Ordergovernment

Ordergovernment is a term used in political science and public discourse to describe governance that places primary emphasis on maintaining public order and social stability. Unlike terms with precise definitions, ordergovernment is not a formal constitutional category; rather, it is an analytical label applied to regimes or policies that privilege security and order over other aims such as rapid political pluralism or civil liberties. In practice, ordergovernment tends to rely on centralized authority, expanded police powers, routine surveillance, strict enforcement of laws, and, in some cases, emergency or discretionary powers granted to the executive branch.

Key characteristics include a strong executive, limited checks on security agencies, rapid decision-making, and a governance style that legitimizes coercive measures as necessary to prevent disorder. This approach can exist within constitutional democracies, in which institutions exist but operate under law to sustain order, or within more centralized regimes where political rights are curtailed.

Arguments in favor claim that order provides stability, deters crime, and allows governments to address crises effectively. Critics contend that it risks abuses, undermines civil liberties, concentrates power, and suppresses dissent, sometimes creating a self-reinforcing cycle of surveillance and control.

In scholarship, the term is used to compare different governance strategies and to discuss tensions between security and liberty. Related terms include the security state, police powers, rule of law, and law-and-order governance.