Authoritarian Governments

Key Terms

Muslim, mullah, shah

Find Out

• How is the role of religion different in Islamic governments than in democratic ones?

• How does China’s Communist Party control the government?

Authoritarian Governments

Understanding Concepts

Comparative Government What are the differences and similarities among the governments of China, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia?

Section Objective

Discuss the traits that authoritarian governments have in common.

In 1997 the president of China, Jiang Zemin, visited the White House, the first such visit to the United States by a Chinese president since the Tiananmen Square bloodshed in 1989. The visit resulted in important commercial agreements between the United States and China, but human rights issues remain unresolved.

A. China became a republic in 1912; Communists led by Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

I. The People’s Republic of China(pages 696–

698)

B. Today China has two parallel systems of government; the ceremonial national government is actually controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

C. The Chinese government suppresses criticism, oppresses minorities, and maintains tight control over sources of information such as the Internet.

I. The People’s Republic of China(pages 696–

698)

D. The United States has recognized the Communist government in China since 1979; however, tensions remain over China’s human rights abuses.

What do you think the Tiananmen Square massacre revealed about communism in China?

It revealed that the country’s Communist leadership would resist the rising call for democracy.

I. The People’s Republic of China(pages 696–

698)

A. In 1959 Fidel Castro established a Communist dictatorship in Cuba that maintained tight control over the people.

II. Communism in Cuba (pages 698–699)

B. Castro’s policies provoked the unsuccessful U.S. Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

C. Since the 1990s, Cuba has experienced a deep economic crisis caused in part by the loss of Soviet aid and the U.S.’s 40-year trade embargo.

II. Communism in Cuba (pages 698–699)

How well do you think American policy toward Cuba has worked to move Castro toward democracy?

Answers will vary; students should assess Cuba’s political climate today.

A. North Korea’s totalitarian government, led by Kim Jong Il, controls all aspects of the lives of North Koreans and demands “absolute devotion” to Kim despite great national suffering.

III. North Korea (page 699)

B. The United States has tried to limit North Korea’s development of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.

III. North Korea (page 699)

Why do you think that people are willing to pledge devotion to a totalitarian leader despite their own personal suffering?

Answers will vary. Students may mention tradition or fear of punishment as possible reasons for supporting totalitarian leaders.

A. Muslim secularists believe that religious and secular law should be kept separate; these moderate Muslims desire friendly relations with Western nations.

IV.Islamic Governments (pages 699–701)

B. Muslim fundamentalists believe that Islamic countries should base their legal system strictly on the law of the Quran; many fundamentalist Muslims are anti-Western and see Western culture and society as a threat to Islamic culture.

C. In 1979 Muslim fundamentalists, led by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, overthrew the pro-capitalist shah, or king, and forced the shah to flee to the United States. Since the Islamic revolution, relations between the United States and Iran have been strained.

D. Since 1932 the government of Saudi Arabia has been based on a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam with no separation of religion and the state. Despite increasing Saudi demands for a modern economy and government, many Americans have accused the Saudi government of indirectly supporting terrorist attacks against the United States.

IV.Islamic Governments (pages 699–701)

IV.Islamic Governments (pages 699–701)

How should the United States deal with authoritarian governments?

Answers will vary. Students should consider the key political differences.

1. Main Idea Use a graphic organizer like the one below to profile each of the countries covered in this section, and indicate whether the country is moving toward or away from democracy.

Checking for Understanding

Students should list each country and leader discussed in the section, but their opinions may vary as to whether the countries are moving toward or away from democracy. Students should support their answers with evidence from the text.

2. Define Muslim, mullah, shah.

Checking for Understanding

A Muslim is a follower of the religion of Islam.

A mullah is a specially trained Islamic religious leader.

A shah is a king.

3. Identify Politburo, Falun Gong, Bay of Pigs.

Checking for Understanding

The Politburo is an elite group of members of the Chinese Communist Party that sets national policy in China.

Falun Gong is a spiritual movement that combines physical exercise with Buddhism and Taoism.

The Bay of Pigs was a failed invasion of Cuba by the United States in an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro.

4. What events in 1979 returned Iran to Muslim control?

Checking for Understanding

Fundamentalist Islamists rallied around Ayatollah Khomeini and forced the shah of Iran to flee the country; they then set up a new government based on Islamic principles.

5. Why is China not a democratic nation?

Checking for Understanding

China is not a democratic nation because the Chinese Communist Party controls the government through the Politburo.

6. Recognizing Ideologies How does the North Korean government promote its state leader to the people?

Critical Thinking

North Korea’s government promotes Kim Jong Il as the “Great Leader” and demands unquestioning loyalty to him from the people.

Comparative Government Choose a country discussed in this section. Research recent political developments in this country. Imagine that you are traveling to the country that you chose. Write a letter to a friend describing the country, its government, and the extent to which the government affects people’s lives.