Forms of Governments

EN407-313English for Political Scientists

Ven.Yota Payutto

Governments are very important to us.

They affect everything in our lives.

The type of government that we have affects

where we livewhere we work

where we

go to school

what we eat

what we wear

There are different forms of Government.

Democracy

Republic

Monarchy Totalitarianism

FeudalismDespotism

Authoritarianism

Oligarchy

Monarchy Ruler is always

from the same family.Queen ElizabethEngland

King George III

King Juan Carlos I

King Ferdinand & Queen Isabella

Spain

King Harald V & Queen Sonja

Norway

King Mohammed VI

Morocco

Feudalism

They also demanded military service and provided soldiers to the king.

In the Middle Ages, the king would award land to his most important nobles

(lords, barons, bishops).

Those nobles controlled their own lands.

They minted their own money and levied taxes.

They provided protection to peasants in exchange for living and working on their lands.

Oligarchy

Most of the political power in the government is controlled by a

small group (usually the wealthiest or most ruthless).

Lykurgos from ancient Sparta South Africa’s Oligarchy rule

known as apartheid ended in 1994 when Mandela became president.

Republic

DemocracyGovernment by the People

DemocracyPeople have a say in their

government by voting.

RepublicPeople vote for representatives who make

important governmental decisions.

(Representative Democracy)

Totalitarianism

Despotism

Authoritarianism

Government has total control over people’s lives. It seeks to dominate society in every way.

The people do not have individual freedom. The government (one person or a small group of people) has complete authority and is not accountable to the people.

Supreme master or lord. Tyrant.

Graphics:

http://www.internetclipart.com/contents.htm

http://www.sikyon.com/Sparta/history_eg.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/special_report/1999/05/99/south_africa_elections/newsid_348000/348816.stm

Information:

http://www.wikipedia.com/wiki/Oligarchy