Types of Government
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Transcript Types of Government
Types of Government
Lesson 3
Lesson 3, Part 1
TYPES OF
GOVERNMENT
Types of Government
The type of government a nation has can
be classified as one of three main types:
◦ Democracy
Direct Democracy
Representative Democracy/Republic
◦ Monarchy
Constitutional Monarchy
◦ Dictatorship
Democracy
A type of government where government
authority is based on people’s consent
◦ Direct Democracy: When the people vote on
ALL issues directly.
◦ Representative Democracy: People elect /
vote for representatives to make
government decisions for them.
Not ALL decisions are made by the
representatives.
Many issues are voted on by the people.
History of Democracy
Athens: The First Democracy
◦ Arose in ancient Athens(Greece) in the 5th
century B.C.
◦ The word democracy is Greek for “peoplepower.”
◦ Citizens of Athens assembled to make
important decisions facing their city-state.
◦ They voted on issues directly
Direct democracy
History of Democracy
The Romans developed the first
representative democracy.
◦ Different social groups elected their own
representatives
Met in assemblies like the Senate.
◦ These representatives elected Consuls to act
as executives.
Ran the government and enforced the laws.
History of Democracy
Later in history, various countries
developed their own national
assemblies of elected representatives.
◦ In England, landowners elected
representatives to the House of Commons,
one of two houses in the English Parliament.
◦ When the English set up colonies in N.A. each
colony had its own colonial legislature.
After the United States became independent, it
created an elected national assembly known as
Congress.
History of Democracy
In a democracy, people also enjoy certain
basic individual rights, like free speech.
◦ This gives then the confidence to criticize
the government freely.
Monarchy
A form of government where the ruler inherits
power to control the government (hereditary
rule) and he decides what decisions are to be
made.
◦ Constitutional Monarchy: A government w/ a
monarch as head of state and a parliament or other
legislature that makes the laws. (modern)
◦ Absolute Monarchy: the monarch exercises
ultimate governing authority as head of
state and head of government; his or her powers are
NOT LIMITED by a constitution or by the law.
(traditional)
Monarchy
Oldest of the 3 forms of government.
The pharaoh of Egypt was a powerful
monarch.
Main characteristic: ruler inherits power.
◦ When the ruler dies, power automatically
passes to one of the monarch’s children or
close relatives.
History of a Monarchy
In older forms, the
king or queen claimed
absolute power over
his or her subjects.
◦ Rulers claimed to hold
their power by “divine
right”- or the will of
God.
◦ Ordinary people had no
rights or freedoms,
Charles I, being crowned by a hand from
except those the
a cloud, possibly by God
monarch allowed.
History of a Monarchy- continued
In England, in 1215, King John signed the
Magna Carta.
◦ A document that limited the king’s power in
England.
◦ Gave citizen’s freedom from prison and
protection of their property, except after a
trial by a jury or according to the laws of the
land.
◦ Limited the king’s right to raise new taxes.
History of a Monarchy- continued
In more recent times, many monarchs
have shared power with an elected
legislature
◦ Subjects of the monarch enjoy many
traditional, protected rights.
This is the constitutional monarchy.
Example: Great Britain
Today, Britain has a hereditary monarch and an elected
Parliament.
The monarch serves as a symbolic head of state, while
elected officials in Parliament govern the country.
Lesson 3, Part 2
TYPES OF
GOVERNMENT
Dictatorship
A system of
government in which
a single person or
small group of people
has the power and
tells everyone else
what to do.
◦ NOT power inherited
and usually gained by
seizing power violently
by force.
Dictators
Dictators seize control by force, or is
placed into a position of authority by
others.
Free to do as they please, while other
citizens in a dictatorship have few
rights.
Ordinary citizens in a dictatorship have
very little influence over government
policies.
Dictatorship
Main advantage: Decisions can be made
quickly.
In ancient times, the Romans appointed a
dictator when they were at war and in
needed strong leadership.
◦ When the war was over, the dictator was
supposed to give up his power.
Rome’s Julius Caesar was a dictator.
20th Century Dictators
In the 20th century, modern dictators like
Adolf Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin
in the Soviet Union (modern day Russia),
and Saddam Hussein in Iraq seized
power.
20th Century Dictators
Each of these brutal dictators used
modern technology to impose their will
on fellow citizens
◦ Radio and television, magazines and movies
were controlled by the dictator and
repeated the dictators views.
Other views were suppressed.
20th Century Dictators
Individuals had no rights and very little
influence over the government.
◦ Those who spoke out against the dictator
were sent to concentration camps or
gulags, where they were severely punished
or killed.
The dictator was NOT limited by the
rule of the law or any other restraints.
Rights and Responsibilities of
Citizens
Democracy
◦ People participate in govt. decision-making by
voting and running for office.
◦ They also enjoy many basic individual rights.
Monarchy
◦ A FEW people participate by advising the
monarch.
Dictatorship
◦ People have NO right to criticize or oppose
government actions; however,
◦ They can participate in activities organized by the
GOVERNMENT.
Other “Types” of Government
Theocracy
◦ A government ruled
by religious leaders.
◦ Islamic
Fundamentalism: A
movement that seeks
to convert the world
to the strict codes of
behavior and laws of
Islam.
It dates back several
hundred years.
More on Theocracy
The idea that government ideas are based,
or follow the beliefs of ideas of a certain
religion.
◦ Example: An Islamic state is a state that has
adopted Islam, specifically Sharia, as its
foundations for political institutions, or laws,
exclusively, and has implemented the Islamic
ruling system.
Just to think about it???
Can the United States be considered a
Theocracy?
◦ Why?
Political Cartoons- Democracy,
Monarchy, Dictatorship, or
Theocracy
Political Cartoons- Democracy,
Monarchy, Dictatorship, or
Theocracy