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Forms of Government - Democracy PDF
Forms of Government - Democracy PDF
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Different Forms of Government
b. Monarchy-
-a King, Queen, or Emperor holds supreme power
1. Absolute monarch- rules all aspects of society
-few exist in the world today (Saudi Arabia)
-believe in divine right- God has granted them the right
to rule
c. Constitutional Monarchy-
-share government power with elected officials
-more often they are ceremonial heads of government
(Great Britain, Japan, Sweden, Netherlands)
a. Direct democracy
-the people govern themselves by voting on issues
-New England town meetings, cantons of Switzerland
b. Representative democracy
-the people elect representatives to make decisions for them
-often referred to as a Republic
-this is the type of government in the U.S.
-we call it a democratic-republic
Characteristics of Democracy
1. Individual liberty
-freedom to act as one wishes as long as it doesn’t bring harm to
another person
-everyone has an equal opportunity
2. Majority rules
-government decisions are based on the will of the majority
-it does not allow the will of the majority to rule over the minority
3. Free elections
-the right of the people to have free and open elections
-ensures public officials listen to the will of the people
1. Favorable economy
-characterized by the idea of free enterprise- power to control your
own economic life
2. Widespread education
-a literate public will allow government to function better
3. A social consensus
-people accept democratic values of individual liberty and equality