Forms of Government

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Forms of Government
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Classifying Governments

• There are 3 criteria
• Who can participate
• Geographic distribution of power
• Relationship between executive and legislative
  branches

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Who Can Participate

• Maybe the most important criteria.
• Based on number of people that can take part.
• Two basic forms to consider Democracy and
  Dictatorship.

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Democracy

• Supreme political authority rests with the
  people.
• Government is conducted with the consent of the
  people.
• Can be direct or indirect in form.

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• Direct Democracy- Also called a pure democracy,
  exists when the will of the people is made into
  law directly through the people, usually in mass
  meetings.
• It does not exist at the national level anywhere
  in the world today. Why not?

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• Indirect Democracy- Also called representative
  democracy. Here a small group of people are
  chosen as representatives.
• These Rep. carry out the will of the people and
  conduct day-to-day govt.

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• They are held accountable through elections.
• In a democracy, the people are sovereign that
  is, they hold the power. Government only by
  consent of the people.

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Dictatorship

• Dictatorships exist where rulers are not held
  responsible to the will of the people.
• Probably the oldest and most common form of govt
  in history.
• Can be classified as autocracies or oligarchies.

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• Autocracy- a single person holds unlimited power.
• Oligarchy- The power to rule Is held by a small,
  usually self appointed, elite.
• All dictatorships are authoritarian, meaning
  those in power hold absolute and unchallengeable
  power over those they rule.

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• Modern dictatorships tend to be totalitarian as
  well.
• Totalitarian- Holding complete power over every
  aspect of human affairs.
• Examples of dictatorships include Facist Italy,
  Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union.

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• In most dictatorships today, several groups hold
  power. These include, army, religious leaders,
  wealthy industrialists.
• Many times people are able to vote, but ballots
  typically contain only one candidate.
• Most dictatorships today are military in nature
  power is gained and held by force.

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Geographic Distribution of Power

• In every system of government the power to govern
  is located in one or more places, geographically.
• Unitary
• Federal
• Confederate

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Unitary Government

• Centralized government
• All powers held by the government belong to a
  single, central agency.
• Most governments in the world are unitary in
  form.
• Great Britain is an example

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Federal Government

• The powers of government are divided between a
  central govt and several local govts.
• Division of powers on a geographic basis.
• Examples United States, Australia, Canada,
  Mexico, Switzerland

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Confederate Government

• A confederation is an alliance of independent
  states.
• The confederate govt has the power to handle
  only those matters that the member states have
  assigned to it.
• Rare but the EU is closest approach today,
• Articles of Confederation 1781-1789
• Confederate States of America 1861-1865

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Relationship between Legislative and Executive
Branches

• Presidential
• Seperation of powers between the executive and
  the legislative branches
• Two branches are independent of one another and
  coequal
• Ex. United states, Western Hemisphere

• Parliamentary
• The executive is made up of the prime minister or
  premiew, and that officials cabinet.
• The PM and cabinet are members of the legislative
  branch, the parliament
• Exec, is chosen by, a part of, and is subject to
  the legislature.

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5 Foundations of Democracy

• Worth of the Individual
• Equality of all persons
• Majority Rule, Minority Rights
• Necessity of Compromise
• Individual Freedom

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Democracy and the Free Enterprise System

• Capitalism
• Law of supply and demand
• Govt Free enterprise Mixed economy

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HUMANS WOULD CEASE (BECOME EXTINCT) TO EXIST
WITHOUT GOVERNMENT.

1. What does this statement mean?
2. Do you agree with the author? Why or why not?
3. What do we call a society where no organized
   government exists? Can this work?

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WHAT TYPE OF GOVERNMENT IS BEING DISCUSSED IN
EACH DOCUMENT?
DOCUMENT 1 The pharaoh was an absolute ruler.
He commanded the army and controlled irrigation
and grain supplies. People in this society
considered the pharaoh to be a god.
DICTATORSHIP/MONARCHY/AUTOCRACY
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NAME THAT GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENT 2 This civilization was founded in 750
B.C. This early city-state contained two main
social classes the patricians and the
plebeians. In early times, these people
overthrew their king and created a type of
government in which leaders were elected. Power
was shared between the Senate and two consuls
elected by the Senate.
INDIRECT DEMOCRACY/REPUBLIC
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NAME THAT GOVERNMENT
DOCUMENT 3 The Nazi Party took over every
aspect of this countrys social, economic
political life. In Hitlers Third Reich the
following changes took place human rights
violations, control of education, persecution of
Jews a secret police was established. Hitler
quickly secured his power by burning down a
legislative building. He then blamed the
Communists for the fire and used the incident to
obtain emergency powers, becoming an absolute
ruler.
DICTATORSHIP/AUTOCRACY