Government Closure Questions
1. Which form of government do you think is the most effective way to run a country? Explain why.
Answers will vary.
2. Is the king/queen’s power more likely to be limited in a constitutional monarchy or an absolute monarchy?
Explain why.
A monarch’s power will be more limited in a constitutional monarchy than an absolute monarchy. This is
because there is a written set of rules to guide the government and there may be other elected officials who
share the power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen can rule as he/she pleases.
3. In a parliamentary democracy, the citizens vote for fewer of their leaders than in a democratic republic.
Explain why this is so.
Citizens vote for fewer of their government officials in a parliamentary democracy because they can only
choose the legislative branch of the government. Those officials then choose the executive (usually the
leader of the majority political party). In countries like the USA, the people get to elect the members of the
legislative branch as well as the head of the executive branch.
4. Communist governments almost always became dictatorships. What aspects of communism make this
very likely to happen?
The government usually becomes all powerful in Communism. The fact that land and businesses are owned
by the government creates a system in which the citizens don’t have a say and all decisions are made by the
government. This leads to extreme power in the government’s hands and the people not being allowed to
speak out and give opinions.
5. When anarchy exists, it is more likely as consequence rather than a choice. How are some ways in which a
country could fall into a state of anarchy?
-a leader may die and there may not be a clear successor
-a group may overthrow the leader but not be able to establish themselves as a ruling power
-the government may not function outside of the capital
-the country may be in a long lasting state of civil war
-economic collapse
-another country may conquer it and then eventually leave