CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN
GOVERNMENT
Autocratic, Oligarchic, &
Democratic
CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
In each country, the people have different rights to participate in the
government.
 In some countries, any citizen can run for office or vote in elections.
 In other countries, there are restrictions placed on who can run for office
and who can vote.
 There are also countries where no citizen can vote and there are no
elections.
AUTOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
have a single ruler with unlimited power
people have no ability to participate in the
selection of the ruler or in the creation of laws
one benefit -- decisions for a country can be
made quickly
 however, the needs of the people may be ignored or
unheard
leader may make poor or selfish decisions that
hurt the people
Autocracies of the World
OLIGARCHIC GOVERNMENTS
“rule by the few”
country is ruled by a small group of people who
exercise control (especially for corrupt or selfish
purposes)
an advantage is that decisions can be made
relatively quickly
 compared to an autocratic system, oligarchies have more
heads to think through problems and should make better
choices
 however, the people do not have a voice…
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
This type of government puts the power of the
government in the hands of the citizens of the country.
(power lies with people)
All citizens have the opportunity to be a leader, and
all citizens have the opportunity to vote for leaders
and laws.
All citizens are involved in the decision-making
process of the government, and all groups are
represented.
It can be slow to make decisions because all people
must discuss & vote on the issues.
This is a “Polity Data Series Map.”
It tries to measure a country’s true democracy in government.
It gives scores of -10 to +10. The countries in the lightest pink
have the highest democracy score, the darker the color, the lower the
democracy score.
GCRCT Sample:
How does a Democratic government differ from
?an Oligarchic government?
A. The role of the citizen
B. How the leadership is selected
C. Law making process
D. Judicial System
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
There are two predominate forms of democratic
governments:
 Parliamentary
 Presidential
Both are designed to represent and protect the rights of
the people.
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
Lead by representatives of the people by having
power vested in a cabinet
Sometimes citizens elect members of parliament
called MPs.
MPs choose a leader from among themselves called
the prime minister.
The prime minister is the chief executive.
 heads the military, enforces laws, and keeps the country
running day to day
prime minister leads the lawmaking body -parliament
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
MPs are elected to serve for a certain amount of time, but parliament
can be dissolved and elections held again if the prime minister feels
the government is not working well.
MPs can vote for a new prime minister in an election.
PARLIAMENTARY DEMOCRACY
The country may have a king or queen with little ruling power or a
president who serves as the head of state.
In a parliamentary system, the head of state is the symbolic leader of
the country, but has little political power.
Examples: Australia, Canada, & the UK
PRESIDENTIAL DEMOCRACY
A system of government in which the president is constitutionally
independent of the legislature.
The citizens elect the members of the legislature and the chief
executive.
The president serves as the head of state, runs the government, and
heads the military.
 The president does not make the laws--the legislature does this.
The president serves for a fixed amount of time, then new elections
are held.
 Examples: US, Mexico, & most South American countries
Government
power
increases
Autocratic
Citizen
power
decreases
Citizen
power
increases
Oligarchic
Democratic
Government
power
decreases
ANARCHY
Anarchy is a situation where there is no
government. This can happen after a civil war in a
country, when a government has been destroyed
and rival groups are fighting to take its place.
COMMUNIST
the state plans and controls the economy and a
single - often authoritarian - party holds power;
state controls are imposed with the elimination of
private ownership of property or capital while
claiming to make progress toward a higher social
order in which all goods are equally shared by
the people (i.e., a classless society).
DICTATORSHIP
A country ruled by a single leader. The leader has not
been elected and may use force to keep control.
In a military dictatorship, the army is in control.
*A government controlled by one person or a small group
of people. In this form of government the power rests with
one person. Such power is often obtained forcibly. A
dictator usually takes away much of people's freedom.
Example: Iraq under Saddam
FEDERAL REPUBLIC
A state in which the powers of the central government are
restricted and in which the component parts (states,
colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government;
ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose
their governmental representatives.
MONARCHY
A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or empress.
Usually rules for life.
The ruling position can be passed on to the ruler’s heirs.
In some traditional monarchies, the monarch has absolute
power.
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
Also called a limited monarchy, is a form of constitutional
government, wherein the monarch is the head of state,
however he or she is legally bound by the national constitution.
Most constitutional monarchies have a parliamentary system in
which the monarch is the head of state, but a directly- or
indirectly-elected prime minister is head of government.
REPUBLIC
A republic is led by
representatives of the voters. Each
is individually chosen for a set
period of time.
The head of the country is usually
an elected president.
Example: USA
REVOLUTIONARY
If a government is overthrown by force, the new ruling
group is sometimes called a revolutionary government.
THEOCRACY
Example: Iran
A form of government where the rulers claim to be ruling
on behalf of a set of religious ideas, or as direct agents
of a deity.
TOTALITARIAN
This is a country with only one political party.
People are forced to do what the government tells them
and may also be prevented from leaving the country.