FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

The following are the forms of government:

As to the number of persons exercising sovereign powers:
Monarchy - the supreme authority is in the hands of a one person only; how he got into power or
how long his tenure would be does not matter
Absolute monarchy - the power of the monarch is based on divine right
Limited monarchy - the power of the monarch is based on the constitution
Aristocracy - the ruling power is in the hands of a few privileged class
Democracy - the power is in the hands of the people
👉Direct or pure democracy - the power is directly exercised by the people through assembly or
mass meeting.
👉Indirect, representative or republican - the power is exercised by a group of persons chosen by
the people to act as their representatives
As to extent of powers exercised by the central or national government:
Unitary government - the control of national and local affairs is under the central or national
government
Federal government - the powers of the government are divided between two sets of organs, one for
national and the other for local affairs, each organ being supreme within its own sphere
As to relationship between the executive and the legislative branches of the government:
Parliamentary government - the executive is dependent on the legislative
Presidential government - the executive is constitutionally vested with powers making it independent
from legislative department
Other forms:
Civil government - the affairs of the state are administered and directed by the citizens or their
representatives
Military government - established and administered by a belligerent in the territory of an enemy
occupied by him
Constitutional government - the powers of those who rule are defined and limited by the constitution
Despotic government - the powers of those who rule are vague and may seem limitless because it is
not defined nor limited by the constitution
Elective government - the state confers powers upon a person or organization chosen by qualified
voters and the holding of powers is for a limited term and under certain conditions
Hereditary government - the state confers the powers of government upon a person or organization
standing in a certain family relations to his or their immediate predecessors
Coordinate government - the powers of the government is distributed among separate departments
equally independent of but coordinate with each other
Consolidated government - the state confides all governmental powers to a single body
De jure government - established according to the constitution of the state and has the general
support of the people
De facto government - established against existing constitution of the state and is maintained
against the rightful and lawful government
Revolutionary government - installed, whether by force or otherwise, not in accordance with the
procedure prescribed in an existing constitution
The Philippines is a representative, unitary, presidential civil, constitutional, elective, coordinate, and
de jure government. In a way, it also exercises direct or pure democracy because of the
constitutional provision on initiative and referendum