What is the governmental view of atonement?

The governmental view of atonement recognizes that human sin has extreme consequences in God’s moral order, consequences that wreak havoc on society. God would be able to merely forgive sin, but this would not help society. Instead, God allowed Christ to demonstrate for mankind the extreme results of sin in God’s holy, moral order (hence the description governmental) and to thus convince man to reform himself. This is the standard Pelagian View.