not just a government.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Usage Frequency: Government

"Government" is generally used as a noun (common) -- approximately 99.83% of the time. "Government" is used about 62,202 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted)
Parts of SpeechPercentUsage per
100 Million Words		Rank in English
Noun (common)99.83%62,097137
Noun (proper)0.17%10531,781
                    Total100.00%62,202N/A

Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.

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Derived & Related Names: Government

The following table summarizes names derived from the word "government".
 
NameGenderLanguageMeaning
MatredN/ABiblical

Wand of government

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

 

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Expressions: Government

Expressions using "government": absence of government ♦ all party government ♦ apparatus of government ♦ be under petticoat government ♦ british government ♦ caretaker government ♦ central government ♦ church government ♦ civilian government ♦ coalition government ♦ conservative government ♦ conspire against the government ♦ constitutional government ♦ democratic government ♦ department of local government ♦ department of the federal government ♦ exile government ♦ federal government ♦ foreign government ♦ form a government ♦ form of government ♦ government action ♦ government activity ♦ Government Agencies ♦ government agency ♦ government agent ♦ government apparatus ♦ government bond ♦ government bonds ♦ government borrowing ♦ government budget ♦ government building ♦ government buildings ♦ government bureaucracy ♦ government control ♦ government crisis ♦ government decree ♦ government department ♦ government employee ♦ government expenditures ♦ government franked stamp ♦ government grant ♦ government house ♦ government impelled ♦ government income ♦ government inspection agencies ♦ government intervention ♦ government involvement code ♦ government involvement, coded ♦ government issue ♦ government loan ♦ government man ♦ government minister ♦ government monopoly ♦ government note ♦ government of God ♦ government of oneself ♦ government office ♦ government official ♦ government officials ♦ Government Open Systems Interconnect Profile ♦ government organ ♦ government OSI Profile ♦ government party ♦ Government Programs ♦ government property ♦ Government Publications [Publication Type] ♦ government purchases ♦ government red tape ♦ government reshuffle ♦ government revenue ♦ government sector ♦ government securities ♦ government security ♦ government spending ♦ government spokesman ♦ Government stock ♦ government worker ♦ head of government ♦ Local Government ♦ military government ♦ minority government ♦ municipal government ♦ nonmaturing,nonredeemable government bond ♦ one party government ♦ oppressive government ♦ overthrow the government ♦ paternal government ♦ petticoat government ♦ present government ♦ provisional government ♦ puppet government ♦ R&D researchers in the Government sector at a given point in time ♦ R&D technicians and other R&D staff in the Government sector at a given point in time ♦ regional government ♦ seat of government ♦ section of government estimates ♦ state government ♦ sterling transferable accruing government securities(STAGs) ♦ system of government ♦ the Government Office for Merseyside. Additional references.

Hyphenated Usage

Beginning with "government": government-administered, government-aided, government-anc, government-and-church, government-appointed, government-approved, government-as, government-assisted, government-authorized, government-backed, government-big, government-bond, government-business, government-by-cabinet-committee, government-by-fear, government-by-veto, government-censored, government-collected, government-commissioned, government-connected, government-controlled, government-created, government-depoliticisation, government-designated, government-directed, government-donated, government-driven, government-employers, government-employers-trade, government-endorsed, government-established, government-financed, government-free, government-friendly, government-funded, government-funding, government-generated, government-grant-aided, government-group, government-guaranteed, government-hacked, government-held, government-imposed, government-induced, government-industry, government-in-exile, government-initiated, government-inscribed, government-inspired, government-in-waiting, government-issue, government-issued, government-led, government-level, government-licensed, government-management, government-mediated, government-military, government-negotiated, government-opposition, government-ordered, government-organised, government-organized, government-owned, government-owned enterprise, government-pac, government-paid, government-patrolled, government-perceived, government-proposed, government-provided, government-reared, government-recognised, government-recommended, government-released, government-rigged, government-run, government-sanctioned, government-sector, government-set, government-setting, government-shrinking, government-sponsored, government-stamped, government-subsidised, government-subsidized, government-supervised, government-supplied, government-supported, government-supporting, government-the, government-tnc, government-to-government, government-training, Government-tuc, government-union, Government-unita.

Ending with "government": anc-government, anti-government, central-government, government-to-government, inter-government, local-government, machinery-of-government, non-government, pro-government, quasi-government.

Containing "government": get-the-government-off-our-backs, Us-government-funded.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Frequency of Internet Keywords: Government

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.
 
