Forms of Government Ch 1 Sec 2
Classifying Government Who can participate Geographic distribution of power within state Relationship between legislative and executive branches
Who can participate Democracy - The People are Sovereign Direct Democracy - Works well in small communities. No national level examples exist today. Indirect Democracy - Representative Democracy Small group, chosen by the people, act as representatives Republic - power held by those eligible to vote, political power exercised by their representatives.
Who can participate Dictatorship Autocracy - single person holds unlimited power Oligarchy - power held by small elite All are Authoritarian, most are also Totalitarian (complete power over every aspect of human affairs) Often hide where real keys to power lies (often with the military) Examples: China, North Korea, Myanmar
Geographic distribution of power Unitary - Centralized All power in single, central agency. May have local governments for convenience Not always a dictatorship Example: Great Britain
Geographic distribution of power Federal - Power divided between central government and several local governments Division of Power Example: USA, Mexico Confederation - Alliance of independent states Cooperate on matters of common concern while retaining separate identities Example: EU
Relationship between Leg. and Ex. branches Presidential - 2 branches are separate and coequal Chief Executive (president) chosen independent of legislature Example: USA (we invented it) Parliamentary - executive is made of Prime Minister and his Cabinet chosen from the legislature (parliament) Usually the leader of the majority party Example: The majority of the governments in the world today
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4quK60FUvkY
Assignment Pg 16 (1-5) Pg 17 (1-2)