Question

One of the basic functions of government is __________, which occurs when government provides a broad segment of the society with something of value.

Answer 1

The basic function of government being described is the provision of public goods, which includes essential services like national security and education that are available to all citizens without direct charges.

Step-by-step explanation:

One of the basic functions of government is provision of public goods, which occurs when government provides a broad segment of the society with something of value. Public goods are services that are available to all members of society, often free of charge. These can include vital services like national security, education, and infrastructure like roads and bridges.

Government services are crucial to society because they offer stability and essential services such as police and fire departments and free public education. These services are termed public goods because they are non-excludable and non-rivalrous, meaning they cannot be withheld from some members of society, and one person's use does not reduce their availability to others.

Without these provisions by the government, it would be challenging for private entities to supply them, as these services benefit all and require collective funding and organization. For example, offering fire and police services to only some members of a community while excluding others is impractical, as it necessarily involves protecting the whole neighborhood to be effective.

Answer 2

One of the basic functions of government is REDISTRIBUTION, which occurs when government provides a broad segment of the society with something of value

For example, the welfare system. The budget needed for welfare is taken by taxing the people from higher income and redistribute it in a form of welfare to the people with lower level income.