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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
Go
ve
rnm
en
t P
ow
er
Cit
ize
n P
arti
cip
ati
on
Go
ve
rnm
en
t P
ow
er
Ge
ne
ral C
itiz
en
s’
Pa
rtic
ipa
tio
n
Go
ve
rnm
en
t P
ow
er
Cit
ize
n P
arti
cip
ati
on
Se
lec
t C
itiz
en
s’
Pa
rtic
ipa
tio
n
High Participatio
n
High Participatio
n
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