Forms of Government U.S. Government Chapter 1 – Section 2
Political Dictionary
Autocracy
Oligarchy
Unitary government
Federal government
Division of powers
Confederation
Presidential government
Parliamentary government
Objectives/Standards
Section Objectives: Classify governments according to three sets of
characteristics Define systems of government based on who can
participate Identify different ways that power can be
distributed within a state Describe a government by how power is distributed
between the executive branch and legislative branch.
4.4 Understand the basic features of major forms of governance in the world.
The White HouseWashington D.C.
The White HouseWashington D.C.
Classifying Governments
Political scientists have developed three ways to classify governments.
1) Who can participate 2) Geographic distribution 3) Relationship between the legislative
and executive branches
Who Can Participate
There are two basic forms of government based on who can participate. Democracy Dictatorship
Democracy
Supreme political authority rests with the people Govt. can only operate by and with the
consent of the people. “a government of the people, by the people,
for the people.” –A. Lincoln
Direct democracy - every issue must be voted on by the people. This is the reason that direct democracies
usually are only found in small communities. No direct democracies exist on a national level
Democracy
Indirect democracy - the people choose representatives to express the popular will. also called a representative democracy
Some say that the United States is a republic. That means that the people have the sovereign
power while the representatives have political power.
Regardless of what term you use to describe a democracy, in a democracy the people rule
Dictatorship
In a dictatorship, those who rule are not responsible to the people Probably the oldest form of government. Also the most common form of government
known to history.
Autocracy - a dictatorship where one person rules and has unlimited power.
An oligarchy - a dictatorship were power is help by a small group of usually self-appointed elite.
Dictatorship
All dictatorships are authoritarian. This means that those in power have absolute power over the people.
Typically, dictatorial regimes are usually militaristic in nature and gain power by force.
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Adolph Hitler
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Joseph Stalin
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Mao Zedong
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Kim Jong Un
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Bashar al-Assad
Famous Autocratic Dictators
Ayatolla Ali Khamanei
Famous Autocratic Dictators
General Aladeen
Question #1
How would you explain a dictator who adopt some of the features of a democratic government?
For example: popular elections and elected legislative bodies
Geographic Distribution of Power
From this standpoint, three basic forms of government exist:
Unitary Federal Confederate
Unitary Government
Often described as a centralized government. All powers held by the government belong to a
single agency.
Most governments in the world today are unitary in form. A classic illustration is Great Britain. In Britain, a single central organization
(Parliament) holds all of the government’s power. Britain’s government is both democratic and
unitary
Unitary Governments of the World
Federal Government
Power is divided between a central government and several local governments. Power is said to be divided into a central
government and other local governments. (U.S. Governments and State Governments)
Under a federal government, all levels of government act directly on the people.
Examples of a federal governments include: United States, Australia, Mexico, Switzerland, Germany, India
Confederate Government
A confederation is an alliance of independent states. Makes it possible for several states to cooperate
in matters of common concern and, at the same time, retain their separate identities
Has the power to handle only those matters that have been assigned to it by the member states.
Confederations are rare today. The closest example today is the European Union.
Question #2
A) How is power distributed in a federal government?
B) Explain the main differences between a federal government and a confederate state.
Relationship Between
Under this grouping, there are two types of governments. Those are: Presidential Government Parliamentary Government
Presidential Government
Features a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government. The two branches are independent of each other.
In a presidential government, the executive (the President) is chosen independently of the legislature (Congress). Each branch (executive and legislative) will have
powers to block the other branch.
The United States invented the presidential form of government.
Presidential Government
Parliamentray Government
In a parliamentary form of government, the executive (Prime Minister and cabinet) is actually a member of the legislative branch (Parliament). The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority
part of the Parliament.
The executive is chosen by the legislature, and is subject to its control.
The Prime Minister and cabinet (the executive branch) only stay in power as long as they have the support from the majority of Parliament.
Parliamentary Democracy
Question #3
What is the relationship between the executive and legislative branches in a presidential government?
Question #4
A _________________is a government in which a single person holds unlimited political power.
A. Dictatorship B. Aristocracy C. Oligarchy
Question #5
In a __________ government, powers of gov’t are divided between a central gov’t and several local gov’ts.
A. Representative B. Federal C. Legislative
Question #6
An alliance of independent states.
A. Group B. Team C. Confederation
Question #7
Features a separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches.
A. Parliamentary B. Oligarchy C. Presidential
Question #8
Executive Branch is made up of the Prime Minister and the officials cabinet.
A. Presidential B. Parliamentary C. Aristocracy
Question #9
A unitary government can be either a democracy or a dictatorship.
A. True B. False