1. Government

2. Unitary Ways Government Distributes Power Power is held by one central authority.

3. Unitary System The national government has most of the power. Lower levels of government are given power by the national government and usually administer national policies on a local level. The power given to the lower levels of government can be changed or taken away without permission or notice.

4. Centr al Authorit y Unitary Ways Government Distributes Power Region al Authorit y

5. Federal (Federation) Ways Government Distributes Power Power is divided between one central and several regional authorities.

6. Federal System Most of the power lies with the national government, but states/provinces have protected powers that are independent of the national government and cannot be changed or abolished.

7. Federation / Federal Ways Government Distributes Power Region al Authorit y Central Authorit y Region al Authorit y

8. Confederation Ways Government Distributes Power Voluntary association of independent states that often only delegate a few powers to the central authority. Secure some common purpose. Agree to certain limitations on their freedom of action. States retain considerable independence. Less binding than a federation.

9. Confederation A system in which nations or states agree to join together under a central government, to which they have granted certain powers. Membership in a confederation is voluntary and benefits all members.

10. Centra l Authority Confederation Ways Government Distributes Power Regiona l Authorit y

11. Ways Government Distributes Power Federal Unitary Confederation All key powers are held by the central government State/regional authorities hold most of the power Strong central government Weaker central government

12. Citizen Participation Autocratic (Ruled by one)-a system in which people have virtually no say in the government and personal freedoms are severely limited. Some dictators start off as democratically elected leaders who morph into dictators.

13. Citizen Participation Oligarchic (Ruled by a powerful few)-A form of government in which political power is in the hands of a small, elite segment of society. Democratic (Ruled by people)-A form of government in which the power to govern is given by the people to the chosen leaders in free elections at all levels.

14. How Governments Determine Citizen Participation Democracy OligarchicAutocratic Government Power Citizen Participation Government Power General Citizens’ Participation Government Power Citizen Participation Select Citizens’ Participation High Participation Low or No Participation

15. Parliamentary Democracy A system of government having the real executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of the legislature who are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature. May have a Prime Minister elected by the legislature.

16. Presidential Democracy A system of government in which the president is constitutionally independent of the legislature. The executive branch exists separately from the legislature (to which it is generally not accountable).