GOVERNMENT
government. 1. The structure of principles and rules determining how a state or organization
is regulated. 2. The sovereign power in a nation or state. 3. An organization through which a body
of people exercises political au-thority; the machinery by which sovereign power is expressed
<the Canadian government>. • In this sense, the term refers collectively to the political organs of a
country regardless of their function or level, and regardless of the subject matter they deal with. Cf.
NATION; STATE.
central government.See federal government (1).
de facto government (di fak-toh).1. A government that has taken over the regular government
and exercises sovereignty over a nation. 2. An independent government established and exercised
by a group of a country’s inhabitants who have separated themselves from the parent state. — Also
termed government de facto.
de jure government.A functioning government that is legally established. — Also termed
government de jure.
federal government. 1. A national government that exercises some degree of control over
smaller political units that have surrendered some degree of power in exchange for the right to
participate in national political matters. — Also termed (in federal states) central government. 2.
The U.S. government. — Also termed national government. [Cases: United States 1. C.J.S.
United States §§ 2–3.]
government de facto.See de facto government.
government de jure.See de jure government.
local government.The government of a particular locality, such as a city or county; a
governing body at a lower level than the state government. • The term includes a school district,
fire district, transportation authority, and any other special-purpose district or authority. — Also
termed municipal government. [Cases: Municipal Corporations 6. C.J.S. Municipal Corporations
- 12.]
mixed government.A government containing a blend of forms, as in democracy and
monarchy.
municipal government.See local government.
national government.1.NATIONAL GOVERNMENT. 2. See federal government(2).
proprietary government.Hist. A government granted by the Crown to an individual, in the
nature of a feudatory principality, with powers of legislation formerly belonging to the owner of a
county palatine. Cf. COUNTY PALATINE.
provisional government.A government temporarily established to govern until a permanent
one is organized to replace it.
republican government.A government in the republican form; specif., a government by
representatives chosen by the people.
state government.The government of a state of the United States. [Cases: States 1. C.J.S.
States §§ 2, 16.]
- The executive branch of the U.S. government. 5. The prosecutors in a given criminal case
<the government has objected to the introduction of that evidence>.6. An academic course
devoted to the study of government; political science <Bridges is enrolled in Government 101 [Blacks Law 8th]