The Difference Between Unlimited and Limited Government

The North Korean Government is a single-party government and represents an unlimited form of government.

The government of any and every country is responsible for the smooth functioning of its nation. However, depending on the constitution of countries, the power that is bestowed upon the government varies in degrees. Having said this, it means that the power of the government to take actions regarding the citizens, is subject to change.

Whether the government, in an attempt to do its duties, interferes with the liberty of its citizens, is a point of elaborate discussion. Based on the rights the government gets, it is divided into types. These are known as Limited Government and Unlimited Government. There are marked differences in the functionality and rights of these two forms.

There were times when most of the countries in the world had unlimited form of government. Now, with the passage of time, countries have changed their focus from unlimited to limited. But why have they changed in the first place? Which is a better in keeping up with the rights of the citizens? The points of differences have been explained ahead.

Limited Government is the type of government where the rights of the government to exercise legalized power is given through some noted powers. This means that the government's power is limited in terms intruding into the liberty of the citizens.

The government has the duty to maintain and respect people's liberty and protect their rights and property. In limited government, the government has got limited powers to exercise over its people. It is not authoritative in nature.

* Existence of multiple parties
* Groupism is discouraged
* Power of free media
* Secularism is prevalent
* It is a constitutional government
* Elective Government
* Pro-citizen rules
* Term-based governments
* Presence of free courts
* Capitalist form
* Direct democracy

The list of Unlimited government are in the historical context only. Most of these have shifted from unlimited to limited, at various points in history.

* USA
* Brazil
* England
* Algeria
* Sweden
* Hong Kong
* India
* Portugal
* Serbia

Unlimited Government is the type of government where the rights of the government to exercise its power over its citizens are not limited and are not controlled. This also means that the government has got the rights to make new laws which are to be followed in toto, by ALL.

But the government itself is not liable to follow the same rules. The rules for the government are flexible to change according to its discretion. There is no scrutiny over the actions of the government. It is authoritative in nature.

* Single party domination
* Power rests on one or a single group
* Media's role is curbed.
* Absence of secularism
* It is a dictatorship or oligarchy
* Inheritance of powers
* Anti-citizen rules.
* Unlimited term
* Government-influenced jury
* Communist form
* Indirect democracy

* Cambodia
* Uganda
* China
* Russia
* France
* Myanmar
* Iraq
* North Korea
* Germany

Government is vital for the successful, uninterrupted passage of life. But there are variations of government which provides the desired result. Government is entrusted with ample powers, but with great powers, also come great responsibilities. A country can't afford to be unruly.

There are sets of rules that are supposed to be followed by one and all. But trouble starts when the lawmakers breach the laws at free will and direct the rest of the country to follow the same ardently.

Government is responsible for smooth administration of the country. It has to be exemplary in its efforts to maintain cohesion and order. The world has changed from the primitive styles of totalitarian government and kingship to a radical, limited form of government. Unlimited government is just an extension of a totalitarian government, and undesirable.