ExpressionFrequency
per Day		ExpressionFrequency
per Day

government

10,934

e government

698

government grant

7,473

florida government

677

government job

7,258

government employment

675

government of canada

5,892

california government

646

us government

3,092

bc government

640

government of ontario

2,795

government form

630

government auction

1,908

state government

544

federal government job

1,833

texas government

537

federal government

1,651

free government money

531

government of alberta

1,523

government small business grant

496

canadian government

1,226

us government job

492

united state government

1,218

government contract

464

government loan

1,091

washington state government

453

government police state

1,033

new york state government

433

us government agency

909

government manitoba

414

call government not

884

government web site

408

free government grant

873

indiana government

408

us government grant

719

nova scotia government

407

michigan government

717

government agency

402

government grant loan

713

government foreclosure

402
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Modern Translation: Government

Language Translations for "government"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses.

Afrikaans

  

regering (administration). (various references)

   

Albanian

  

sistem qeverisjeje, qeverisje (governance, regimen), qeveri (administration, polity, regime). (various references)

   

Arabic 

  

ولاية (state), ‏حكومة (office, polity, regimen), ‏سيطرة (ascendant, clutch, command, control, dominance, domination, empire, gripe, hand, hegemony, hold, mastery, overriding, predominance, predomination, prevalence, reign, restraint, rule, ruling, weight), ‏سلطة حكم, ‏علم السياسة (politics). (various references)

   

Bulgarian 

  

управление (administration, bureau, charge, control, direction, directorate, governance, guidance, headquarters, helm, management, office, operation, regimen, regiment, rule, superintendence), форма на управление (polity), губерния, правителство (administration, helm of state, ministry), правителствен (governmental, ministerial), държавен (governmental, politic, political, public, state, state-owned). (various references)

   

Catalan

  

govern (administration). (various references)

   

Chinese 

  

政府 . (various references)

   

Czech

  

vláda (administration, governance, policy, reign, rule, sceptre, state, sway), vedení (conduct, conduction, conduit, direction, guidance, lead, leadership, line), vazba (arrest, binding, committal, contexture, custody, detention, hunk, linkage, ward, weave), rekce (regimen), režim (regime), řízení (conduct, control, controls, direction, guidance, management, operation, steering). (various references)

   

Danish

  

regering (administration). (various references)

   

Dutch

  

overheid (administration), regering (administration, control, reign, rule), gouvernement (administration, province). (various references)

   

Esperanto

  

registaro. (various references)

   

Faeroese

  

stjórn (administration), ríkisstjórn (administration). (various references)

   

Farsi 

  

فرمانداری , حکومت (Administration, Dominion, Regimen, Reign, Steer), عقل اختیار, طرزحکومت هیلت دولت , صلاحدید (Discretion), دولت (Mammon, Respublica, State). (various references)

   

Finnish

  

valtiovalta (state power), valtion (state), valtiollinen (national, of state, public, state), valtio (state), ministeristö (cabinet), hallitusmuoto (constitution), hallitusmielinen (constitution), hallituskausi (constitution), hallitus (administration, cabinet, directors). (various references)

   

French

  

gouvernement, cabinet. (various references)

   

Frisian

  

regear (administration). (various references)

   

German

  

Regierung (administration, authorities, control, leadership, regimen, reign, rule). (various references)

   

Greek 

  

κυβέρνηση (administration). (various references)

   

Hebrew 

  

ממשלה (dominion, reign), ממשל (governorate, rule), משטר (authority, polity, regime, regimen, reign, rule), שלטון (administration, authority, power, rule). (various references)

   

Hungarian

  

kormány (administration, authorities, cabinet, caretaker government, wheel). (various references)

   

Icelandic

  

stjórn (administration). (various references)

   

Indonesian

  

pemerintah. (various references)

   

Italian

  

governo (administration, direction, governmental, govt, housekeeping, rule, running, steerage, sway). (various references)

   

Japanese Kanji 

  

施政 (administration, statesmanship), 与党 (government party, party in power). (various references)

   

Japanese Katakana 

  

