GOVERNMENT STUDY GUIDE
Standards: The student will compare and
contrast the various forms of government.
a. Describe the ways government systems
distribute power: unitary, confederation, and
federal.
b. Explain how governments determine citizen
participation: autocratic, oligarchic, and
democratic.
c. Describe the two predominant forms of
democratic government: parliamentary and
presidential.
HOW ARE POWERS DISTRIBUTED?
Countries must decide how to set up their government. Part
of setting up a government is deciding how to organize and
distribute power.
Governments can be:
• Unitary
• Federal
• Confederation
• The central government has all
the power.
• Has a constitution that tells
duties, powers, and people of
the central government.
• Central government can give power
to or take away power from lower
levels of government.
• Central government can even do
away with the lower levels of
government or choose their leaders
for them.
Examples of unitary governments:
France, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium
• Has a constitution that tells duties,
powers, and people of the central
government.
• Power is divided between the
central government and the lower
levels of government.
• Central government CANNOT take
back the power of the states, do
away with the lower levels of
government, or choose their
leaders.
Examples of Federal governments:
United States, Germany, Australia,
Canada
• A group of states or communities
that come together to support
each other and work on their
common problems.
• formed by a treaty
• Participants are voluntary, equal
members
• This is a first step toward creating a more
powerful government
• Members cannot act alone but must
meet before taking action on an issue
Examples of Confederation:
Switzerland, The Soviet Union, the
Confederate States of America (18611865)
You try!
Write the answer on your paper:
1. Select the word or phrase
that describes a
confederation.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Partners
Divided power
A strong federation
A strong central government
Write the answer on your paper:
2. What country in Europe has a
federal government?
A.
B.
C.
D.
France
Germany
Great Britain
United States
Write the answer on your paper:
3. Explain one way a federal system and a
unitary government are alike.
4. Explain one way a federal system and a
unitary government are DIFFERENT.
5. Which type of government system is
considered a first step toward creating
a more powerful government?
Citizens have different rights when it comes to participating
in their government:
•In some countries citizens are allowed to be in political
office, vote for their leaders and vote on laws.
•In other countries there may be a small group of people
who have all the power--who are supported by wealthy
people or the military—and from this group they select
their own leader.
•Some countries still have only one ruler. The ruler usually
comes to power through a family bloodline (king or queen)
or the person may be a dictator because they have military
strength.
HOW DO CITIZENS PARTICIPATE
IN THEIR GOVERNMENT?
• AUTOCRACY
• OLIGARCHY
• DEMOCRACY
Autocracy
A form of government in which political power is
controlled by one individual such as a monarch,
dictator, emperor, etc.
We’re going to talk about two kinds of
autocracy…
Monarchs!
Dictators!
• Single ruler
• Ruler has unlimited power
• No one is elected. Citizens have no
choice in choosing a ruler.
• Citizens are not allowed to vote so
no elections are held.
• Examples: Czarist Russia, Cuba,
North Korea
Monarchy
Rule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses…
sometimes by other names, but always
MONARCHS!
Leaders usually gain their power because their
parents were rulers, too.
Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan
have constitutions.
Dictatorship
In a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is
acquired by force (military or political)
Dictators have absolute control over the lives of
their citizens and usually people are not allowed
to voice their negative opinions.
Hitler and Stalin were both considered dictators.
Oligarchy
 “Rule by few”
 Power can be based on several things:
Military strength = Military Junta
Family power = Aristocracy
Religious control = Theocratic Oligarchy
Oligarchies can often come from or lead to other
forms of government (like autocracies)
• “Rule by the few“-small group of people
are in control
• The group only answers to each other
when making decisions.
• No one is elected outside the ruling
group. The rulers are selected from the
group members.
• Oligarchy is from the Greek
words for "few" and "rule”.
• There is no citizen participation,
people do not vote and no
elections are held.
EXAMPLES:
•African tribes
•Medieval governments
Democracy
Any form of government in which political
power is exercised by all citizens, either
directly or through their elected
representatives.
There are two forms of Democracies…
Presidential
Parlimentary
• Citizens of the country rule
• The voters within the country hold the
power
• Any citizen (few restrictions; age-jail
time) can be elected to office
• Any citizen (few restrictions) can vote for
people who will rule.
• Abraham Lincoln described democracy as
a government “of the people, by the
people, and for the people.”
• Example: The United States, Canada
Democracy Clips
https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/democracy/
http://www.history.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-ofus/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-birth-of-democracy
FORMS
OF
DEMOCRACY:
• Parliamentary
• Presidential
• A system of government in which the
President is in charge of the day-to-day
tasks of running the government and
heads the military.
• President is the symbol of the country
AND runs the country.
• President is elected by the people to
serve a specific term.
•
•
•
•
President does not make laws.
Legislature makes laws.
Legislature is elected by people.
Examples: The United States, Latin
American countries.
• Common in Europe
• Head of State (King or Queen) has
ceremonial duties and serves as a symbol
for the country.
• King or Queen is NOT voted into office;
they come from a family line of royalty.
• The Prime Minister is responsible for the
day-to-day operations of the country
(running government) and controls the
military.
• Prime Minister leads Parliament –the
lawmaking body. Parliament selects
the Prime Minister. Prime Minister
can dissolve Parliament.
• Examples: Most European nations,
Canada, Great Britain, Germany.
Summary Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bXLv5X73a4
Kids Believing in Democracy
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVkfNUxR
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