PowerPoint 1: Government and Democracy

The role of government Create and enforce laws Provide services Manage land and resources Make decisions for the benefit of the people living within its borders

Different types of government Not all governments operate in the same way. Governments can be compared by asking the following questions: How are decisions made? Who has access to power? c) What rights and freedoms are given to citizens?

Dictatorship Political power is concentrated in the hands of one person. The dictator uses forceful control over its people. There is a heavy military presence. Political opposition is forbidden. No independent media. Citizens are not involved in the decisions and matters of the country. There is no concern for their preferences. Limited individual civil and political rights.

Oligarchy An oligarchy = a few people have power Political power is shared by a small group of people, usually the rich Citizens have some rights and freedoms An oligarchy can also be a dictatorship

Democracy Power is shared by all citizens. Citizens elect political representatives to make decisions on their behalf. Citizens also have access to power, which means they can choose to run for political office. The law is applied fairly to everyone and no one is above the law, including political leaders (rule of law). Individual civil and political rights are protected (such as freedom of speech, religion and assembly).

Government in Canada Canada’s system of government is a parliamentary democracy Elected members represent citizens in the federal parliament and provincial/territorial legislatures The political party with the most representatives forms government Canada is also a constitutional monarchy and the Queen is the head of state Every act of government is done in the name of the Queen The authority for every act comes from the Canadian people through the Constitution The Constitution of Canada is the highest legal ruling in the country The Constitution includes laws, decisions by judges, agreements between federal and provincial governments, traditions and civil and political rights

Final Thoughts What would your life be like without a government? What are the pros and cons of each type of government? Would you prefer to live in a dictatorship or a democracy? Why?