Government Vocabulary Use the descriptions of the vocabulary terms to place them on your spectrum of government descriptions.

Constitutional Government A constitutional government is any government whose authority and construction are defined by a constitution.

Totalitarian Government Totalitarian Government is where the government recognizes no limits to its authority and tries to regulate every aspect of the public and private life of its citizens.

Absolute Monarchy Government by a king, a queen, a prince, an emir or other member of royalty. This ruler has absolute power. His or her word is law.

A Current Absolute Monarchy Current Ruler of Saudi Arabia: Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud

Dictatorship A single person rules with unlimited power.

Example of a Dictator Muammar Gaddafi مُعَمَّر القَذَّافِي Took control of Libya in 1969

Tyrant A leader who misuses his power and takes advantage of his citizens

Example of a Tyrant Adolf Hitler was a tyrant who abused the citizens of his nation and many others in World War II. He had millions killed in the Nazi concentration camps during World War II.

Communism A system of government in which a single party controls the government and the economy OR theories developed by Karl Marx about the ideal society where everything is shared equally.

Example of Communism: China

Oligarchy Government ruled by a small, elite group

Recent Example of Oligarchy South Africa from 1948 to 1994 (during apartheid) was ruled by the 25% white population who hold all the power and wealth in the nation at that time.

Direct Democracy Citizens vote to decide every issue. No one represents them, they decide themselves.

Example of a Direct Democracy

Representative Democracy Rule by people you elect to make decisions for you

Example of a Representative Democracy

Theocracy Religious leaders control the government. They rely on the laws of their religion to run their nation and they often seek the advice and approval of religious scholars

Example of a Theocracy: Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran