Forms of Governments

Civics and Government Understanding

SS7CG4 Compare and contrast various forms of government

INTRODUCTION TO TERMS

Government is necessary to keep order in society and to keep people

safe.

To study governments, geographers look at the following:

Systems – How the power is distributed.There are three systems.

Types – Who rules and who participates.The types fall into one of the three

systems.

Government is like a cake…

Cake = SystemEx: Unitary

Chocolate = TypeAutocratic

Icing/Sprinkles = SubtypeAbsolute MonarchyDictatorship

Types of Government are based on one key question:

Who governs and what is the citizen participation?

There are three types of governments:Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy

1. AutocracyA government by a single person having unlimited power (domination through threat of punishment and violence). There are three types of Autocracies.

2. Dictatorship

A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control. Examples:Adolf HitlerSaddam Hussein

3. AbsoluteMonarchy

A monarch is a king, queen, emperor, empress, sultan, etc.The power is usually inherited or passed down from family members. The monarch has absolute power meaning they can make all decisions without consulting anyone.Examples: Saudi Arabia, Oman, Vatican City, Liechtenstein

4. Constitutional Monarchy

Kings, queens, or emperors share power with elected legislatures.Generally the monarchs are nothing more than figureheads.The government is democratic that limits the monarch’s power.Example: Great Britain

5. OligarchyA government in which a few people such as a dominant clan (family) or clique have power.The group gets their power from either military, wealth, or social status.Elections may be held but offer

only one candidate.• Candidate can claim that they won the election “fairly”.

6. Democratic

This is not the same as the democratic party in the United States!In a democracy, the government is elected by the people. Everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to have their say over who runs the country. A democracy is determined: Directly Through elected representatives (Ex: Electoral College)

Examples: United States, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, France, and many others!

In a Democracy….Individual freedom and equality is valued.Free elections are heldNo poll tax, no penalty for not voting

Decisions are based on majority rule.All candidates can express their views freely.Citizens vote by secret ballot.

7. Parliamentary Democracy

Examples: Canada, France, Australia

People vote for the political party representativeThe political party representatives choose the leader (Prime Minister) who leads the government

8. Presidential DemocracyPresident is chosen separately from the legislatureHowever, in the United States, the electoral college elects the President. The people vote for the

senators & representatives that make up the electoral college.

Examples: United States, Yemen, Afghanistan

Parliamentary System

Presidential System

Executive: President Legislative

Citizens

Citizens

Legislative

Executive: Prime Minister

Elect

Elect

Elect

Elect

Select

Select

ElectElect

Systems of Government are based on one question:

How is the power distributed?

There are three ways governments distribute power:UnitaryConfederationFederal

9. Unitary

A system of government in which ALL of the power is in the central government

Uni = One

Central Authority

UnitaryWays Government Distributes Power:

Central is LARGER than regional

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

Regional

Authority

10. Confederation

A government that joins together groups or smaller governments. The central power has less power than the individual states. Examples: The United Arab Emirates (UAE), OPEC (it’s not a country, but a governing organization that countries belong to)

Central Authority

Regional Authority

Regional Authority

Regional Authority

Regional Authority

ConfederationWays Government Distributes Power:

Central is SMALLER than Regional

11. FederalA system of government where power is shared or divided between the central government and the state government.

FederalWays Government Distributes Power:

Both Central and Regional are equal

Regional Authority

Central Authority

Regional Authority

Regional Authority

Regional Authority

How Governments Determine Citizen

Participation

DemocracyOligarchicAutocratic

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High Participatio

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High Participatio

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Low or No Participation

Low or No Participation

Low or No Participation

12. Theocracy

A government ruled by religious leaders according to religious law. Example: Iran

GOVERNMENT TERMS

UNITARY AUTOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP ABSOLUTE MONARCHY CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY

FEDERAL DEMOCRATIC PARLIMENTARY/PRESIDENTIAL

CONFEDERATION OLIGARCHIC THEOCRACY

Federal Power DistributionCentral = Regional

EQUAL

Unitary Power DistributionCentral > Regional

GREATER than

Confederation Power Distribution

Central < RegionalLESS than