Chapter 25
Democracies, Authoritarian
Governments, International
Organizations and Global Issues.
Consolidated Democracies
• Parliamentary Systems- Britain and Japan.
• A. Great Britiain-voters help choose government.
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1. Bicameral-House of Lords and Commons
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2. Most important is House of Commons-like
the U.S. Congress.
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3. Head of Majority party is Prime Minister
– 4. Party can hire or fire Prime Minister-vote of no
confidence.
– 5. Party can dissolve parliament and call new
elections
Japan
National Diet
1. Bicameral- House Councillors, House of
Representatives
2. House of Reps elects Prime Minister and can
remove him from power by vote.
3. Can override a negative vote of House of
Councillors
4. Prime Minister and Cabinet make up
government
5. How are Britain and Japan similar to the U.S.
style of government? Different?
France
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Presidential government- Strong in France
5 year term
Directly elected by the people after a series of run-off elections
Negotiates treaties
Appoints high officials
Acts as chair of high councils of armed forces
Appeals directly to people through referendum
Acts as dictator in times of emergency.
Contacts the national Assembly (legislative branch) through a
premiere.
• Can dissolve the National Assembly and call new elections
• Works with premiere and cabinet to form government.
Emerging Democracies
• Mexico-Adopted a three branch
government like the U.S. in 1917
• Controlled today by the PAN- National
Assembly Party.
• President exercises control over the three
branches: Felipe Calderon see above
• Has to deal with rising problems with
crime, drugs and illegal immigration to the
United States
• Compared to U.S- How are powers
different?
25-2 Authoritarian Regimes
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China1920’s to 1937 Civil War
1945-1949 Fought Nationalists
Became Communist in 1949
Dual system
Ceremonial and Communist
Policy made by Politburo
Allow Capitalism but have
Strict social control-internet policy
Tiananmen revolt
Economy larger than US/relations strained on trade
Cuba
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Ally of US in Latin America until
1959
Castro took over and installed communism
1961 Bay of Pigs
1962 Cuban Missile Crisis
Allied with soviets until 1992
Bought sugar 10 times world price
Tight political, social and economic controls
Has built a tight trading bloc in Latin America
Venezuela and Hugo Chavez
North Korea
• Kim Il Jong 1994-2011
Communist since 1945
Tight Political, social and economic control over people
Partner with China
Has threatened South Korea.
Nuclear threat
“Axis of Evil”
Now Ruled by son Kim-Jong UN.
Islamic Governments
• Iran-1950’s coup to remove Mossadegh and install Shah-friendly
with US until 1979, Iranian Revolution-US Hostage Crisis. Very
fundamental in Islam. Republic today. Nuclear threat. Current leader
Ahmedinejad
• Afghanistan- Taliban control after Soviet War in 1988. Trying to rid
country of state sponsored terrorists, spread Democracy. Possible
hideout for Bin Laden and terrorists.
• Saudi Arabia-Battle between royal family-Sauds- and fundamental
Islam and Ant-Western feelings
• Al Qaeda- Non State sponsored Terrorism. Anti-Western- Why?
Support of 9/11 attack. Why?
Islamic Governments
• Ruled by Clerics and Mullah- teachers of Islam.
• Koran used to guide religious and political affairs
and how to follow leader-Allah-God
• Secularists/Clerics- believe in separation of
religious and non-religious laws.
• Fundamentalists and some clerics believe all
law/politics and religious should remain one.
Saudi Arabia a battleground for this.