Forms of Governments

To study governments, geographers look at the following:

Types – Who rules and how much can a citizen can participate.

Systems – How the power is distributed.

Types of Government are based on one key question: Who governs and what is the citizen participation?

There are three types of governments:Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy

Autocracy

Government in which the power to govern is held by one person. (often unlimited)Citizens have little if any role in the governmentGenerally the power to rule is inherited or by military force.There are two

types of Autocracy.

#1 DictatorshipThe leader has not been elected and uses force to control all aspects of social and economic life.The leader is not restricted by laws or the constitutionCitizens have few rightsExamples: Adolf Hitler in Germany, Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union and some African nations after independence

#2 AbsoluteMonarchy

A monarchy has a king, queen, or emperor.

The power is usually inherited or passed down from family members.

The monarch has absolute power, meaning they can make all decisions .

Some countries limit the monarch’s power by having a constitutional monarchy. (U.K.)

Oligarchy

A government in which a few people such as a dominant clan or clique have power especially for corrupt or self purposesThe group gets their power from either military, wealth or social status.Elections may be held but offer

only one candidate.The citizens have a very limited role.Examples: Greek city states and South Africa before the end of Apartheid.

DemocracyIn a democracy, the government is “ruled by the people.” Supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representationThere are two forms of democracy: Direct Democracy – People vote on all the issues.

(Ancient Athens) Representative Democracy – People elect

representatives and give them the power to vote on issues. (Republic)

Example: United States, South Korea, Israel, South Africa

In a democracy….

Individual freedom and equality is valued.Free elections are held and all can vote.Decisions are based on majority rule.All candidates and people can express their views freely.Citizens vote by secret ballot.The name Republic of does not necessary mean a democracy.

Democratic Governments

There are two major forms of democratic governments:ParliamentaryPresidential

Parliamentary DemocracyVoters elect members to the Parliament (legislature)Most of the time the head of state and the chief of state are two different people.Many times the head of state is a ceremonial role and the chief of state has the powerChief of state is usually called the Prime Minister and is chosen by the legislature (parliament) not directly by the people.Chief executive and the legislature are usually the same branch of the government

Presidential DemocracyVoters elect legislators with the legislators and president elected in separate elections.

Voters elect the president who is the head of state and the chief of state. Therefore, in the presidential system voters have a

more direct say about those who serve in two branches of the government :

Legislative Executive These are separate branches with power divided

between them.

Parliamentary System

Presidential System

ExecutiveExecutive LegislativeLegislative

CitizensCitizensCitizensCitizens

LegislativeLegislative

ExecutiveExecutive

Elect

Elect

Elect

Elect

Select

Select

ElectElect

Systems of Government are based on one question: How is the power distributed?

There are three ways governments distribute power:UnitaryConfederationFederal

Unitary

One central government (authority) controls everything.

Power is not shared between the central government and states or provinces.

Works well with smaller nations.

Examples : United Kingdom, Sudan, Japan, Israel, the Netherlands, and Spain

Unitary does not necessarily equal autocratic.

Unitary Diagram:

Confederation

A voluntary association of independent states that agrees to follow a central government.

States can choose to follow or not follow the lead of the weak central government.

States may leave at any time.

Examples: Confederate States of America

( 1861-1865), European Union, OPEC,

OAU.

Confederation Diagram:

Federal

Power is shared between a powerful central government and states or provinces.States or provinces are given considerable self rule, usually through their own legislatures. (example: state governments)Examples: United States, Germany, Kenya

South Africa

Federal System Diagram:

Putting it all together….To classify a type of government we need to look back at the three questions we have answered… Who rules and how? How much can a

citizen participate in their government?

How is the power distributed?

For example: The United Kingdom

is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy and a unitary system.

The United States is a presidential democracy with a federal system.

Now it is your turn…

Now you classify the governments of Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Kenya and 3 other African nations of your choosing. Use cia.gov and culturegrams on the Cobb Virtual Library to help you find out infromation.

What do you remember?

What are the three types of governments?

What are the three systems of government?