Classifications of Governments

Unitary System, Federal System, and Confederacy.

Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy.
Characteristics of a Democracy.
Geographical Distribution
of Power
Where is the power to govern
located?
 Unitary System
Unitary System-the
power to govern is given
to the national or central
government.
Example - Great Britain,
Italy, and France
developed unitary
governments as they
emerged from smaller
kingdoms.
Federal System
Federal System - the
power to govern is
shared between the
national, state, and
local levels.
Example - The U.S.
after the 13 colonies
became states through
today.
 Confederacy
Confederacy - A loose
organization of
independent states held
together by a weak
central government.
Example - The U.S.
before the Constitution
and the South during
the Civil War.
Who has the power to
govern?
 Autocracy
Autocracy - any system
of government in which
the power and authority
to rule are in the hands
of a single individual.
Historically, this is
maintained by the
ruthless use of military
or police power.
Autocracy

1)Totalitarian
Dictatorship - a single
leader seeks to control
all aspects of social
and economic life.
Examples - Adolf
Hitler, Joseph Stalin,
and Fidel Castro.
 Autocracy
2)Monarchy - A king,
queen, or emperor
exercises the supreme
powers of
government.
Positions are usually
inherited.
Autocracy - Monarchy
A)Absolute Monarchy-
Monarchs have
complete and unlimited
power to rule their
people.
Ex. King of Saudi
Arabia, today they are
rare but they ruled
Western Europe
from 1400s-1700s
 Autocracy - Monarchy
B)Constitutional
Monarchy - Monarch
shares government
powers with elected
legislature.
Serves mainly as
ceremonial leaders of
their governments.
Oligarchy
Oligarchy - any system
of government in which
a small group holds the
power.
Example - Communist
China. As in
dictatorships, oligarchies
usually suppress all
political opposition-
sometimes ruthlessly.
 Democracy
Democracy - any
system of government
in which rule is by the
people.
Lincoln described it
as, "government of the
people, by the people,
and for the people."
 Democracy
1)Direct Democracy-the people govern themselves by
voting on issues individually as citizens.
No country has a government based on direct democracy.
 Democracy
2)Representative Democracy - the people elect representatives
and give them the power to make laws and conduct government.
This is considered to be the most efficient way to ensure the
rights of the individual citizen.
 Republic
Republic - voters hold sovereign power.
Elected representatives who are responsible
to the people exercise that power.
The terms representative democracy and
republic mean basically the same thing.
Characteristics of a
Democracy
 Individual Liberty

Individual Liberty-all
people are as free as
possible. People have
equal opportunity to
develop their talents.
Majority Rule with Minority
Rights
Majority Rule with
Minority Rights-To
protect from the
'tyranny of the
majority.' This is to
insure that the rights
of the minority will be
protected. Why is it
difficult to maintain
this?
 Free Elections

Free Elections-Free
and open elections to
choose their leaders
and voice their
opinions on various
issues.
Competing Political Parties

Competing Political
Parties-This is to give
voters choice among
candidates.
 Free Enterprise

Free Enterprise-
the population
and businesses
control their
economic
decisions.
John F. Kennedy stated one of democracys basic
ideals when he said, Ask not what your country
can do for you; ask what you can do for your
country.

What can you do for your country

now and in the future?