1. 1.2 Classifying
Governments
in the World
Today

2. 1 Geographic Distribution of Power
1. Unitary Government
Def: a centralized govt in which all powers belong to a single, central agency
Ex: Great Britain, France, Cuba, Egypt

3. 2.***Federal Government
Def: powers of govt are divided between a central govt & several local/regional govts
Ex: United States, Canada, Mexico, Germany, India

4. 3. Confederate Government
Def: an alliance of independent states with a central govt of very limited power
Ex: European Union, U.S. under the Articles of Confederation, Confederate States of America

5. 2. Relationship Between Legislative and Executive Branches
1.***Presidential Government
Def: the executive & legislative branches are separate, independent, & coequal
Chief executive: President (chosen by the people & is NOT subject to the legislature’s powers)
Ex: United States, France, Brazil, Mexico

6. 2. Parliamentary Government
Def: members of the executive branch are chosen by the legislative branch, are a part of it & are subject to its direct control
Chief Executive: Prime minister/ Premier (can be removed at any time by the legislature)
Ex: Great Britain, Canada, Japan, India

7. 3. Number Who Can Participate
1. Dictatorship
Def: the leader holds absolute power & cannot be held responsible to the will of the people
Autocracy: one person
Oligarchy: small elite group
Totalitarian: control nearly all aspects of human affairs
Ex: Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Stalin’s U.S.S.R., Cuba, China, North Korea

8. 2. ***Democracy
Def: supreme authority rests with the people; they hold the sovereign power
Direct Democracy: will of the people is translated into law by the people themselves, in mass meetings
**Representative/Indirect Democracy: small group of persons, chosen by the people, expresses the popular will
Ex: United States, Great Britain, France, India