Types of Governments
Two Categories Unlimited Governments Limited Governments Few if any restrictions placed on the holders of power Leadership is above the laws “Good of the collective” over individual rights Often supported by the military Limits placed on the power of the leadership (constitutional) All people (including leaders) must obey the laws Rights of the individual are protected
Unlimited Governments Advantages Disadvantages Decisions can be made quickly Loyalty of the people is not divided between competing ideologies Collective tends to be strong Few if any individual civil liberties Needs of the leadership outweigh the needs of the people Narrow base for decision making – leaders don’t have to take advice
Examples of Unlimited Governments Absolute Monarchy Communism Dictatorship Marxism Oligarchy Theocracy Totalitarianism Use the Internet to define each of the terms on the left, and provide an example of each.
Limited Governments Advantages Disadvantages Broad base of loyalty and support Individual rights are protected Power holders are responsible to their constituents, so they are more likely to do a good job More segments of society are represented Time consuming Can become divisive – different ideals want to be represented Individuals can opt out of voting, so government can become controlled by special interest groups
Examples of Limited Governments Constitutional monarchy Democracy Federation (Federal government) Parliamentary democracy Republic Socialism Use the Internet to define each of the terms on the left, and provide an example of each.
Which is Best? In small groups (3 – 4) select the one form of government that you think everyone should adhere to. Outline the general structure of your government (who is in charge of what, how the different departments are organized, etc.) Outline how you would deal with the weaknesses of the system Present your pick to the class – really sell it! The class will vote for the one system that everyone should adhere to What are the strengths and weaknesses of the voting system?