Types of Government

Direct Democracy

DEFINITION: Form of democracy where all adults take part in decisions.

ADVANTAGES: All adults get to participate

DISADVANTAGES: - Time Consuming- Decisions made by people who may not be experts

EXAMPLE: New England states

Tribal Rule

DEFINITION: Communities band together, make group decisions but chief has the final say

ADVANTAGES: - Decisions are based on the culture’s customs- Group Decisions

DISADVANTAGES: -Only the chiefs get to make finaldecisions

EXAMPLE: tribes, Native Americans

Absolute Monarchy

DEFINITION: Rule by a king or queen who inherits the throne and has total control

ADVANTAGES: - passed down through family

DISADVANTAGES: -passed down through family- no power for the people- outsiders can’t gain power

EXAMPLE: Saudi Arabia

Dictatorship

DEFINITION: Lead by one person (not a king or queen). Dictators seize power

ADVANTAGES: none, unless you are the dictator

DISADVANTAGES: Dictators use violence

against their opponents, and deny their people the right to make their own decisions

EXAMPLE: North Korea

Oligarchy

DEFINITION: Government controlled by small groups of wealthy people; ordinary people have little say

ADVANTAGES: Small groups make decisions

DISADVANTAGES: Ordinary people have little to no say

EXAMPLES: China, Burma

Constitutional MonarchyDEFINITION: Power of King and Queen are limited by law.

Country also has a constitution.

ADVANTAGES: Constitution and lows give king and queen less power

DISADVANTAGES: King and queen still have power;

not enough power for the people

EXAMPLES: Canada, Kuwait, Spain, United Kingdom

Representative DemocracyDEFINITION: Run by representatives that are chosen by the people; people indirectly hold the power

ADVANTAGES: - power is shared- people hold power indirectly- citizens can work to change laws and elect reps.

DISADVANTAGES: People hold power only indirectly

EXAMPLE: United States