1. World Governments

2. Great Britain aka The United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland
aka United kingdom, UK, Britain
Government: Democracy – Constitutional Monarchy
- Queen Elizabeth II – figurehead – no
real power

3. Constitution : “unwritten” – no formal document – made up of statutes (written laws) and unwritten customs & practices
Parliament :
- Unitary – executive & legislative powers
in one central agency

4. - Bicameral – 2 houses : House of Lords – limited powers - judicial
-no longer hereditary
(was undemocratic!)
House of Commons – popular elections
Prime Minister – leader of majority party -
- David Cameron - 5/10
646 seats
* Head of government
* Selects cabinet members (ministers) to head executive departments

5. Russian Federation 46 provinces 21 republics 9 territories
4 autonomous districts
1 autonomous province
2 federal cities – Moscow, St. Petersburg
*** federal system – different levels of government ***
All have equal representation in Federation Council – but different levels of autonomy (independence)

7. Russian Government Representative democracy (theoretically)
Constitution – 1993
President – head of state –
Vladimir Putin
Prime Minister / Premier– head of government
Dmitry Medvedev
Premier appointed by President
…hmmmm…

8. of president Legislature : - Bicameral Federal assembly –
- Federation Council – appointed by
Federation officials
- State Duma – popular election
* multi-party – Communist party one of several
Judiciary :
- all judges for all courts appointed for life
by Federation Council on recommendation
of president
168 members
450 members

9. People’s Republic of China
Aka China
Government : Communist State
run by Communist Party of China (CPC)
- guaranteed power by Constitution
– top party members hold highest gov’t &
military positions
- control elections

10. Government Structure National People’s Congress – legislative body
- membership largely determined by Communist
Party
- elects President for 5 year term
-”single candidate” elections
- Hu Jintao – President since 2003
also:
- General Secretary Communist Party of China
- Chairman of the Central Military Commission

11. - main Executive body – appointed by National People’s Congress
State Council
- main Executive body – appointed by National
People’s Congress
- chaired by the Premier – chosen by CPC
- includes heads of each governmental department
& agency
Wen Jiabao
about 50 members

12. Judicial System Nationwide system of “people’s courts”
Supervised by Supreme People’s Court
- judges appointed by National People’s
Congress