1. Forms of Governments

2. Civics and Government Understanding
SS7CG4 Compare and contrast various forms of government
INTRODUCTION TO TERMS

3. To study governments, geographers look at the following:
Types – Who rules and who participates.
Systems – How the power is distributed.

4. Types of Government are based on one key question: Who governs and what is the citizen participation?
There are three types of governments:
Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy

5. Systems of Government are based on one question: How is the power distributed?
There are three ways governments distribute power:
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

6. Autocracy
A government by a single person having unlimited power (domination through threat of punishment and violence) . There are three types of Autocracy

7. # 1 Dictatorship
A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not been elected and may use force to keep control.
Example-Adolf Hitler
Saddam Hussien

8. #2 Absolute Monarchy A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or empress.
The power is usually inherited or passed down from family members.
The monarch has absolute power meaning they can make all decisions without consulting anyone.

9. #3 Constitutional Monarchy
Kings, queens or emperors share power with elected legislatures.
Generally the Kings are northing more than figureheads.
The government is a democratic one that limits the monarchs power.
Example: Great Britain

10. Oligarchy
A government in which a few people such as a dominant clan or clique have power.
The group gets their power from either military, wealth or social status.
Elections may be held but offer
only one candidate.

11. Democratic
In a democracy, the government is elected by the people. Everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to have their say over who runs the country.
A democracy is determined either directly OR through elected representatives

12. In a democracy…. Individual freedom and equality is valued.
Free elections are held
Decisions are based on majority rule.
All candidates can express their views freely.
Citizens vote by secret ballot.

13. Presidential and Parliamentary
President is chosen separately from the legislature
Parliamentary:
People vote for the political party representative
The political party representatives choose the leader (Prime Minister) who leads the government

14. Parliamentary System Presidential System
Executive
Executive
Legislative
Select
Elect
Elect
Legislative
Elect
Citizens
Citizens

15. Systems of Government are based on one question: How is the power distributed?
There are three ways governments distribute power:
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

16. UNITARY
A system of government in which ALL of the power is in the central government

17. CONFEDERATION
A government that joins together groups or smaller governments. The central power has less power than the individual states. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a confederation.

18. FEDERAL
A system of government where power is shared or divided between the central government and the state government.

19. THEOCRACY
A government ruled by religious leaders according to religious law. Iran has a theocratic government.

20. POINTS TO PONDER and DISCUSS
This will be collected as your “exit ticket”-please write name and responses on a piece of paper.
How can various forms of government lead to conflict between governments? Within a country?
How might the role of the citizen vary in a ….?
Democracy
Autocracy

21. MY GOVERNMENT TERMS UNITARY AUTOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP ABSOLUTE MONARCHY
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
FEDERAL
DEMOCRATIC
PARLIMENTARY/PRESIDENTIAL
CONFEDERATION
OLIGARCHIC
THEOCRACY