1. Comparative Government

2. What is a state? There are four key characteristics of a state
Can you guess what they are?

3. Population Territory Sovereignty Government
living in a defined space,
a body of people,
Sovereignty
Government
and with an organization to do this.
with the power to make and enforce laws without having to check with any higher authority,

4. Who Rules?
Forms of Government

5. Forms of Government President or King?
When people decide to form the social contracts that we call governments, they make many different decisions about how their government will look.
President or King?
Rule by few or rule by all?
Hold elections?
Where do the rulers get their power?

6. Democracy
Any form of government in which political power is exercised by all citizens, either directly or through their elected representatives. There are two kinds of Democracies…
Direct!
Representative!

7. Democracy
Any form of government in which political power is exercised by all citizens, either directly or through their elected representatives. There are two kinds of Democracies…
Direct!
Representative!

8. Direct Democracy Who Rules? All citizens
No representatives in government: The citizens vote on everything!
All citizens can create public policy if they want to
Examples: ancient Athens & Greece (they held assemblies where citizens voted to pass law)

9. Representative Democracy
Who Rules? Elected representatives
People elect representatives who vote on laws for the citizens
Representatives answer to the people through regular elections
Representatives held accountable by a constitution

10. Let’s Review
DEMOCRACY!

11. The two forms of democracy are __________ and ___________________.
direct
representative

12. In a democracy, all __________ participate in government.
citizens

13. All citizens vote on everything in a ______________________.
direct democracy

14. In a direct democracy, there are no ________________ in the government.
representatives

15. In a representative democracy, the representatives answer to the people through ______________________.
regular elections

16. Autocracy
A form of government in which political power is controlled by one individual such as a monarch, dictator, emperor, etc. We’re going to talk about two kinds of autocracy…
Monarchs!
Dictators!

17. Monarchy
Rule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses… sometimes by other names, but always MONARCHS!
Leaders usually gain their power because their parents were rulers too. (aka Divine Right)

18. Monarchy
Absolute Monarchy: monarch has complete control over his/her people
Example: Louis XIV
Constitutional Monarchy: monarch acts as Head of State; ability to pass laws resides with elected Parliament
Examples: Japan, England

19. Dictatorship
In a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is acquired by force (military or political)
Dictators have absolute control over the lives of their citizens and usually people are not allowed to voice their negative opinions
Authoritarian:
Totalitarian
Example: North Korea

20. Dictatorship
Authoritarian: one person or small groups that is not constitutionally accountable to the people and individual freedom is completely subordinate to the state
Example: Spain under Franco
Totalitarian: state holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible
Example: Mussolini; North Korea

21. Oligarchy “Rule by few” Power can be based on several things:
Military strength = Military Junta
Family power = Aristocracy
Religious control = Theocratic Oligarchy
Oligarchies can often come from or lead to other forms of government (like autocracies)

22. Theocracy
“Theo” means “god” in Greek… so if a government is THEO-cratic that means it is ruled by… That’s right! A god or higher power!
Leaders (autocratic or oligarchic) are usually religious leaders and society uses religious law to settle its disputes
Example: The Islamic Republic of Iran is a modern theocracy that uses the holy Islamic book, The Qur’an, as its guide.

23. WHO HAS THE POWER?

24. UNITARY SYSTEM Central government holds all legal power
Local government has no independent power
Carries out decisions made by the central government

25. FEDERAL SYSTEM National, State, and Local governments share power
All levels have the power to established their own laws, elect officials, and create agencies

26. CONFEDERAL SYSTEM Independent states join together
Each state is represented in a central organization
Central organization carries out policies made by representatives

27. WHEW!
We had better review…
Time for some “A or B!”

28. Democracy A B
Rule by everyone
Rule by no one

29. Citizens elect people to vote All citizens vote on everything
Direct Democracy A B
Citizens elect people to vote
All citizens vote on everything

30. Representative DemocracyB
Representatives are appointed
Representatives are elected

31. Autocracy A B
Rule by one
Rule by few

32. Never have constitutions
Monarchy A B
Never have constitutions
Power is inherited

33. Always protect freedom of speech
Dictatorship A B
Always protect freedom of speech
Have total control

34. Power is always inherited
Oligarchy A B
Power is always inherited
Come in many forms

35. Power taken through force Power from a higher being
Theocracy A B
Power taken through force
Power from a higher being

36. Rule by representatives Rule by none Controlled by citizens
Rule by few or one
Rule by representatives
Rule by none
Controlled by citizens
Rule by god or higher power
Power usually inherited
Holds elections
Constitutional Government
People have a say
Democracy
Autocracy