Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Foundations of Government
Section 2
MAIN IDEA
Different forms of government are categorized based on who exercises authority
and how power is organized.
Key Terms
monarchy a system of government headed by one person, such as a king or queen, who
exercises absolute authority
dictatorship a system of rule in which one person, a dictator, or a small group of people
can hold unlimited power over government
oligarchy a dictatorship led by a small group of people; means “rule by a few”
direct democracy a system of government in which citizens meet regularly in a popular
assembly to discuss issues and vote for leaders
republic an indirect form of democracy that places political decision making at least one
step away from the people; instead, people elect representatives to make decisions on
their behalf
unitary system a system of government in which sovereignty, or ultimate authority, rests
in a single national government
federal system a system of government in which power over people and territory is
divided between a national government and smaller, regional levels of government
confederal system a system of government in which a confederation of independent
states form a central government to pursue common interests
presidential system a system of government distinguished by having a president who is
elected by the people for a limited term of office
parliamentary system a system of government in which the legislative and executive
branches are combined
Taking Notes
As you read, takes notes on different types of government systems. Record
your notes in a chart like this one.
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Section 2 continued
Section Summary
THE CLASSIC FORMS
The most common form of government in world
history has been the monarchy, a system of
government headed by one person who inherits
power, such as a king or queen. In an absolute
monarchy, the monarch’s power is unlimited, but in
the more common constitutional monarchy, the
monarch is a ceremonial figure, less powerful than
other parts of the government.
In a dictatorship, one person—called a dictator—
or a group of people—called an oligarchy—hold
unlimited power over government. The strength of
dictators, who have usually taken over the former
government by force, varies. Some are independent of
religion; others, called theocracies, are linked closely
to religion. The most powerful are totalitarian
governments, which attempt to dominate all aspects of
society, including religion and the economy.
Democracy, literally meaning “rule by the people,”
is a much different form of government. In a direct
democracy, citizens meet regularly to discuss and
address issues and vote directly for leaders. Since this
system is hard to accomplish in large nations, many
countries, including the United States, choose to be
republics (sometimes called representative
democracies). In a republic, the people elect
representatives to make decisions for them.
Is a monarch more
powerful in a constitutional
monarchy or an absolute
monarchy?
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What is the difference
between a direct
democracy and a republic?
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ORGANIZING NATIONAL POWER
There are a variety of ways in which countries govern
their smaller administrative units, such as states,
cities, and provinces. Most countries employ the
unitary system, through which ultimate authority, or
sovereignty, rests in a single national government.
While local governments can still exist in the unitary
system, the national government can overrule their
decisions and even abolish them completely.
In a federal system, invented by the Framers of the
U.S. Constitution, power over people and land is
divided between the national government and regional
levels of government, such as state governments.
Unlike a unitary system, in a federal system neither
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Section 2 continued
level of government can abolish the other nor can each
operate completely independently of the other.
The third organizational form of national power,
the confederal system, is uncommon today. Under
this system, independent states govern their own
people and land while still maintaining a weak central
government. This central government is only
responsible for functions important to the group of
states, or confederation, such as defense and trade.
What is the difference
between regional levels of
government in a federal
system and those in a
confederal system?
_______________________
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PRESIDENTS AND PARLIAMENTS
Democracies, though they can vary somewhat in
structure, follow either a presidential political system
or a parliamentary political system. The United States’
government is an example of a presidential system.
In this system, besides acting as the head of state, the
president is also the head of the executive branch. His
or her duties as chief executive range from setting
foreign policy to appointing cabinet members to
introducing legislation.
Since the U.S. government structure includes
separation of powers, the president’s authority is
balanced by the way the legislature can check his or
her actions. The president and Congress must work
together to make sure the daily business of
government gets done. Unfortunately, this system of
divided government can sometimes result in political
gridlock; when the president and Congress disagree,
the political process can come to a halt.
Gridlock is less of a problem in parliamentary
systems since the executive and legislative branches
are one entity. Members of the legislature, called
parliament, are elected by the people. These officials
in turn choose the prime minister, who is both the
head of state and the leader of the majority party in
parliament. If the prime minister loses support of his
or her party, he or she must resign, at which points
parliament chooses another head of state.
Critics of the parliamentary system feel that it is
wrong that the voting public cannot directly elect a
prime minister and that the prime minister is too much
under the control of parliament. But supporters
believe that it is easier to pass laws in this kind of
united system than in the presidential system.
Why is gridlock less of a
problem in parliamentary
systems?
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