1. Forms of Government Classifying Governments Who Can Participate
Geographic Distribution of Power
Relationship Between Legislative/Executive Branches

2. Classifying Gov’t Who can participate
Geographic distribution of governmental power within the state
Relationship b/w legislative and the executive branches

3. Who can Participate Democracy
People are sovereign-source for any and all of governments power
Direct democracy (pure democracy)- will of the people is translated into public policy (law) directly by the people themselves. (mass meetings)
Indirect democracy- representative democracy. A small group of persons, chosen by the people as representatives, expresses the popular will by their vote.
Importance of elections

4. Who cont… Dictatorship
Government is not accountable for its policies or how they are carried out
The people are not sovereign
Autocracy- gov’t a single person holds unlimited political power.
Oligarchy- gov’t in which power to rule is held by a small, usually self-appointed elite.
Characteristics: militaristic, power by force, mock elections

5. Democracy vs Dictatorship
What are the characteristics?

6. Geographic Distribution of Power
Unitary Government
All power held by a centralized government, single agency (ex: a queen, a parliament etc.)
All powers of government are concentrated in the central government.
Federal Government
Power is divided between a central government and several local governments.
Division of powers- powers divided on geographical bases (U.S. between federal govt and the states)
Constitution provides for the powers
Confederate Government
Alliance of independent states
(E.U. European Union, Articles of Confederation)

8. Relationships b/w Legislative/Executive Branch
Presidential Government
Separation of powers between the Legislative and Executive branches of government.
Independent from one another AND coequal
Written Constitution
U.S. invented this form
Parliamentary Government
Form of government in which the executive branch is made up of the prime minister, or premier, and that official’s cabinet.
Prime minister (executive) is a member of the legislative body (parliament) and his cabinet as well.
There is no separation between the executive and legislative branch.

10. Basic Concepts of Democracy
Foundations
Worth of the Individual
Equality of All Persons
Majority Rule, Minority Rights
Democracy argues that a majority of the people will be right more often than they will be wrong, and that the majority will also be right more often than will any one person or small group.
No right or wrong “satisfactory”
Majority must recognize the right of any minority to become, by fair and lawful means, the majority.
Necessity of Compromise
Compromise- process of blending and adjusting competing views and interests.
Individual Freedom

11. Democracy and the Free Enterprise System
Free enterprise system (capitalism)- economic system characterized by private ownership of capital goods, investments made by private decision, competition in the market
Private ownership
Individual initiative
Profit
Competition
Law of supply and demand- when supplies of goods and services become plentiful, prices tend to drop.
Mixed economy- an economy in which private enterprise exists in combination with a considerable amount of government regulation and promotion
Protect the public
Preserve private enterprise

12. Free Enterprise