Types of Government

Lesson 3
Lesson 3, Part 1

TYPES OF
GOVERNMENT
Types of Government
The type of government a nation has can
be classified as one of three main types:
◦ Democracy
 Direct Democracy
 Representative Democracy/Republic
◦ Monarchy
 Constitutional Monarchy
◦ Dictatorship
Democracy
A type of government where government
authority is based on people’s consent
◦ Direct Democracy: When the people vote on
ALL issues directly.
◦ Representative Democracy: People elect / vote
for representatives to make government
decisions for them.
 Not ALL decisions are made by the representatives.
 Many issues are voted on by the people.
History of Democracy
Athens: The First Democracy
◦ Arose in ancient Athens(Greece) in the 5th
century B.C.
◦ The word democracy is Greek for “people-
power.”
◦ Citizens of Athens assembled to make
important decisions facing their city-state.
◦ They voted on issues directly
 Direct democracy
History of Democracy
The Romans developed the first
representative democracy.
◦ Different social groups elected their own
representatives
 Met in assemblies like the Senate.
◦ These representatives elected Consuls to act
as executives.
 Ran the government and enforced the laws.
History of Democracy
Later in history, various countries
developed their own national assemblies of
elected representatives.
◦ In England, landowners elected representatives
to the House of Commons, one of two houses in
the English Parliament.
◦ When the English set up colonies in N.A. each
colony had its own colonial legislature.
 After the United States became independent, it
created an elected national assembly known as
Congress.
History of Democracy
In a democracy, people also enjoy certain
basic individual rights, like free speech.
◦ This gives then the confidence to criticize the
government freely.
 Monarchy
A form of government where the ruler inherits
power to control the government (hereditary rule)
and he decides what decisions are to be made.
◦ Constitutional Monarchy: A government w/ a
monarch as head of state and a parliament or other
legislature that makes the laws. (modern)
◦ Absolute Monarchy: the monarch exercises ultimate
governing authority as head of state and head of
government; his or her powers are NOT LIMITED by
a constitution or by the law. (traditional)
Monarchy
Oldestof the 3 forms of government.
The pharaoh of Egypt was a powerful
monarch.
Main characteristic: ruler inherits power.
◦ When the ruler dies, power automatically
passes to one of the monarch’s children or
close relatives.
History of a Monarchy
In older forms, the
king or queen claimed
absolute power over
his or her subjects.
◦ Rulers claimed to hold
their power by “divine
right”- or the will of
God.
◦ Ordinary people had no
rights or freedoms,
Charles I, being crowned by a hand from
except those the a cloud, possibly by God
monarch allowed.
History of a Monarchy- continued
In
England, in 1215, King John signed the
Magna Carta.
◦ A document that limited the king’s power in
England.
◦ Gave citizen’s freedom from prison and
protection of their property, except after a trial
by a jury or according to the laws of the land.
◦ Limited the king’s right to raise new taxes.
History of a Monarchy- continued
In more recent times, many monarchs
have shared power with an elected
legislature
◦ Subjects of the monarch enjoy many
traditional, protected rights.
 This is the constitutional monarchy.
 Example: Great Britain
 Today, Britain has a hereditary monarch and an elected
Parliament.
 The monarch serves as a symbolic head of state, while
elected officials in Parliament govern the country.
Lesson 3, Part 2

TYPES OF
GOVERNMENT
Dictatorship
A system of
government in which
a single person or
small group of
people has the power
and tells everyone
else what to do.
◦ NOT power inherited
and usually gained by
seizing power
violently by force.
Dictators
Dictators seize control by force, or is
placed into a position of authority by
others.
Free to do as they please, while other
citizens in a dictatorship have few rights.
Ordinary citizens in a dictatorship have
very little influence over government
policies.
Dictatorship
Main advantage: Decisions can be made
quickly.
In ancient times, the Romans appointed a
dictator when they were at war and in
needed strong leadership.
◦ When the war was over, the dictator was
supposed to give up his power.

Rome’s Julius Caesar was a dictator.

20th Century Dictators
In the 20th century, modern dictators like
Adolf Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin
in the Soviet Union (modern day Russia),
and Saddam Hussein in Iraq seized
power.
20th Century Dictators
Each of these brutal dictators used
modern technology to impose their will
on fellow citizens
◦ Radio and television, magazines and movies
were controlled by the dictator and repeated
the dictators views.
 Other views were suppressed.
20th Century Dictators
Individuals had no rights and very little
influence over the government.
◦ Those who spoke out against the dictator were
sent to concentration camps or gulags, where
they were severely punished or killed.
The dictator was NOT limited by the rule
of the law or any other restraints.
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens
Democracy
◦ People participate in govt. decision-making by voting
and running for office.
◦ They also enjoy many basic individual rights.
Monarchy
◦ A FEW people participate by advising the monarch.
Dictatorship
◦ People have NO right to criticize or oppose
government actions; however,
◦ They can participate in activities organized by the
GOVERNMENT.
Other “Types” of Government
Theocracy
◦ A government ruled by
religious leaders.
◦ Islamic
Fundamentalism: A
movement that seeks
to convert the world to
the strict codes of
behavior and laws of
Islam.
 It dates back several
hundred years.
More on Theocracy
The idea that government ideas are based,
or follow the beliefs of ideas of a certain
religion.
◦ Example: An Islamic state is a state that has
adopted Islam, specifically Sharia, as its
foundations for political institutions, or laws,
exclusively, and has implemented the Islamic
ruling system.
Just to think about it???
Can the United States be considered a
Theocracy?
◦ Why?
Political Cartoons- Democracy,
Monarchy, Dictatorship, or Theocracy
Political Cartoons- Democracy,
Monarchy, Dictatorship, or Theocracy