Ways Government Distributes Power
All key powers are
held by the
central government
Unitary
Strong central
government
Power divided
between the central
and regional
governments
Federal
State/regional
authorities hold
most of the power
Confederation
Weaker central
government
Political power is held by a single self-appointed
ruler with unlimited power.
Focus is to control all aspects of the political
process
Maintain power through inheritance or violent use of
military and police power.
The oldest and most common forms of government.
The citizen has limited, if any, role in government.
Forms of Autocratic Governments
Absolute or Totalitarian Dictatorship
Ideas of a single leader glorified.
Government is not responsible to the people.
People lack the power to limit their rulers.
Government tries to control all aspects of social & economic life.
Examples – Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Joseph Stalin
Absolute Monarchy
Monarch exercises the supreme powers of government with unlimited power.
Position is usually inherited.
People lack the power to limit their rulers.
Absolute monarchs are rare today. From the 1400 – 1700’s they ruled most
of Western Europe.
Examples- King of Saudi Arabia
A government in which a few people have power.
Especially for corrupt and selfish purposes.
The group gets its power from military power, social power, wealth,
religion or a combination.
Political opposition is usually suppressed- sometimes
violently.
The citizen has a very limited role.
Examples- Communist countries such as China.
Sometimes claim they rule for the people.
In reality, the people have very little say in both types of government.
Examples . . .
May hold elections with only one candidate or control the results in
various ways.
Even when these governments have a legislature or national assembly,
they often only approve decisions made by the leaders.
In a democracy, the government is elected by the people.
Everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to have their
say over who runs the country.
How is it different from an Autocracy or Oligarchy?
Democracy – public involvement
Oligarchy – government controlled by particular social class or group
Monarchy/Dictatorship – government controlled by a single person
A democracy is determined either directly or through elected
representatives.
Parliamentary
Head of the executive branch is chosen from the legislature.
Prime Minister is accountable to their party in the
legislature.
Stays in power as long as their party stays in power.
Example . . . Great Britain.
Presidential
Democratically elected position
Independent of the legislature
A president presides over an executive branch that is
separate from the legislature
Examples . . . USA, Mexico
Working with your partner, decide which forms of government would fit
the following situations:
After a civil war, an individual takes total control of the government; she has no
experience in leading a government. She disbands the national congress and
retains all power in government to herself.
Dictatorship
The new President elect wins the election by a landslide. Over 90% of the
citizens vote for the new leader.
Presidential Democracy
A family in a remote area of Africa has taken control of a native tribe. Power has
been passed down between several generations and continues to remain within
this family.
Oligarchy
The new Prime Minister wins election narrowly due to his political party barely
gaining enough seats in Parliament.
Parliamentary Democracy