Lesson 2 System and forms of Government Chapter 1 Lesson 2 System and forms of Government

Systems of Government Unitary System- gives all key powers to the central government. This does not mean that only one level of government exists however. Confederacy- a loose union of independent and sovereign states. Central government is weak in this system.

Federal system A federal system means that the government divides powers among the national and state or provincial government. Each level has some type of sovereignty. The U.S. has this system of government. It should also be noted that the U.S. is considered a republic due to not having a monarchy. Brazil and Germany have this as well

Constitution A constitution is a plan that provides the rules for government. It establishes the duties of a government and its structure. Acts as the supreme law of the land in most cases. However, just because a government has one doesn’t mean its being put into practice. Ex: Peoples ‘s Republic of China

Constitutional Government Refers to a government in which the constitution has the authority to place clearly recognized limits on the powers of those who govern. Constitutional government is limited government.

The principle of democracy Democracy is based on the principle of majority rule. Meaning that the power lies in the majorities decision making. So at the minimum it has to be over 50%.

Components of Democracy Citizen participation Regular and free elections Rule of law Majority rule with minority rights Accountability and transparency Bill of Rights Economic Freedom/Privatization Equality Fair and impartial legal system Competing political parties

Democracy Democratic government Democracy originated from the ancient Greeks in Athens about 2,500 years ago. They had a direct democracy so all citizens can vote on what the government should do. Our government is one of representative democracy. This system involves choosing a group of people to represent us, make the laws, and govern on our behalf.

Other Representative democracies Another form of representative democracy is called a constitutional monarchy. Constitutional monarchy is a limited form of monarchy. A monarchy describes a form of government led by a hereditary ruler such as a king or queen. In most European countries that have this type of government, the power of the monarchy is limited to more of a ceremonial role. Ex: Great Britain

Authoritarian Regime In this type of government the power lies not in the majority. Rather the power lies in a small group of people or an individual Most dictators force their rule via a totalitarian regime. In a totalitarian regime the government controls all aspects of society.

Authoritarian governments cont. Dictatorship- power is in the hands of one person or ruler that has total control. Oligarchy- power lies in a few people or a political party. Oligarchs derive their power from wealth, status, military force, or all of the above. Ex: Soviet Union.

Authoritarian Regime Most authoritarian regimes have an ideology or a strict idea about life and society. Socialism- in a socialist society controls all aspects of the economy, either directly or indirectly through the government. Fascism-a political movement or regime that focuses on putting the nation or sometimes even race above the individual. Headed by a dictatorial leader that forces extreme regimentation of the economy and society.

Life in authoritarian regimes Citizens living in these nations have little to no freedoms and the government controls their life. The government also has a strong influence on the media and little to no transparency.