Governments have always had different functions throughout history. Sometimes they were in charge of taking care of the people, and sometimes they were in charge of making laws. There have been times when governments did both, and times when they only did one or the other. The role of government has changed a lot over the years. In the past, governments used to do everything. They made the laws, enforced them, and took care of the people. That was the way it was for many years. However, over time, the role of government began to change. Governments began to cede some of their power to other organizations. For example, in many countries, the government is no longer responsible for law enforcement. This task now falls to the police.
