Forms of Government

Autocracy Ruled by one person This can be a monarch, a dictator etc. One of the oldest and most common forms of government Most autocracies maintain their positions of authority by inheritance or the ruthless use of military or police power.

Types of Autocracy Monarchy- King or Queen, Emperor or Empress Absolute Monarchy- Monarchs with complete and unlimited power to rule, this power is usually justified by Divine Right. Totalitarian Dictatorship- The ideas of a single leader are glorified, the government seeks to control all aspects of social and economic life.

Monarchy King George III Napoleon Bonaparte

Absolute Monarchy King Loius XIV Ramesses II

Totalitarian Dictatorship Adolf Hitler Kim Jong Un

Pros/Cons of Autocracy Pros- Fastest in responding to situations Strong and forceful Cons- Decisions bear no connection to the will of the people Often wasteful of a country’s talent and resources Often violent and unpredictable Can eventually result in revolution or civil war Not responsible to the people and cannot be limited by them

Oligarchy Rule by a group. This group derives its power from wealth, military power, social position or a combination of all three. Sometimes source of power is from religion. All political opposition by the people is usually ruthlessly suppressed.

Oligarchy Examples Sparta Russia

Pros/Cons of Oligarchy Pros- “Elite” leaders may be very talented and knowledgeable about how to make a country work efficiently Can respond quicker than a democracy Cons- Needs and desires of the masses are often ignored Slower than an autocracy as the group has to reach agreement Leaders are often not chosen based upon merit Leaders can rule for their benefit, not the people’s Force, violence and intimidation often used to force obedience

Democracy A system of government which the people rule Two different types Republic- any system of government where the power of the government is officially in the hands of the people. The government only rules with the people’s consent. Both direct and representative democracy are republics. Constitutional monarchy- a democratic form of government with a monarch as a symbolic leader. This is a democratic form of government that is not a republic because the monarch figurehead is officially in charge even though in reality the government is run by the people. Example- United Kingdom

Republic- Direct Democracy People govern themselves by individually voting on issues Only works in very small societies Members must meet regularly to discuss issues. Examples: Ancient Athens No country has a direct democracy today Some small towns in New England and some communities in Switzerland use this

Republic- Representative Democracy The people elect representatives It is the representative's responsibility and power to make the laws and conduct government. This takes the form of a council, legislature, congress or parliament. Examples- United States of America India

Pros/Cons of Democracy Pros- More Creative and effective in the long run Satisfies the largest number of people People’s freedoms and rights are protected Less violent with other countries Should be more internally resistant to revolution or civil war Cons- Slow!!! Requires consensus by the people; this is hard to get sometimes and is time consuming; it requires patience and consistent effort Requires: education, participation, communication, freedom, protection of people’s rights.