Types of Types of GovernmentGovernment

Objective 1.08Objective 1.08

AnarchyAnarchy

•A state of society without government or law

•Political and social disorder due to the absence of government

TheocracyTheocracy•Form of government in Form of government in which God or a deity is which God or a deity is recognized as the recognized as the supreme civil rulesupreme civil rule

•The God or deity’s laws The God or deity’s laws are interpreted by are interpreted by religious authoritiesreligious authorities

AristocracyAristocracy

•Class of persons holding Class of persons holding exceptional rank and exceptional rank and privileges, especially the privileges, especially the inherited nobilityinherited nobility

•Government led by the elite, Government led by the elite, or privileged upper classor privileged upper class

OligarchyOligarchy

•Form of government in Form of government in which all power is which all power is vested in few persons vested in few persons or in a dominant class or in a dominant class or cliqueor clique

Limited MonarchyLimited Monarchy

•Monarchy that is Monarchy that is limited by laws and a limited by laws and a constitutionconstitution

•Great Britain todayGreat Britain today

Absolute Absolute Monarchy/AutocracMonarchy/Autocrac

yy•All-powerful rulerAll-powerful ruler•Great Britain before the Great Britain before the Magna Carta in 1215Magna Carta in 1215

DictatorshipDictatorship

•A country, government, or A country, government, or the form of government in the form of government in which absolute power is which absolute power is exercised by a dictatorexercised by a dictator

•Fidel Castro-CubaFidel Castro-Cuba

TotalitarianismTotalitarianism•Absolute control by the state or a governing branch of highly centralized institution

•Today: China, Cuba, and North Korea

•Past: Germany-Hitler, Soviet Union-Stalin, Italy-Mussolini

DemocracyDemocracy•Form of government in Form of government in which the supreme power is which the supreme power is vested in the people and vested in the people and exercised directly by them exercised directly by them or by their elected agents or by their elected agents under a free electoral under a free electoral systemsystem

•U.S. and CanadaU.S. and Canada

RepublicRepublic•No leaders inherit officeNo leaders inherit office•Voters hold powerVoters hold power•The people elect The people elect representatives and give representatives and give them responsibilities and them responsibilities and power to conduct power to conduct governmentgovernment

•Established in ancient Rome-Established in ancient Rome-509 B.C.509 B.C.

Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy

•All citizens participate first hand in governing

•Not present today-established in ancient Athens

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracy

•Citizens elect leaders to represent them in government

•U.S. today