1. Types of Government Unit 1

2. Where is the power of government held? ▪ UNITARY – A single agency holds all the powers – Example: ▪ British Parliament ▪ Parliamentary Debates Parliamentary Debates

3. ▪ FEDERAL – A central government and several local governments share governmental powers in a division of powers – Example: ▪ United States – Congressional Speech/Debate Congressional Speech/Debate

4. ▪ CONFEDERATION – An alliance of independent states – Examples: ▪ European Union ▪ Confederate States of America ▪ U.S. under the Articles of Confederation – EU explained…??? EU explained…???

5. Who may participate in government decisions? ▪ AUTOCRACY – One person holds unlimited political power – Dictatorship – Example: ▪ Kim Jung Un of North Korea

6. ▪ OLIGARCHY – A small group of elite people hold the power to rule – Example: ▪ 20 th Century South Africa – Oligarchy was based on race ▪ The whites (roughly 20% of the population) controlled everything after the Second Boer War around the turn of the 20 th century ▪ We called it Apartheid ▪ It ended in 1994 with the election of Nelson Mandela

7. ▪ DEMOCRACY – The people hold the power to rule and/or elect those who will rule for them. – Two types of Democracy ▪ Direct Democracy – the people vote on all governmental actions/proposed laws – True example: Ancient Athens in Greece – epic fail… – Somewhat modern example: ▪ Switzerland: any law that is passed by the national legislative branch can be vetoed by the general public if put to a public vote. Additionally, citizens can directly petition to change the Constitution through a direct vote on an amendment.* ▪ Indirect/Representative Democracy – the people elect officials to run the government for them. – Example: ▪ United States of America *http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-direct-democracy-definition-examples-pros-cons.html#lesson

8. What is the relationship between the legislative and executive branches of government? ▪ Only two types of government actually have a true working relationship: PRESIDENTIAL and PARLIAMENTARY ▪ PRESIDENTIAL – Power is divided between the branches of government – The President is NOT a member of the legislative branch – Example: ▪ United States of America ▪ PARLIAMENTARY – Focuses on the power of the legislative branch – The Executive IS CHOSEN by the members of the legislative branch – Example: ▪ Great Britain

9. ▪ Presidential – The United States government is separated into three branches: ▪ Legislative – Congress – makes the laws ▪ Executive – President – enforces the laws ▪ Judicial – Supreme Court – interprets the laws – Qualified voters in the U.S. elect members of Congress AND the President – Example ballot

10. ▪ PARLIAMENTARY – The voters elect members of Parliament – The people basically know who the Prime Minister will be depending on which party wins the majority in Parliament. – The members of Parliament vote to decide who the Prime Minister will be.

11. (Presidential) Voters elect MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PRESIDENT (Parliamentary) Voters elect MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT Elect PRIME MINISTER