せいじ (celadon porcelain, correct characters, era of national prosperity, political affairs, politics, prime of life, prosperous undertaking, simplification of a kanji), とうち (equal value, equivalence, governing, here, placing nonessentials before essentials, reign, rule, this place, turning upside down), とうじ (at that time, chief brewer at a sake brewery, clay, formal reply, funeral address, governing, hot-spring cure, housekeeper, in those days, lady, libertine, matron, matter under concern, message of condolence, mistress, reign, rule, taking the baths, winter solstice, words of condolence), けいこく (administration, advice, beauty, canyon, courtesan, prostitute, ravine, short period, siren, valley, warning), けいせい (administration, beauty, condition, conduct of state affairs, courtesan, formation, prospects, prostitute, siren, situation, sound of a valley stream, train line Tokyo - Narita, warning), よとう (government party, party in power, remnants of a party or a gang), こうぎ (amity, authorities, broader application, equity, fine workmanship, friendship, imperial court, just view, justice, kindness or favour, lecture, objection, official, protest, public affairs, public opinion, shogunate government, skill, warm friendship, wide sense, your kindness), ちこく (late coming, lateness), せい (cause, companion, control, energy, establishment, family name, fault, gender, height, holding back, imperial command, laws, -made, make, military strength, organization, reason, regular, regulation, restraint, sex, spirit, stature, suppression, surname, system, threaten, true), おかみ (authorities, Emperor, hostess, landlady, looking on by an outsider, madam, mistress, proprietress, wife), せいふ (administration, plus and minus, positive and negative), まつりごと (rule), しょう (actor, artisan, award, bruise, buy, call, carpenter, catch, chapter, commander, cut, destroy, drink, eat, gash, general, hurt, idea, illness, important point, injury, label, leader, make up for, means, mechanic, medal, phenomenon, prize, put on, quotient, ride in, scar, scratch, section, send for, take, to be burdened with, to carry on back or shoulder, upper part, weak point, wear, workman, wound), しせい (administration, attitude, city conditions, devotion, female, four tones, great poet, life and death, municipal census, municipal government, municipal organization, municipality, one's nature or disposition, posture, private, sincerity, statesmanship, tattoo, the four castes, the four great sages, the street, the town), しっせい (administration, administrator, correction, governor, misgovernment, point out errors, wet), そうりょう (administration, aggregate amount, carriage, cool and refreshing, eldest child, postage), かんぷ (adulterer, adulteress, dry towel, paramour, refund, restoration, return). (various references)

   

Korean 

  

정부 (Governments). (various references)

   

Manx

  

reiltys (governance, rule), kiannoortys (governorship). (various references)

   

Norwegian

  

regjering (administration). (various references)

   

Papiamen

  

gobernashon (administration). (various references)

   

Pig Latin

  

overnmentgay.(various references)

   

Polish

  

rząd (administration). (various references)

   

Portuguese

  

governo (administration, energy, governance, guidance, helm, joystick, polity, power, president, province, regency, regiment, rein, rule, ruling, steering wheel). (various references)

   

Romanian

  

guvernare (administration, dominion, governance, rule, sway), guvern (administration, cabinet), statal (political, state), stãpânire (authority, command, continence, control, demesne, dominance, domination, dominion, empire, enjoyment, grip, hand, holding, keeping, lordship, masterdom, mastery, ownership, possession, reign, rule, sovereignty, sway), oblãduire (administration, rule), minister (board, department, ministry, office), conducere (administration, conduct, control, direction, directorate, driving, governance, guidance, helm, lead, leadership, leading, management, mastership, scepter, sceptre, steerage, superintendence, sway), cabinet (cabinet, chamber, closet, office, parlor, parlour, study), cârmuire (direction, guidance, helm, rule), autoritate (ascendency, authorities, authority, command, control, credit, cropper, faculty, force, governance, hold, importance, influence, jurisdiction, lordship, masterdom, mastery, power, rulership), administraţie (administration, board, direction, governance, intendance, management, mastership). (various references)

   

Russian 

  

правительство (administration, caretaker government, govt government, the ministers). (various references)

   

Scottish

  

stàta (the state or Government). (various references)

   

Serbo-Croatian

  

vlada (administration, ministry, reign, rule), uprava (administration, authority, bureau, direction, directorate, division, mastership, regimen), ministarstvo (department, ministry, office), kabinet. (various references)

   

Spanish

  

gobierno (administration, decemvir, guidance, handling, lieu, polity, ruling, running, steering, stewardship). (various references)

   

Swedish

  

styrelse (administration, board, corporation, court, direction, directorate, executive, management, regime, regimen), regering (administration, reign, rule), regemente (regiment), myndighet (authorit, authorities, authority, control, majority). (various references)

   

Tagalog

  

pámahaláan (administration). (various references)

   

Thai

  

รัฐบาล. (various references)

   

Turkish

  

hükümet (administration, executive, governmental, political). (various references)

   

Turkmen 

  

prowlenie (r) (board, management), hцkьmet, dцwlet (goodness, richness). (various references)

   

Ukrainian

  

урядування, уряд (administration, cabinet), форма правління, керування (administration, conduct, control, management). (various references)

   

Vietnamese 

  

sự thống trị chính phủ, sự cai trị (governance, governing, ruling), nội các chính quyền chính thể bang. (various references)

   

Welsh

  

llywodraeth. (various references)

   

Zulu

  

uhulumeni (administration). (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references.

