A body of people living under government is called society, and the agreement existing between them, for their common welfare, is called the social compact. Men are so constituted that society is necessary to their happiness. Therefore they seek the social state and join the social compact, thus agreeing to be governed by law and order.
FOR THE PEOPLE.--Government is for the people, and not for the rulers. Officers, the highest and the lowest, are merely the servants of the people.
All governments derive their just powers from the consent of the people, and are established and maintained for their good. All powers which are exercised without the consent of the people are unjust and tyrannical.
KINDS.--Government is of two kinds, civil and military.
Civil government is the government of civil society, or the government of the people in a peaceful state.
Military government is the government of men in a state of war. It prevails in the army and the navy, and sometimes in districts which are the scenes of military operations.
Military government is conducted by the rules of martial law, and in its penalties and exactions is much more severe than civil government.
FORMS OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
There are many forms of civil government, but they may be reduced to three principal systems:
1. Monarchy: government by one person.