1. Forms of Governments

2. Who needs government? Imagine a world with no governments!
No rules, no taxes, no leaders, no protection,
Awesome, right? What are your thoughts?
OK, so we need governments. Let’s take a look at how some of them work.

3. To study governments, we look at the following:
How do the citizens participate in their government?
How the power is distributed (divided) among the citizens and their leaders?

4. How do the citizens participate in their government?
There are three ways that people participate in their government.
Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy

5. Autocracy
Government in which the power to govern is held by one person.
Generally the power to rule is inherited or by military force.
The people do not participate. They obey the rules.
There are two
forms of autocracies.

6. #1 Dictatorship
The leader has not been elected and uses force to control all aspects of social and economic life.
Examples: Adolf Hitler in Germany and Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union

7. #2 Absolute Monarchy A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or empress.
The power is usually inherited or passed down from family members. We call this the “blood line.”
The monarch has absolute power. Therefore, the people do not get to participate.
The people simply obey the rules.

8. Oligarchy
A government in which a few people such as a dominant clan or clique have power.
The group gets their power from either military, wealth or social status.
The do not participate. The people obey the rules.
Examples: Greek city states

9. Democracy
In a democracy, the government is “rule by the people.” The people participate by voting. They must also obey the rules.
There are two forms of democracy:
Direct Democracy – People vote on all the issues. What a bother!!
Representative Democracy – People elect representatives and give them the power to vote on issues. That’s easier than voting on every issue.
Example: United States

10. In a democracy…. Individual freedom and equality is valued.
Free elections are held.
Decisions are based on majority rule.
All candidates can express their views freely.
Citizens vote by secret ballot.

11. Democratic Governments
There are two major kinds of representative democratic governments:
Parliamentary
Presidential

12. Parliamentary Democracy
Voters elect members to the Parliament (legislature)
Parliament has two Houses:
House of Commons: The Political Party with the most votes in the House of Commons chooses the Prime Minister, the government’s leader with no set length of term.
House of Lords: Little power with most members being nobles having inherited their titles

13. The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy that has a constitutional monarch.
Kings, queens or emperors share power with elected legislatures.
Generally the kings are nothing more than figureheads (ceremonial)Queen Elizabeth II
The government is a democratic one that limits the monarchs power.
Example: Great Britain

14. Presidential Democracy
Voters elect legislators
Voters elect (indirectly) the president.
Therefore, in the presidential system voters have a more direct say about those who serve in two branches of the government :
Legislative
Executive

15. Parliamentary System Presidential System
Executive
Executive
Legislative
Select
Elect
Elect
Legislative
Elect
Citizens
Citizens

16. How is the power distributed?
There are three systems of distributing(dividing) power.
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

17. Unitary One central government controls everything.
Power is not shared between states, counties or provinces.
Examples : France, the Netherlands, and Spain
The next slide shows power by shape!

18. Ways Government Distributes Power
Unitary
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional States
Regional States
Central Authority
Regional States
Regional States

19. Confederation
A voluntary association of independent states that agrees join together for a common purpose. (war, trade, alliances)
States and provinces can choose to follow or not follow the lead of the central government.
Examples: Confederate States of America
( ), Russian Federation, the European Union

20. Ways Government Distributes Power
Confederation
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional Authority
Regional Authority
Central Authority
Regional Authority
Regional Authority

21. Federal Power is shared by a powerful central government.
States or provinces are given considerable self rule, usually through their own legislatures.
Examples: United States, Germany

22. Ways Government Distributes Power
Federation / Federal
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional Authority
Regional Authority
Central Authority
Regional Authority
Regional Authority

23. How is the power distributed?
All key powers are held by the central government
State/regional authorities hold most of the power
Unitary
Confederation
Federal
Shared power
Strong central government
Weaker central government

24. How Governments Determine Citizen Participation
High Participation
High Participation
Select Citizens’ Participation
General Citizens’ Participation
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Government Power
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Low or No Participation
Low or No Participation
Autocratic
Oligarchic
Democracy