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Ancestral Language Translations: Government

LanguagePeriodTranslations
Greek700 BCE-300 CE

politeia. (various references)

Latin500 BCE-Modern

administratio, gubernatio-ionis, habenae, habenas, ordinatio, regimen. (various references)

Old French900-1400

regiment. (various references)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

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Bible Trace: Government

LanguageDateSourceActs Chapter 24, Verse 5
Greek (transliterated)250 BCSeptuagintEuronteV gar ton andra touton loimon kai kinounta stasin pasin toiV ioudaioiV toiV kata thn oikoumenhn prwtostathn te thV twn nazwraiwn airesewV
Latin405VulgateInvenimus hunc hominem pestiferum et concitantem seditiones omnibus Iudaeis in universo orbe et auctorem seditionis sectae Nazarenorum
Middle English1395WyclifWe han foundun this wickid man stirynge dissencioun to alle Jewis in al the world, and auctour of dissencioun of the secte of Nazarenus; and he also enforside to defoule the temple;
Renaissance English1526TyndaleWe have founde this ma a pestilent felowe and a mover of debate vnto all the Iewes thorowe out the worlde and a mayntayner of ye secte of the Nazarites
Jacobean English1611King JamesFor we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Victorian English1833WebsterFor we have found this a pestilent man, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes:
Basic English1964OgdenFor this man, in our opinion, is a cause of trouble, a maker of attacks on the government among Jews through all the empire, and a chief mover in the society of the Nazarenes:

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Matched Bible Translations: Government

LanguageActs Chapter 24, Verse 5
AlbanianNe kemi gjetur se ky njeri është një murtajë dhe shkakton trazira midis gjithë Judenjve që janë në botë dhe është kryetari i sektit të Nazarenasve.
CebuanoKay among nakita nga maoy usa ka samokan kining tawhana, tig-ugda ug mga kagubot sa tanang mga Judio sa tibuok kalibutan, ug pangulo sa pundok sa mga Nazareno.
Chinese我 們 看 這 個 人 、 如 同 瘟 疫 一 般 、 是 鼓 動 普 天 下 眾 猶 太 人 生 亂 的 、 又 是 拿 撒 勒 教 黨 裡 的 一 個 頭 目 ．
CroatianUtvrdismo da je ovaj èovjek kuga, da pokreæe bune meðu svim Židovima po svijetu, da je kolovoða nazaretske sljedbe,
DanishVi have nemlig fundet, at denne Mand er en Pest og en Oprørsstifter iblandt alle Jøderne hele Verden over, samt er Fører for Nazaræernes Parti,
DutchWant wij hebben dezen man bevonden te zijn een pest, en een, die oproer verwekt onder al de Joden, door de ganse wereld, en een oppersten voorstander van de sekte der Nazarenen.
FinnishMe olemme havainneet, että tämä mies on ruttotauti ja metelinnostaja kaikkien koko maailman juutalaisten keskuudessa ja nasaretilaisten lahkon päämies,
FrenchNous avons trouvé cet homme, qui est une peste, qui excite des divisions parmi tous les Juifs du monde, qui est chef de la secte des Nazaréens,
GermanWir haben diesen Mann gefunden schädlich, und der Aufruhr erregt allen Juden auf dem ganzen Erdboden, und einen vornehmsten der Sekte der Nazarener,
Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hariKami dapati orang ini pengacau yang berbahaya. Di mana-mana ia menimbulkan keributan di antara orang-orang Yahudi dan ia menjadi pemimpin gerakan orang-orang Nazaret.
Indonesian-Terjemahan LamaKarena orang ini hamba sekalian dapati seperti sampar, yaitu seorang penggerak huru-hara kepada sekalian orang Yahudi di seluruh dunia, dan menjadi kepala mazhab Nasrani,
ItalianAbbiamo scoperto che quest'uomo è una peste, fomenta continue rivolte tra tutti i Giudei che sono nel mondo ed è capo della setta dei Nazorei.
LatvianMçs atradâm, ka ðis cilvçks ir mçris un nemiera cçlâjs starp visiem jûdiem visâ pasaulç un Nâcarieða sektas vadîtâjs,
MaoriI mau hoki i a matou te koroke nei, he tangata whakatutehu, e whakaoho ana i nga Hurai katoa o te ao, ko ia hoki te tino take o te titorehanga ki ta nga Nahareti:
NorwegianFor vi har funnet at denne mann er en pest og en opvigler blandt alle jøder rundt om i verden og en leder for nasareernes sekt;
PortugueseTemos achado que este homem é uma peste, e promotor de sedições entre todos os judeus, por todo o mundo, e chefe da seita dos nazarenos;   
RumanianAm gqsit pe omul acesta, care este o ciumq: pune la cale rqzvrqtiri printre toyi Iudeii de pe tot pqmkntul, este mai marele partidei Nazarinenilor,
ShuarJu aishman Papru, sunkura utsukratniua Núniniaiti. Niisha Ashí nunkanam mesetan najanatniun Israer aentsun Ikiakáiniaiti. Tura Jesusa aentsri, Nasarénu tuinia nuna uuntrinti.
SpanishPorque hemos hallado que este hombre es una plaga, y es promotor de sediciones entre los judíos de todo el mundo y cabecilla de la secta de los nazarenos.
SwahiliTumegundua kwamba mtu huyu ni wa hatari mno. Yeye huanzisha ghasia kati ya Wayahudi kila mahali duniani na pia ni kiongozi wa kile chama cha Wanazareti.
Uma"Ta'uli' -mi-hawo, Paulus toei-e mai, tauna to mpobalinai' ngata. Hiapa-apa-i mpo'usoki to Yahudi mpo'ewa topoparenta. Pai' hi'a toe-mi pangkeni-ra to mpotuku' tudui' -na Yesus to Nazaret.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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Derivations & Misspellings: Government

