Government is a group of people who create rules and laws for us in order to maintain law and order in the country and to address people’s grievances. It is made up of both permanent and temporary members. The bureaucracy is permanent, working in the background in various ministries and government departments and serving all the time. These, like civil servants, are non-elected. Temporary, on the other hand, are the Prime Minister and his cabinet, who are elected by the people and serve for a set period of time before being replaced.
Proper administration is critical to the long-term success of any organization, department, or company. Otherwise, the company would face roadblocks that would stifle its expansion. Proper administration entails more than just the proper execution of tasks. It also emphasizes the importance of the organization’s leadership. The two sides of the same coin are a good leader and a structured implementation of activities. Both are required for a system to be self-sustaining over time.
A state or country follows the same principle. For a country to grow, it needs a strong government with a clear vision and procedures to implement that vision. Both are intertwined. Failure of either one will result in the system’s total collapse. As a result, having a good government and good governance becomes critical. The organization/state can then flourish.
The distinction between government and governance is that government refers to a group of representatives who are responsible for the country’s administration and proper functioning. The concept of governance refers to the rules and regulations enacted by elected officials to achieve the aforementioned administration. In the case of a democratic government, representatives are elected by the people of the country through direct and indirect elections.
Though government and governance are related, there is a distinction between the two. Simply put, the government governs the organization or country, and governance is the method by which the government achieves the objectives set forth for proper operation. Both are required for the organization’s or country’s long-term viability.