The Individual and the Government Essay Example for Free

The Individual and the Government Essay Our society is composed of many individuals who come from almost all walks of life. The purposeful functions of the individuals in the society benefit the state at large. The same is true for the performance of the state, giving us the idea that the state has the capability to provide not only the needs of the individuals but the also the needs of its own. Every individual in every state has their respective roles that, when summed altogether, comprise the entire benefits for the state. Quite similarly, every state also has its own distinctive roles that benefit the society in general. The government of the state recognizes the individual in many ways, and the most prominent of this comes in the form of the laws that promote and maintain the welfare of the individuals. On the other hand, the individual citizens recognize the roles and responsibilities of the government towards the people and the state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It is a fact that individuals are one of the key components of the state, and that their roles in the state contribute to the preservation and continuance of the welfare of the general society. Many of the philosophers from the Renaissance to the contemporary times have emphasized the importance of individual human beings in the formation of the state. A number of these philosophers, specifically those who have proposed their own theories of social contract, stress the point that human beings agreed to form the state in order to preserve their lives as opposed to living a solitary life. Even the government is comprised of individual members each with specific mandated functions that altogether build-up the internal structure and organization of the government. With this aggregate membership of individual citizens, the government is able to proceed with its roles in the state and deliver the needs of the people, hence, exercising its part as the authority in the state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   While the state is an independent entity whose authority does not depend on other independent states, the state nevertheless needs the citizens who will fill-up the positions in the government in order to give it the capacity to perform its roles. The role of the citizens does not end there. It is also true that the individual citizens of the state pay taxes that serve as the source of the government’s finances. Even the minors pay taxes through the form of purchasing taxable goods and other services available within the territory of the state. While these are just some of the legally binding responsibilities of the citizens, the scope of these responsibilities is of primary significance to the well-being of the state—which is why they are bounded by the law. The individuals may not choose not to fulfill these responsibilities because the law prescribes them to do so.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The state is essentially important, and that it serves as the identity of the summation of all individuals that belong to a single nation. Since the state is composed of individual citizens, it can also be said that the individuals share a form of authority as well. Had it not been for the smaller parts that comprise the whole, the whole would not have materialized. The same holds true for every state or government. Hence, even though the government is considered to be an authority in the state, the importance of the individuals should not be discounted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The significance of the individual not only in the formation of the state but also in the maintenance of the state should all the more be recognized. The power and the authority of the state is largely influenced by the roles and performances of individuals, and that a poor functioning of the individual members of the government and of the state in general greatly affects the state. Thus, the state should acknowledge the welfare of the individuals and realize the fact that, although there may be other sources one can contend, these individuals are one of the significant foundation of the power and authority of the state. References Krueger, Anne O. Government Failures in Development. The Journal of Economic Perspectives 4.3 (1990): 11-13. Palmer, Tom G. Review: Social Contract, Free Ride: A Study of the Public Goods Problem by Anthony De Jasay. Ethics 101.3 (1991): 651-52.