Government is a basic means of ordering human relations. 41 its citizens, government generally 42 certain well-organized functions and services. It regulates the price, quality, and quantity of certain goods and services. It acts to improve the health of the economy and the level of employment. It 43 an internal system of justice as an alternative 44 the use of force in the settlement of disputes—a system which not only protects the individual from arbitrary or hostile actions on the part of his fellow citizens, 45 from the infringement of his basic rights by other governmental elements. It provides a system of defense 46 attack by other countries. It takes a sizable part of the income of individuals and applies it 47 . Obviously, in 48 these tremendously significant activities, government 49 an insistent force on the life of every individual; and each citizen will be helped or hindered depending upon the 50 to which he understands the nature of governmental power.
Government, however, is the only one among many forms of social organization 51 considerable influence and claims 52 people. Particularly important 53 organizations are the corporation, the trade union, the church or synagogue, the club, the trade association, and the family. 54 , of course, there remain those aspects of life which are unassailably personal and individual and which cannot be dealt with by the mechanisms of society.
Government is 55 in every way superior to the other groups or organizations. It has, 56 , certain characteristics different from them. One is universality, in that all citizens belong. Another is that the government has a near monopoly 57 the legitimate application of force for carrying out its will.
58 , government"s role in America is perhaps best indicated in the Preamble to our Constitution. Our 59 fathers there gave it the challenge to "form a more perfect Union, establish justice, 60 domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity..." Every American citizen, either through action or apathy, is involved in this great task.