Government comprises the set of legal and political institutions that regulate the relationship among members of a society and between the society and outsiders. The power of a government over its own citizens varies,depending on the degree to which it is free of limitations and restraint within the modern nation-state, government operates at many different levels,ranging from the local governments,states and countries.
There are basically four types of government;
1) OLIGARCHY: This is a type of government in which only a few people have any power.Often,these are wealthy individuals who use their power and influence to further enhance their financial status.
2) ARISTOCRACY: This is another type of government in which power and influence are held by a minority of people. Unlike an Oligarchy,however,Aristocrats derive their power from their family lineage.
3) MONARCHY: This is a type of government in which there is only one ruler and that is a king or queen. Like an Aristocrat,a Monarch inherits his or her title.In an absolute Monarchy,the monarch exercises total control over all aspects of the government.
4) DEMOCRACY: This is a type of government in which power is held by the people. To exercise this power,many democracies use a system of voting in which the people choose a number of elected representatives to serve in government.
By its very nature,the democratic process spurs citizens to form opinions on a number of issues. Almost any matter in which government has to decide may become a public issue especially if a significant number of people wish to make it one. From the examination of numerous histories of policy formation,it is clear that no sweeping generalization can be made that will hold in all cases. The role of public opinion varies from issue to issue,just as public opinion asserts itself differently from one democracy to another. Perhaps the safest generalization that can be made is that public opinion does not influence details of most government policies but it does set limits within which policymakers must operate.That is,public officials will usually seek to satisfy a widespread demand or atleast take it into account in their deliberations and they will usually try to avoid decisions that they believe will be widely unpopular.
V.O. key posits that “public opinions exerts a more powerful influence in politics through its “latent” aspects. Latent public opinion is,in effect,a probable future reaction by the public to a current decision or action by a public official or government. Government leaders who take latent public opinion into account maybe willing to undertake an unpopular action that has a negative effect on public opinion in the short-term,prov
ided that the action is also likely to have a significant positive effect at a later and more important time.
When leaders have high levels of public approval,they are likely to accomplish policy goals and use their level of public approval as a way to get their agenda passed. Leaders,on the other hand,with low public approval ratings are faced with a more daunting task of getting support for their policies because of the lack of trust;confidence,and suspicion that exists between such leaders and the people who they’re supposed to lead.
There is no doubt that Kaduna State is currently in the eye of the storm with protests over the state government’s decision to sack some 22,000 teachers it claims failed a “competency test” administered by the state government. The decision by the Kaduna State government to sack the said teachers have been received with mixed reactions with the majority calling on the state government to rescind its decision because of the effects the sack may have on the teachers,their families,the educational sector and even the socio-economic development of the state. They reckon that the state government can do well to train and retrain the said teachers with some even questioning the sincerity and motive of the state government in carrying out the so called “competency test”.
Whatever may be the motivation or intentions of the state government in conducting the so called “competency test”,one thing is obvious and that is the state government does not enjoy the confidence and approval of the people. The state government must understand that in a democracy,public opinion and government’s responsiveness to it most often than not builds confidence and approval of the people and as a result fosters seamless passage of government policies. Let us all join hands together to make the Kaduna of our dreams. It is achievable.
DREAM IT,THINK IT,BELIEVE IT,DO IT.
