It is commonly believed that there are four types of government; that is, civil government, self-government, family government, and church government. However, the question may be raised regarding the legitimacy of these institutions; specifically, that of family government. Is the family considered to be a legitimate form of government? In order to answer this question, we will briefly look at each of the five fundamental questions of government, identifying the characteristics of a family government with respect to these questions to reach a conclusion.

First, we begin with the question of sovereignty – “who’s in charge here?” In the case of a family government, it is safe to assume that the sovereign authority would be the parents, who are in charge of family. This is the top of the chain of command, who can set precedents and impose negative sanctions if the “laws” are not followed. A family household, although it must abide by the laws imposed by civil government, possesses its own sovereignty over its members.

Second, we move on to the question of hierarchy – “to whom do I report?” Referring back to the chain of command mentioned a moment ago, we find that in a family, there is, in fact, a hierarchy in which we have the parents to whom the children report. The parents inherently possess the authority within this family to manage the children and the household as a whole. This, too, falls under the characteristics of a legitimate government.

Next, we have the question of law – “what are the rules?” Households in every society have some form of rules, imposed by the authority–that is, in this case, the parents–which members of the family are obligated to follow. If the children do not follow these rules, they are at risk of negative sanctions that can be imposed by the sovereign authority, the parents. Again, we find that this seems like a legitimate form of government.

Fourth, we have the sanctions – “what do I get if I obey?” In a family government, the authority, which we’ve established in the preceding paragraphs, can impose both positive and negative sanctions based on obedience or lack thereof to the laws, or rules, in place. If a child disobeys a specific rule in place in the household, they can receive a punishment for that action. On the other hand, obedient children may receive a reward for their obedience; a positive sanction imposed by the parents. This, too, aligns with the basic characteristics of government.

Finally, there is succession – “does this outfit have a future?” This may be the most apparent example of basic government characteristics found within the family institution. As the sovereign authority raises the children, those children will eventually grow up and possibly start their own family. This eventually leads to a shift in hierarchy; the children, who were once under the authority of their parents, become the leaders of their household. They are the new authority of this form of government, and this pattern can go on indefinitely.

Examining all five of these characteristics, it is evident that the family possesses the basic principles that make up a legitimate form of government. In every family, you have sovereignty, hierarchy, law, sanctions, and succession. Alongside the other forms of government–civil, church, and self-government, family government is, in fact, legitimate in its own right.🔹