The objective of this paper is to study the viewpoints of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and Ayatollah Mehdi Haeri about the nature of "government". The theoretical framework adopted for this research is “goal-legitimacy” and hermeneutic method has been employed for analysis of the data. The hypothesis of this study is as follows: with the Shia jurisprudents coming to power and the political consequences of the process of modernity, the approaches of Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi and Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi to the government are a combination of Islamic-Shi’i tradition and human experiences resulting from modernity. The findings of the research show that regarding the ultimate goal of the government Mesbah Yazdi maintains that the goal of the government is to prepare the grounds for man’s obedience of God, while Haeri believes that the duty of the government is to protect the interests and good of the citizens. Regarding the person of the ruler, Mesbah Yazdi believes that a jurisprudent appointed by the H Imam Mahdi should take the helm, while Haeri maintains that governorship belongs to the people. Regarding the the qualifications and conditions for a Muslim to take the helm and exercise power, Mesbah Yazdi mentions knowledge of jurisprudence, justice, managing capability, approval of the Experts Assembly, the law, and the Council. Haeri mentions the followings: Commitment to the goals of the government, freedoms, citizen’s will, refutation of the role of raising the people, legislation and exercise of force by the government. In the field of right to protest, Mesbah Yazdi believes that the ruler has unlimited power and has the power to suppress subversive acts, while Haeri Yazdi maintains that the citizens have the right to take any reformative or revolutionary action.