TOPIC: GOVERNMENT

Forms of government
central government: this is the national government of a country
local government: this is the regional form of government that typically takes
care of more local issues
the authorities: this is a general term for all forms of government note that we
use it in the plural
regulatory bodies: these are bodies which are sometimes set up by the
government and sometimes self-regulatory and typically they control one specific
area such as advertising. Legislation is not always the answer.
enforcement agencies: these are bodies that have direct control of how laws are
being obeyed. This is something central government does not always do itself. An
example of an enforcement agency is the body that monitors pollution in rivers.
international organisations: dont forget these either. many problems need
global solutions and demand international cooperation from bodies like the UN
NGOs: these are the opposite of governments! NGO stands
for Non Governmental Organisation. Almost always their work is charitable and
very often in aid and development. You are most likely to refer to them when
countries help each other.
quangos: if you must know these
are quasi autonomous non governmental organisations. They are normally set up
by central government to look after one issue.

What central governments do

This does depend slightly what country you live in different countries have
different legal and political systems. Something that all countries have though is a
central government sometimes a parliament, sometimes a senate and sometimes
a congress and for some lucky countries all three! Here is what they tend to do
pass/introduce legislation: The time has come when the government needs
to introduce new legislation to protect the privacy of citizens.
bring in/enact laws: One possible solution is for the government to bring in
laws that prohibit the sale of tobacco to anyone under 21.
adopt policies: One possibility is for the government to adopt policies that
encourage mothers to return to work.

take measures/action: The situation is now so severe that the government

must take measures to police the internet.
raise (and lower) taxes: One way to limit air pollution from aircraft would be for
the government to raise airport tax.
have/provide a budget/funding: It is the responsibility of the government
to provide more funding for research into renewable energy.
ban/prohibit: Most people would agree that there should be a ban on the sale of
automatic weapons.

People within a government

departments: The Health Department should ensure that doctors are not
forced to work a 60-hour week.
political parties; This is one issue where all political parties should work
together to provide a solution.
politicians: If enough people protested then politicians would have to listen and
take action.

What local governments do

This is one area that will vary greatly from country to country. Below you will find
some examples of the type of issues that local governments sometimes are
responsible for and some of their powers:
impose fines: Local councils should ensure that householders are fined if they
they do not recycle their waste properly.
provide resources/services: Local government needs to provide adequate
resources for schools so that they can cope with the influx of children who speak
English as a second language.
maintain: If local governments maintained the roads in a better condition, then
there would be fewer problems with traffic congestion.
fund: Councils could fund local community projects where residents work as
volunteers in schools and hospitals.
hire: It would certainly help if local councils hired more staff.

Thinking long-term and short short-term

Another concept to think about when talking about government action is whether it
is short-term or long-term.
temporary: One idea is that the government could introduce a temporary
restriction on immigration to determine what effect it would have on employment
rates.

long-term The government needs to consider the long-term effect of a poorly

trained workforce.
immediate Governments of wealthier countries should provide financial assistance
to people in disaster zones to help with their immediate needs.
a stopgap measure While this may only be a stopgap measure, it would help
if governments sent financial aid to disaster areas.

How people can influence governments

Another way to approach question where you need to talk about governments is to
think about what the people can do to have an effect on their decisions.
lobby politicians: Individuals could help here by lobbying their elected
representatives and MPs to try and force them to introduce legislation.
engage in peaceful protests/demonstrations It is possible that the government
might be swayed by peaceful demonstrations asking for more action on the
environment.