Derivations

Words beginning with "government": governmental, governmentalism, governmentalisms, governmentalist, governmentalists, governmentalize, governmentalized, governmentalizes, governmentalizing, governmentally, governmentese, governmenteses, governments. (additional references)

Words ending with "government": antigovernment, countergovernment, misgovernment, nongovernment, subgovernment, supergovernment. (additional references)

Words containing "government": countergovernments, intergovernmental, misgovernments, nongovernmental, nongovernments, semigovernmental, subgovernments, supergovernments. (additional references)


Misspellings

"Government" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: Agovernment, givernment, goevrnement, gouernment, gouverment, Govenrment, goverbment, goverenemnt, goverment, govermment, governement, governent, governmetn, governmment, governmnet, govirnment, govrnment. (additional references)

Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references).

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Rhyming with "Government"

# of Phoneme MatchesPronunciationWord(s) rhyming with "government" (pronounced gu"vermunt or gu"vernmunt)
8g u" v er m u n tantigovernment.
5-er m u n taccouterment, betterment, bewilderment, dismemberment, empowerment, endangerment, measurement, postretirement, retirement, wonderment.
4-m u n taggrandizement, agreement, ailment, alignment, allotment, amazement, amendment, amusement, announcement, annulment, apartment, appeasement, appointment, apportionment, argument, armament, arraignment, arrangement, accompaniment, accomplishment, abandonment, abatement, achievement, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, adamant, adjournment, adjustment, adornment, advancement, advertisement, advisement, assessment, assignment, assortment, astonishment, atonement, attachment, attainment, banishment, basement, battlement, bemusement, bereavement, blandishment, bombardment, claimant, Clement, commandment, commencement, commitment, compartment, complement, comportment, concealment, condiment, confinement, consignment, containment, contentment, copayment, curtailment, impairment, impeachment, impediment, implement, impoundment, impoverishment, impressment, imprisonment, improvement, debarment, debasement, deferment, department, deployment, deportment, derailment, detachment, determent, detriment, development, diminishment, disagreement, disappointment, disarmament, disbarment, disbursement, discernment, discouragement, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, disengagement, disestablishment, disgruntlement, disillusionment, disinvestment, dismantlement, displacement, divestment, dormant, easement, element, embankment, embarrassment, embayment, embellishment, embezzlement, embodiment, emplacement, employment, enactment, encampment, enchantment, encirclement, encouragement, encroachment, endearment, endorsement, endowment, enforcement, engagement, enhancement, enjoyment, enlargement, enlightenment, enlistment, enrichment, enrollment, enslavement, entanglement, entertainment, enticement, entitlement, entombment, entrapment, entrenchment, environment, equipment, escapement, escarpment, establishment, estrangement, excitement, excrement, experiment, extinguishment, figment, filament, formant, fragment, fulfillment, garment, garnishment, harassment, incitement, inclement, increment, indictment, inducement, informant, infotainment, infringement, installment, instrument, integument, internment, intersegment, investment, involvement, judgement, judgment, ligament, maltreatment, management, micromanagement, misgovernment, misjudgment, mismanagement, misstatement, mistreatment, moment, monument, movement, nongovernment, nonmanagement, nonpayment, nourishment, ointment, ornament, orpiment, outplacement, overpayment, overstatement, parchment, parliament, pavement, payment, pigment, placement, postponement, predicament, prejudgment, prepayment, presentment, procurement, pronouncement, punishment, puzzlement, readjustment, realignment, reappointment, reapportionment, rearmament, rearrangement, reassessment, reassignment, recruitment, redeployment, redevelopment, reemployment, reenactment, refinement, refreshment, refurbishment, regiment, reimbursement, reinforcement, reinstatement, reinvestment, repayment, replacement, replenishment, requirement, resentment, resettlement, restatement, retrenchment, rudiment, sacrament, sediment, segment, sentiment, settlement, shipment, statement, supplement, temperament, tenement, testament, tournament, treatment, underdevelopment, underemployment, undergarment, underpayment, understatement, unemployment, vehement.
3-u n tagent, ambient, ambivalent, ancient, antecedent, antidepressant, antioxidant, apparent, applicant, ardent, argent, arrant, arrogant, absent, absorbent, abstinent, abundant, accelerant, accident, aberrant, abhorrent, abortifacient, accountant, adherent, adjacent, adjutant, adolescent, afferent, affiant, affluent, ascendant, aspirant, assailant, assistant, astringent, attendant, belligerent, beneficent, benevolent, blatant, brilliant, buoyant, celebrant, clairvoyant, client, coefficient, cogent, cognizant, coherent, coincident, combatant, competent, complacent, complainant, complaisant, compliant, component, concomitant, concurrent, confident, confluent, consequent, consistent, consonant, constant, constituent, consultant, contaminant, contestant, continent, contingent, convalescent, convenient, convent, convergent, conversant, coolant, corespondent, cormorant, correspondent, Courant, covenant, Crescent, crosscurrent, current, ignorant, immanent, immigrant, imminent, impatient, impertinent, important, impotent, imprudent, inadvertent, incandescent, decadent, decedent, decent, declarant, decongestant, defendant, defiant, deficient, defoliant, delinquent, deodorant, dependent, depressant, descendant, descendent, despondent, detergent, determinant, deterrent, deviant, different, diligent, discordant, disinfectant, disobedient, dispersant, dissident, dissonant, distant, divalent, divergent, docent, dominant, ebullient, efferent, effervescent, efficient, effluent, elegant, elephant, eloquent, emergent, emigrant, eminent, entrant, equivalent, errant, esculent, evanescent, evident, excellent, exigent, existent, exorbitant, expectant, expectorant, expedient, exponent, extant, extravagant, exuberant, exultant, Fabricant, fervent, flagrant, flamboyant, flatulent, flippant, fluent, fluorescent, fragrant, fraudulent, frequent, gallant, giant, grandiloquent, grandparent, hesitant, hydrant, incessant, incident, incipient, incoherent, incompetent, inconsistent, incontinent, inconvenient, incumbent, indecent, independent, indifferent, indigent, indignant, indolent, indulgent, inefficient, infant, infrequent, ingredient, inhabitant, inhalant, inherent, innocent, inpatient, insignificant, insistent, insolent, insolvent, instant, insufficient, insurgent, intelligent, intercurrent, interdependent, intermittent, intolerant, intransigent, invariant, iridescent, irrelevant, irreverent, irritant, itinerant, jubilant, latent, leant, lenient, lieutenant, litigant, lubricant, lucent, luminescent, luxuriant, magnificent, malevolent, malignant, merchant, migrant, militant, miscreant, monovalent, mordant, mutant, nascent, negligent, noncombatant, nonexistent, nonresident, nonviolent, nutrient, obedient, observant, obsolescent, occupant, odorant, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, operant, opponent, opulent, outpatient, overconfident, oxidant, pageant, parent, participant, patent, patient, peasant, penchant, pendant, penitent, pennant, percipient, permanent, persistent, pertinent, petulant, pheasant, piquant, pleasant, pliant, poignant, pollutant, potent, preadolescent, precedent, predominant, preeminent, pregnant, prescient, present, prevalent, proficient, prominent, propellant, proponent, protestant, provident, prudent, prurient, pungent, pursuant, quadrant, quiescent, quotient, radiant, rampant, reagent, recalcitrant, recent, recipient, recombinant, recurrent, redundant, refrigerant, Regent, registrant, relevant, reliant, reluctant, reminiscent, remnant, repellent, repentant, repugnant, resident, resilient, resistant, resonant, resplendent, respondent, resultant, resurgent, retardant, reticent, reverent, rodent, ruminant, salient, seafront, sealant, semipermanent, Sequent, sergeant, serpent, servant, significant, silent, solvent, somnolent, stagnant, stimulant, strident, stringent, student, subcontinent, subsequent, subservient, succulent, sufficient, supergiant, superintendent, supplicant, suppressant, surfactant, talent, tangent, tenant, tetravalent, tolerant, torrent, transcendent, transient, translucent, transparent, trenchant, trident, triumphant, truant, truculent, tumescent, turbulent, tyrant, undercurrent, unimportant, unpleasant, unrepentant, urgent, vacant, vagrant, valiant, variant, verdant, vibrant, vigilant, violent, virulent, warrant.
9g u" v er n m u n tmisgovernment, nongovernment.
5-n m u n talignment, apportionment, arraignment, abandonment, adjournment, adornment, assignment, atonement, attainment, confinement, consignment, containment, imprisonment, discernment, disillusionment, enlightenment, entertainment, environment, infotainment, internment, postponement, realignment, reapportionment, reassignment, refinement.
4-m u n taggrandizement, agreement, ailment, allotment, amazement, amendment, amusement, announcement, annulment, antigovernment, apartment, appeasement, appointment, argument, armament, arrangement, accompaniment, accomplishment, abatement, accouterment, achievement, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, adamant, adjustment, advancement, advertisement, advisement, assessment, assortment, astonishment, attachment, banishment, basement, battlement, bemusement, bereavement, betterment, bewilderment, blandishment, bombardment, claimant, Clement, commandment, commencement, commitment, compartment, complement, comportment, concealment, condiment, contentment, copayment, curtailment, impairment, impeachment, impediment, implement, impoundment, impoverishment, impressment, improvement, debarment, debasement, deferment, department, deployment, deportment, derailment, detachment, determent, detriment, development, diminishment, disagreement, disappointment, disarmament, disbarment, disbursement, discouragement, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, disengagement, disestablishment, disgruntlement, disinvestment, dismantlement, dismemberment, displacement, divestment, dormant, easement, element, embankment, embarrassment, embayment, embellishment, embezzlement, embodiment, emplacement, employment, empowerment, enactment, encampment, enchantment, encirclement, encouragement, encroachment, endangerment, endearment, endorsement, endowment, enforcement, engagement, enhancement, enjoyment, enlargement, enlistment, enrichment, enrollment, enslavement, entanglement, enticement, entitlement, entombment, entrapment, entrenchment, equipment, escapement, escarpment, establishment, estrangement, excitement, excrement, experiment, extinguishment, figment, filament, formant, fragment, fulfillment, garment, garnishment, harassment, incitement, inclement, increment, indictment, inducement, informant, infringement, installment, instrument, integument, intersegment, investment, involvement, judgement, judgment, ligament, maltreatment, management, measurement, micromanagement, misjudgment, mismanagement, misstatement, mistreatment, moment, monument, movement, nonmanagement, nonpayment, nourishment, ointment, ornament, orpiment, outplacement, overpayment, overstatement, parchment, parliament, pavement, payment, pigment, placement, postretirement, predicament, prejudgment, prepayment, presentment, procurement, pronouncement, punishment, puzzlement, readjustment, reappointment, rearmament, rearrangement, reassessment, recruitment, redeployment, redevelopment, reemployment, reenactment, refreshment, refurbishment, regiment, reimbursement, reinforcement, reinstatement, reinvestment, repayment, replacement, replenishment, requirement, resentment, resettlement, restatement, retirement, retrenchment, rudiment, sacrament, sediment, segment, sentiment, settlement, shipment, statement, supplement, temperament, tenement, testament, tournament, treatment, underdevelopment, underemployment, undergarment, underpayment, understatement, unemployment, vehement, wonderment.
3-u n tagent, ambient, ambivalent, ancient, antecedent, antidepressant, antioxidant, apparent, applicant, ardent, argent, arrant, arrogant, absent, absorbent, abstinent, abundant, accelerant, accident, aberrant, abhorrent, abortifacient, accountant, adherent, adjacent, adjutant, adolescent, afferent, affiant, affluent, ascendant, aspirant, assailant, assistant, astringent, attendant, belligerent, beneficent, benevolent, blatant, brilliant, buoyant, celebrant, clairvoyant, client, coefficient, cogent, cognizant, coherent, coincident, combatant, competent, complacent, complainant, complaisant, compliant, component, concomitant, concurrent, confident, confluent, consequent, consistent, consonant, constant, constituent, consultant, contaminant, contestant, continent, contingent, convalescent, convenient, convent, convergent, conversant, coolant, corespondent, cormorant, correspondent, Courant, covenant, Crescent, crosscurrent, current, ignorant, immanent, immigrant, imminent, impatient, impertinent, important, impotent, imprudent, inadvertent, incandescent, decadent, decedent, decent, declarant, decongestant, defendant, defiant, deficient, defoliant, delinquent, deodorant, dependent, depressant, descendant, descendent, despondent, detergent, determinant, deterrent, deviant, different, diligent, discordant, disinfectant, disobedient, dispersant, dissident, dissonant, distant, divalent, divergent, docent, dominant, ebullient, efferent, effervescent, efficient, effluent, elegant, elephant, eloquent, emergent, emigrant, eminent, entrant, equivalent, errant, esculent, evanescent, evident, excellent, exigent, existent, exorbitant, expectant, expectorant, expedient, exponent, extant, extravagant, exuberant, exultant, Fabricant, fervent, flagrant, flamboyant, flatulent, flippant, fluent, fluorescent, fragrant, fraudulent, frequent, gallant, giant, grandiloquent, grandparent, hesitant, hydrant, incessant, incident, incipient, incoherent, incompetent, inconsistent, incontinent, inconvenient, incumbent, indecent, independent, indifferent, indigent, indignant, indolent, indulgent, inefficient, infant, infrequent, ingredient, inhabitant, inhalant, inherent, innocent, inpatient, insignificant, insistent, insolent, insolvent, instant, insufficient, insurgent, intelligent, intercurrent, interdependent, intermittent, intolerant, intransigent, invariant, iridescent, irrelevant, irreverent, irritant, itinerant, jubilant, latent, leant, lenient, lieutenant, litigant, lubricant, lucent, luminescent, luxuriant, magnificent, malevolent, malignant, merchant, migrant, militant, miscreant, monovalent, mordant, mutant, nascent, negligent, noncombatant, nonexistent, nonresident, nonviolent, nutrient, obedient, observant, obsolescent, occupant, odorant, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, operant, opponent, opulent, outpatient, overconfident, oxidant, pageant, parent, participant, patent, patient, peasant, penchant, pendant, penitent, pennant, percipient, permanent, persistent, pertinent, petulant, pheasant, piquant, pleasant, pliant, poignant, pollutant, potent, preadolescent, precedent, predominant, preeminent, pregnant, prescient, present, prevalent, proficient, prominent, propellant, proponent, protestant, provident, prudent, prurient, pungent, pursuant, quadrant, quiescent, quotient, radiant, rampant, reagent, recalcitrant, recent, recipient, recombinant, recurrent, redundant, refrigerant, Regent, registrant, relevant, reliant, reluctant, reminiscent, remnant, repellent, repentant, repugnant, resident, resilient, resistant, resonant, resplendent, respondent, resultant, resurgent, retardant, reticent, reverent, rodent, ruminant, salient, seafront, sealant, semipermanent, Sequent, sergeant, serpent, servant, significant, silent, solvent, somnolent, stagnant, stimulant, strident, stringent, student, subcontinent, subsequent, subservient, succulent, sufficient, supergiant, superintendent, supplicant, suppressant, surfactant, talent, tangent, tenant, tetravalent, tolerant, torrent, transcendent, transient, translucent, transparent, trenchant, trident, triumphant, truant, truculent, tumescent, turbulent, tyrant, undercurrent, unimportant, unpleasant, unrepentant, urgent, vacant, vagrant, valiant, variant, verdant, vibrant, vigilant, violent, virulent, warrant.

Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits.

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Anagrams: Government

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams

Words within the letters "e-e-g-m-n-n-o-r-t-v"

-2 letters: roentgen.

-3 letters: enteron, envenom, overmen, rontgen, tenoner, tongmen, venomer.

-4 letters: emoter, gemote, genome, gerent, germen, govern, mentor, meteor, monger, moreen, morgen, regent, remote, remove, rennet, revote, tegmen, tenner, toneme, tonger, tonner, venter, vetoer.

-5 letters: egret, emote, enorm, enter, ergot, event, evert, gemot, genet, genom, genre, genro, gnome, goner, green, greet, grove, merge, meter, metre.

 Words containing the letters "e-e-g-m-n-n-o-r-t-v"
 

+1 letter: governments.

 

+2 letters: governmental.

 

+3 letters: governmentese, misgovernment, nongovernment, subgovernment.

 

+4 letters: antigovernment, governmentally, governmenteses, misgovernments, nongovernments, outmaneuvering, subgovernments.

 

+5 letters: governmentalism, governmentalist, governmentalize, nongovernmental, overdocumenting, overornamenting, supergovernment.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

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INDEX

1. Definition
2. Synonyms
3. Crosswords
4. Usage: Modern 		5. Usage: Commercial
6. Images: Slideshow
7. Images: Photo Album
8. Images: Digital Art 		9. Quotations: Familiar
10. Quotations: Historic
11. Quotations: Fiction
12. Quotations: Non-fiction 		13. Quotations: Spoken
14. Quotations: Speeches
15. Usage Frequency
16. Names: Derived from 		17. Expressions
18. Expressions: Internet
19. Translations: Modern
20. Translations: Ancient 		21. Bible Trace
22. Abbreviations
23. Acronyms
24. Derivations 		25. Rhymes
26. Anagrams
27. Bibliography


  

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