 Governments can be classified based on who governs the state  Autocracy  Oligarchy  Democracy

 Power of Government reside with a single ruler  Monarchies  Absolute Monarchies  Constitutional Monarchies  Dictatorships

 A small group holds power.  Dictatorships and Communist countries will often claim to rule for the people  Hold Elections  Only one candidate  Congress  Only approve policies made by the leaders

 The people hold sovereign power of the government  Direct Democracy  Representative Democracy

 Direct: the people govern themselves by voting on issues individually as citizens  Representative: the people election politicians and give them the power to make laws and conduct government

 Government works to secure equal opportunity for the people to develop their own abilities  Based on Majority rule, through elected representatives  Free and open elections; “one person, one vote”  Candidates freely express their own views  Defeated candidates act a loyal opposition

 People participate fully in civic life  Vote  Work for a candidate  Run for office  Stable Growing Economy with a large middle class  Public School System that creates a large educated public

 A strong civil society in which a large network of voluntary organizations, independent of the government

 The people accept democratic values such as individual liberty and equality for all in a social consensus