Types of Government
Chapter 27, Section 1
Authoritarian Governments
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Governments may be grouped into two broad
categories: democratic and authoritarian.
In authoritarian regimes, power is held by an
individual or group not accountable to the people.
Ordinary citizens have little voice.
Absolute Monarchs
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A monarchy is a government with a
hereditary ruler.
Absolute monarchs have unlimited
authority to do as they wish.
Today, many countries have monarchs
but almost none are “absolute.”
Dictators
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Dictators also exercise complete
control but usually take power by
force.
Most rely on the police and military to
stay in power.
They often tamper with elections or
refuse to hold them. They also limit
basic freedoms.
Totalitarian Rule
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Most dictators impose totalitarian rule, in which the government controls
almost all aspects of people’s lives.
Totalitarian leaders typically have a master plan for the economy and
society.
They ban political opposition, suppress individual freedom, and dictate
what people should believe.
To enforce their rules, they control the media and use scare tactics and
violence.
Adolf Hitler in Germany and Joseph
Stalin in the Soviet Union were
totalitarian leaders.
Today, China, Cuba, and North
Korea
are usually considered
totalitarian
states.
Discussion Question
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How are a dictator and an absolute monarch alike
and how are they different?
Discussion Question
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How are a dictator and an absolute monarch alike
and how are they different?
Both exercise complete control over the state.
However, an absolute monarch inherits the
position.
A dictator usually takes power by force or is
placed in charge in a time of crisis.
Constitutional Monarchies
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Almost all monarchies today are
constitutional monarchies, in
which the power of the hereditary
ruler is limited by the country’s
constitution and laws. These
governments generally follow
democratic practices.
The people participate in
governing and elect officials to
make laws. The monarch serves
as the ceremonial head of state
and national symbol of unity.
Republic
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A republic is a democracy with a representative
government in which no leaders inherit office. It is
also called a representative democracy or a
constitutional republic.
The United States was the first republic, but now
there are many more.
Parliamentary System
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Few democracies use a presidential system. Most follow
Great Britain’s model and use a parliamentary system.
The legislature is usually called a parliament and the head
of government is a prime minister.
Prime ministers and their cabinet ministers are members
of parliament, so they help
make the laws as well as carry
them out.
In a parliamentary system,
members of parliament elect or
approve the prime minister.
Someone other than the prime
minister (a king, queen, or
“president”) serve as head of state.
A Presidential System
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In a presidential system, the executive and
legislative branches operate independently.
The president acts as both the head of government
(political leader) and head of state (ceremonial
leader).