The government used to be civilian controlled, led by the 3 biggest factions , and the speaker, a person who was a defacto president/leader , it was called the consensus, with the Vanguard acting has the military on behalf of the consensus But after the Red War, in which a ruthless faction of Cabal led by Dominus Ghaul attacked the city to claim the Traveler, the speaker was killed , leaving just the factions and the Vanguard The two sides still worked together in lock step, untill Ikora Rey offered Eliksni refugees sanctuary in the city without the factions approval that started a drastic devide, in which the leader of the future war cult planned a coup to overthrow and replace the Vanguard , and kill the Eliksni refugees, would have led to a civil war if she didn't get herself killed trying to use the vex to acomplish her plan , and the remaining faction members were exiled Now the City is a military dictatorship , but Ikora and Zavala are not dictators , they are protectors at heart Bungie has ignored the logistical vacuum and probable disaster those events caused however, conveniently