Major Determinants for Establishing Roles and Functions of Government (From the point of view of Public Administration)

Roles of the government differ form country to country. If the state is developed and economically advance, role of the government may be less but the case may not be same for the least developed country. Following are the few determinants of the role role of the government. 

1. Forms of the Government:- Role and functions of the governments depend upon the political form of the government. The forms of the government may be Autocratic, Monarchical, Republic, Unitary or Federal, Democratic or Dictatorship etc. Roles and functions of the government are determined by the form of the government. For example, if the government is Federal roles will be less and on the contrary, if the government is Unitary, roles will be more. 
2. Roles of the State and non-State Actors:-  Until the 20th century, there were only two actors namely, state sector and private sectors. But now in new era, there are 3 actors, namely: State, Private and Civil Society. The role of one actor depends upon the execution of role of another actor. Role of one actor depends upon success and failure of another. In the past, around 1930s, role of the Public Enterprise increased tremendously, when private sector failed relatively. But now the equation has been changed with the involvement of the civil society. Role of the government is determined by the interrelationship persisting among private sector, civil sector and government. Non-state actor may provide goods and services where government can't reach or government can provide service where private sector is failed to cover and so on. 
3. Expectation of the People toward Government:- Role and Functions of the government also depend upon the expectation of the people. When the expectation is high, role of the government is high and vice versa. 
4. Form of Economic System:- Role of the government depends upon the type of economy that the country has adapted. Capitalistic economy requires less efforts from the government where as socialistic economy requires higher roles. 
5. Global Trend:- According to the global trend role of the government may be determined. Free trade, open market, no restriction determines fewer roles where as regularity global trend requires higher roles of the state. 
6. Nature of the Government Intervention:- During different time period different government intervention have been seen in the world. Role of the government in Lassiez-faire system and in welfare state system can't be same.