A.+SOL+Pretest

There are many reasons why, we the people, need a government that prevents each person living in the United States from living and running his or her own rule of law. A government is an organization in a community that has the power to enforce laws and maintain peace and order. Without one there could not exist a thriving complex civilization. There has to be rules, regulations, and laws. The government makes these and helps to enforce them. A nation, especially a complex one, should have a government as opposed to an anarchy because the government would uphold a greater amount of general good through more productivity, organization, and overall welfare.  Firstly, for a nation to stay competitive among the rest of the world’s countries, it must maintain a sustainable level of productivity. For this to be accomplished, a government is vital. A government creates laws, which sets the guidelines for the way people and also businesses behave. Laws are important because they define the limits of these behaviors. Without such laws, companies could use any form of corruption they desire in order take advantage of other businesses. While the company might prosper, the nation as a whole would suffer loss in productivity because other businesses could not start up and provide a wider variety of goods and services for the country. Also, within the company itself, the employees would constantly struggle among themselves for power because there would be no work regulations or employment laws. This would limit a business from growing because of the constant power struggle. The lack of productivity would make a nation poorer as it would lack proper goods and services. Other countries would outcompete a country with low productivity, leaving the country without a government to have a weak economy. Also, governments provide organization and order, which are crucial for the long-run existence and development of the nation’s people. Order and organization allow the people of a nation to connect and share a common culture. For example, the laws of a government would push people to work for a living (since reliable business practices exist), make people receive similar forms of education, and provide similar opportunities for all. The common characteristics of seeking a career, having a basic education, and living in an environment where all are equal would allow people to connect in ways that would not exist if there was no such order. Instead, people would be unrestricted to allow their self-interest to take over their lives, which would lead to living to achieve selfish desires and eventually creating chaos. Order and organization set by a government’s laws allow people to be limited in their desires, see each others as equals under law, and have more social instead of selfish interactions. This would then lead to a national identity that can develop into the future.  Lastly, the overall welfare of a nation would be highly diminished if a government did not exist. In an anarchy, people would have to constantly live their lives in fear because there is no limitation to how harshly other people will treat them. Life would constantly be chaotic for people as they would constantly stress over their safety and well-being. A government is necessary so that people can live their lives without worrying over their safety, and hence achieve greater forms of welfare such as raising a family in a secure environment, working in a gratifying career, or helping others in an organized way.  While the pros of anarchy such as absolute personal freedom and not having to follow any rules/laws may seem appealing at first, the cons of such a system heavily outweigh any such pros. The productivity, organization, and general welfare that only a government can provide is necessary in order for a large group of people to coexist and prosper in the long-run.