*Types of Government

*Read the “Types of Government” packet with your partner or group. Be sure to read the section titled “Which is the best form of government?”

*When you are finished, with your partner write an essay answering the question, “Which government is the best?”

*Be sure to use evidence from the reading to support your position.

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*Types of Government*Next, summarize each type of government in

your notes in one sentence.

*Last, use the reading to define the following terms in your notes. Be sure you are finding the definitions in the reading and not just copying words surrounding the vocabulary word.

1. government

2. power

3. divine right

Compare how democracy, dictatorship, monarch, republic, theocracy and totalitarian systems operate in specific countries.

*Types of Government

*GOVERNMENT

*The organization that people set up to protect their community and to enforce its rules.

*A constitution is a written set of laws for a government.

*ROLE OF GOVERNMENT

*To protect the lives, liberties and property members of the community.

*To provide services that individuals can not provide on their own.

*Governments are given power to exercise authority.

MONARCHY

*Oldest form of government.

*Ruler “inherits” power.

*Rules by “divine right” – or the will of God.

*A constitutional monarchy shares power with a legislature elected by the people.

*Great Britain

REPUBLIC

*When a society overturns its monarchy, it becomes a republic.

*Government without a king or a queen.

*People choose representatives to make decisions.

*The U.S. is an example of a republic.

DEMOCRACY

*Government authority is based on the will of the people.

*Direct Democracy – people vote on issues directly. (Ancient Greece)

*Representative Democracy – people choose representatives to make decisions for them. (United States)

DICTATORSHIP

*A single person or small group has complete political power.

*A dictator does not inherit power like a king.

*A dictator usually seizes control by force.

*Main advantage is that decisions can be made quickly.

TOTALITARIAN

*Modern dictators established totalitarian systems.

*Government controls ALL aspects of individual life.

*Includes the police, military, communications (television, radio and newspapers) economy and education.

*People who opposed the government are arrested and sent to labor camps or killed.

THEOCRACY

*Government is run by religious leaders.

*Government claims to be directed by “God” or a higher power.

*Sometimes shared with another form of government but the religions “Supreme Leader” is the head of the government.