1. Types of Governments
World and U.S. Studies

2. There are six types of governments you need to know
Absolute monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Parliamentary democracy
Presidential democracy
Theocracies
Dictatorships

3. 1. Absolute Monarchy
Absolute monarchy is an idealized form of government, a monarchy where the ruler has the power to rule their country and citizens freely with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition telling the monarchy what to do.
In order of importance:
1. King
2. People

4. Kings and Queens Get their power through birthright or heredity.
Raised to become head of state.
Highly educated and cultured
Louis XIV of France was an absolute monarch. ( )

5. Today’s absolute monarchies
1. Swaziland
Vatican City
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Oman

6. 2. Constitutional Monarchies
A constitutional monarchy is a political system in which the head of state is a king or queen ruling to the extent allowed by a constitution.
In order of importance:
1. The constitution
2. King or Queen
3. People

7. The biggest is… United Kingdom with the commonwealth nations of
New Zealand
Canada
Jamaica
Queen Elizabeth II is the monarch

8. Other constitutional monarchies

9. 3. Parliamentary democracy
This political system is based on the idea that Parliament is supreme.
The people choose representatives at regular elections

10. Who has this?
Australia
The people elect the parliament. Then Parliament makes the laws and decisions for the country.
Then Parliament elects a president.

11. 4. Presidential democracy
The U.S.A.
The people elect the president to a 4 year term.
Congress is elected separately.
All branches of government work together within a system of checks and balances.

12. Is this good?
It is effective, everyone can be heard. Every voice counts.
It is ineffective, it takes time to hear all points of views, discuss and vote.

13. 5. Theocracy
A government by a god or priests.

14. Who has it?
In the contemporary world, Iran and Afghanistan are considered theocracies because ultimate political authority in each is in the hands of religious leaders and a fundamentalist regime whose purpose is to organize society under religious law.

15. 6. Dictatorship
A form of government in which absolute power is concentrated in a dictator.
What is a dictator - a ruler who is unconstrained by law and usually rules with terror.
A dictator can do what he wants, when he wants to whomever he wants. If you question a dictator’s rule you can be killed.

16. The World's Worst Current Day Dictators  
Kim Jong-il (North Korea)
King Fahd and Prince Abdullah (Saudi Arabia)
Charles Taylor (Liberia)
Than Shwe (former Burma, now Myanmar)
Teodoro Obiang Nguema (Equatorial Guinea)
Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenistan)
Muammar Gaddafi (Libya)
Fidel Castro (Cuba)
Alexander Lukashenko (Belarus)
Robert Mugabe (Zimbabwe)

17. What is better?
There can be pros and cons for all forms of government.
Try to name one pro and one con for:
1. absolute monarchy
2. constitutional monarchy
3. parliamentary democracy
4. presidential democracy
5. theocracy
6. dictatorship
Now let’s rate the forms of government
1=best 6=worse