Politics and Major Political Structure

Politics is the social structure and methods used to manage a government or state. Just as
varying types of economic theories and systems exist, many varying political theories and
systems exist as well.

The political system in use depends upon the nation‐state. A nation is a people with
common customs, origin, history, or language. A state, on the other hand, is a political
entity with legitimate claim to monopolize use of force through police, military, and so
forth. The term nation‐state refers to a political entity with the legitimate claim to
monopolize use of force over a people with common customs, origin, history, or
language. Sociologists and political scientists prefer the term nation‐state to “country”
because it is more precise.

While many different political structures have existed throughout history, three major
forms exist in modern nation‐states: totalitarianism, authoritarianism, and democracy.

Totalitarianism

Totalitarianism is a political system that exercises near complete control over its citizens' lives
and tolerates no opposition. Information is restricted or denied by complete control of mass
media, close monitoring of citizens and visitors, and forbidding the gathering of groups for
political purposes opposed to the state. Constant political propaganda, such as signs, posters, and
media that focus the populace on the virtues of the government, characterizes these nation states.
Obviously, some totalitarian governments maintain more extreme laws than others do.
Totalitarian nation‐states include North Korea, Chile, many African and Middle Eastern nations,
Vietnam, and others.

Authoritarianism 

Authoritarianism is a political system less controlling than totalitarianism, but still denying
citizens the right to participate in government. A dictatorship, in which the primary authority
rests in one individual, represents one type of authoritarian government. Dictators rule China,
Cuba, Ethiopia, Haiti, and many African nations. In these systems, strong militaries and political
parties support the dictators. Another form of authoritarianism is a monarchy, in which the
primary authority rests in a family and is passed down through generations. In the past, most
monarchies exerted near absolute power—in Saudi Arabia the ruling family still does. Most
remaining monarchies today, however, such as those in the Scandinavian nations, Great Britain,
Denmark, and the Netherlands, are constitutional monarchies where the royal families serve
only as symbolic heads of state. Parliament or some form of democratic electoral process truly
governs these nation states.

Democracy
Democracy is a political system where the government is ruled either directly by the people or
through elected officials who represent them. Most democracies today rely upon a system of
representatives to make decisions. The most common examples of democracies are the United
States, Canada, Germany, and many other European nations.