Final answer:
A government not limited by law and seeking to control private lives describes a totalitarian government, differing from less intrusive authoritarian governments and the controlled power in democracies that prevent tyranny.
Step-by-step explanation:
A government that is not constrained by legal limits and also seeks to enforce control over the public's private lives describes a totalitarian government. In a totalitarian state, the government assumes complete control over nearly every aspect of public and private life without any legal limits. This type of regime often maintains power through an all-encompassing ideology, extensive surveillance, control of the media, and the suppression of dissent.
Totalitarianism is different from authoritarian governments, where the control might be held by an unelected individual or group, but the level of control over private lives may not be as extensive. An authoritarian state may or may not regulate the personal behaviors of its citizens to the same extent as a totalitarian state.
Contrastingly, in democratic societies, governments must have restricted powers to prevent tyranny. The power of such governments is highly controlled to safeguard individual rights and freedoms from government abuse.