Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Autocracy = Rule by one person

1. Totalitarian dictatorship

Ideas of a single leader or group dominate and the

government seeks to control all aspects of social and

economic life

Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong IL, Kim

Jong Un

“The Leaders are the sun of the nation and mankind”

Types of Governments

2. Monarchy

Ideas of a king, queen or emperor dominate the

government, position is inherited

Who Governs??

Carl XVI Gustaf

King of Sweden

Harald V

King of Norway

Margrethe II

Queen of Denmark

Elizabeth II

Queen of the United Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Beatrix

Queen of the Netherlands

Albert II

King of the Belgians

Henri

Grand Duke of Luxembourg

Juan Carlos I

King of Spain

Albert II

Prince of Monacco

Johannes Adam II

Prince of Liechtenstein

Akihito

Emperor of Japan

Abdullah

King of Saudi-Arabia

Abdullah II

King of Jordan

Rama IX

King of Thailand

Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa

King of Bahrain

Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

Sultan of Brunei

Norodom Sihanouk

King of Cambodia

Jaber al-Ahmad al-Jabel al-Sabah

Emir of Kuwait

Letsie III

King of Lesotho

Mohammed VI

King of Morocco

Gyanendra

King of Nepal

Qaboos

Sultan of Oman

Mswati III

King of Swaziland

Taufa'ahau Tupou IV

King of Tonga

Zayed bin Sultan an-Nahyan

President of the United Arab Emirates

Malietoa Tanumafili II

King of Western Samoa

Hamad Khalifa al-Thani

Emir of Qatar

Types of Governments

Absolute Monarchy:

• Complete and unlimited power to

rule their people, based on divine

right

• God granted to those of royal

birth the right to rule their people

• Rebellion seen as a sin and

treason

Who Governs??

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Constitutional Monarchy:

•Share power with elected legislature

•Serve mainly as the ceremonial leaders of their governments

Elizabeth II

Queen of the United

Kingdom of

Great Britain and Northern

Ireland

Felipe VI

King of Spain

Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Oligarchy = rule by a small number of people or

groups

Power comes from wealth, military power, social

position or religion

Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Democracy = rule by many

Key idea is that the people hold sovereign power

“government of the people, by the people, and for

the people.”

1. Direct democracy = people

govern themselves by voting on

issues individually as citizens.

Types of GovernmentsWho Governs??

2. Indirect democracy/representative democracy =

citizens elect representatives and give them the

responsibility and power to make laws and conduct

government

Characteristics of Democracy

1. Individual Liberty

All people should have an equal

opportunity to develop their talents to

the fullest extent possible

Government works to promote that

kind of equality of opportunity

Characteristics of Democracy

2. Majority rule with Minority Rights

•Representative democracy means that laws passed

in the legislatures represent the will of the majority of

the lawmakers

•Laws are accepted by the people because the

lawmakers are elected by the majority of the people

•Tyranny of the majority against the minority

Characteristics of Democracy

3. Free Elections

•Everyone’s vote carries the same weight

•Candidates have the right to express their views freely

giving voters access to competing ideas

•Citizens are free to help candidates or support issues

•Legal requirements for voting are kept to a minimum

•Citizens may vote freely by secret ballot without coercion

or fear of punishment

Characteristics of Democracy

4. Competing political parties

Political party=groups of

individuals with broad common

interests who

•organize to nominate

candidates,

•win elections,

•conduct government, and

•determine public policy

Political Parties:

Choice among

candidates

Simplify and focus

attention on key

issues

“loyal opposition”