Forms of Government U.S. Government Chapter 1 – Section 2

Political Dictionary

Autocracy

Oligarchy

Unitary government

Federal government

Division of powers

Confederation

Presidential government

Parliamentary government

Objectives/Standards

Section Objectives: Classify governments according to three sets of

characteristics Define systems of government based on who can

participate Identify different ways that power can be

distributed within a state Describe a government by how power is distributed

between the executive branch and legislative branch.

4.4 Understand the basic features of major forms of governance in the world.

The White HouseWashington D.C.

The White HouseWashington D.C.

Classifying Governments

Political scientists have developed three ways to classify governments.

1) Who can participate 2) Geographic distribution 3) Relationship between the legislative

and executive branches

Who Can Participate

There are two basic forms of government based on who can participate. Democracy Dictatorship

Democracy

Supreme political authority rests with the people Govt. can only operate by and with the

consent of the people. “a government of the people, by the people,

for the people.” –A. Lincoln

Direct democracy - every issue must be voted on by the people. This is the reason that direct democracies

usually are only found in small communities. No direct democracies exist on a national level

Democracy

Indirect democracy - the people choose representatives to express the popular will. also called a representative democracy

Some say that the United States is a republic. That means that the people have the sovereign

power while the representatives have political power.

Regardless of what term you use to describe a democracy, in a democracy the people rule

Dictatorship

In a dictatorship, those who rule are not responsible to the people Probably the oldest form of government. Also the most common form of government

known to history.

Autocracy - a dictatorship where one person rules and has unlimited power.

An oligarchy - a dictatorship were power is help by a small group of usually self-appointed elite.

Dictatorship

All dictatorships are authoritarian. This means that those in power have absolute power over the people.

Typically, dictatorial regimes are usually militaristic in nature and gain power by force.

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Adolph Hitler

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Joseph Stalin

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Mao Zedong

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Kim Jong Un

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Bashar al-Assad

Famous Autocratic Dictators

Ayatolla Ali Khamanei

Famous Autocratic Dictators

General Aladeen

Question #1

How would you explain a dictator who adopt some of the features of a democratic government?

For example: popular elections and elected legislative bodies

Geographic Distribution of Power

From this standpoint, three basic forms of government exist:

Unitary Federal Confederate

Unitary Government

Often described as a centralized government. All powers held by the government belong to a

single agency.

Most governments in the world today are unitary in form. A classic illustration is Great Britain. In Britain, a single central organization

(Parliament) holds all of the government’s power. Britain’s government is both democratic and

unitary

Unitary Governments of the World

Federal Government

Power is divided between a central government and several local governments. Power is said to be divided into a central

government and other local governments. (U.S. Governments and State Governments)

Under a federal government, all levels of government act directly on the people.

Examples of a federal governments include: United States, Australia, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, India

Confederate Government

A confederation is an alliance of independent states. Makes it possible for several states to cooperate

in matters of common concern and, at the same time, retain their separate identities

Has the power to handle only those matters that have been assigned to it by the member states.

Confederations are rare today. The closest example today is the European Union.  

Question #2

A) How is power distributed in a federal government?

B) Explain the main differences between a federal government and a confederate state.

Relationship Between

Under this grouping, there are two types of governments. Those are: Presidential Government Parliamentary Government

Presidential Government

Features a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government. The two branches are independent of each other.

In a presidential government, the executive (the President) is chosen independently of the legislature (Congress). Each branch (executive and legislative) will have

powers to block the other branch.

The United States invented the presidential form of government.

Presidential Government

Parliamentray Government

In a parliamentary form of government, the executive (Prime Minister and cabinet) is actually a member of the legislative branch (Parliament). The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority

part of the Parliament.

The executive is chosen by the legislature, and is subject to its control.

The Prime Minister and cabinet (the executive branch) only stay in power as long as they have the support from the majority of Parliament.

Parliamentary Democracy

Question #3

What is the relationship between the executive and legislative branches in a presidential government?

Question #4

A _________________is a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power.

A. Dictatorship B. Aristocracy C. Oligarchy

Question #5

In a __________ government, powers of gov’t are divided between a central gov’t and several local gov’ts.

A. Representative B. Federal C. Legislative

Question #6

An alliance of independent states.

A. Group B. Team C. Confederation

Question #7

Features a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.

A. Parliamentary B. Oligarchy C. Presidential

Question #8

Executive Branch is made up of the Prime Minister and the officials cabinet.

A. Presidential B. Parliamentary C. Aristocracy

Question #9

A unitary government can be either a democracy or a dictatorship.

A. True B. False