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Political Units Cities, counties, states, and countries Different levels might overlap Defined by boundaries, called borders, at each level: Man-made Natural

Natural Border

Man-Made Border

Government All types of government are defined by answering a few questions: How much control does the government have? Where does the power come from? How is the ruler changed? How much freedom do the people have? How much power is given to minorities?

Democracy Government is directed by the people Rule by the majority – directly or indirectly; often called “Mob Rule” Human rights and individual freedoms are valued, encouraged Free elections for all people whom are eligible to vote While democracies tend to protect the rights of minorities, these are not guaranteed Switzerland is a democracy

Republic Government is limited by law Constitutions and laws direct the government Free elections for all those allowed by law to vote Constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people Rights of minorities are defined by law The United States is a republic

Monarchy In traditional monarchies, the monarch holds absolute power; in constitutional monarchies, power is shared with elected officials The ruler is decided by lineage When a ruler dies, power passes to a member of the monarch’s family The amount of freedom people enjoy is decided by those in power Minority rights are defined by those in power Saudi Arabia is a traditional monarchy; Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy

Theocracy A religious leader or council has ultimate authority Power comes from religious belief Rulers are chosen by the church People are limited by religious law, as interpreted by the government Minorities, particularly religious minorities, may be discriminated against Iran is a theocracy

Dictatorship A single person or small group exercises complete power Dictators seize power or are placed into a position of authority by a group in society Dictators hold power until they are overthrown People have little to no freedom in a dictatorship Minorities are often discriminated against North Korea is a dictatorship

Totalitarianism Government controls all aspects of their citizens’ lives Dictatorship with unlimited authority Rule until death or removal No freedom, and significant repression (of all, including minorities) Burma is a totalitarian state

Cultural beliefs and government Citizenship practices, public policies, and decision making may be influenced by: Nationalism Patriotism Gender Bias Religion Tradition