Unlimited Government Unrestrained leader Types include - tyranny

and dictatorship

Limited Government Restraints on power -

laws and elections

Set of customs or laws - the basic structures of government

Most are written documents, but not all

Every country has one - good or bad

Government in which the citizens have ruling power

Began in Greece - city-state Led by a President or Prime Minister Elected by the People Government can be changed by the will of the

people Time consuming involving all citizens in decision

making process Changes often with no violence Individual liberties protected Example: Ancient Athens

System of government in which citizens who have the right to vote for leaders to represent them

Ancient Rome

• Derived from Latin res publica which can translate to public affairs• Republics tie the executive with a constitution and popular suffrage• Republics are usually a sovereign nation, but not always (ex: Russia)

Government with legislative branch(s) and Ceremonial figurehead

Led by King or Queen (Monarch)

Born into position Government is fairly stable

Examples: United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Bahrain, Nepal, Jordan, Monaco, Morocco, Luxembourg

• Absolute Monarchy - Ruler who has complete authority over the government and the lives of the people; position is inherited

Examples: Saudi Arabia, Bhutan ,Oman, Qatar

Form of government in which there is common ownership of property.

Led by Prime Minister

Power is usually taken

People are told they have to vote, but usually don’t vote

Usually associated with a command economic system

Former USSR, China, Laos, North Korea (one-man dictator), Cuba

Form of government in which priests or religious leaders serve as kings

Led by religious leaders or priests

Individual freedoms are limited

Fundamentalist religious sects are usually in control

Iran, Tibet (exiled Dali Lama), Old Egypt, Pilgrims

Government in which a small group exercises control

Power in the hands of a small group of people – usually the well off or privileged

May provide expert leadership while avoiding one-person rule

In theory would be most educated in society

Needs and wants of people are not always necessarily considered

Generally bad for the poor Examples: South Africa,

Sparta, Russia, and U.S.????

Ruler with absolute power (not inherited, but elected or taken)

“Dictatorship: The advantages that winners of prior competitions carry into new ones can reach the point where they (the winners) are able to dictate the terms/rules of such new competitions. They are in a position to guarantee they will win. In other words, it is not even a competition anymore. The inequality created by the initial competitions is perpetuated, and leads to structurally-ingrained dictatorship.”

- Roland Watson

Usually elected to position

Elected for life – one person rule

Government is only as stable as the life of the dictator

Aggressively expands – seize power by coup

Little personal freedoms

Examples: Cuba, Libya, North Korea, Burma, and Sudan

Government has a single-party dictatorship and controls every aspect of citizens’ public and private lives

Political system in which those in power have complete control and do not allow people freely to oppose them

Everyone tends to suspect everyone else, even members of their own circle of family and friends.

Led by dictator – one party system where voting is usually compulsory

Censorship and terrorism – controls police, military, communications, economics, education

Dissents taken care of by force Saddam Hussein, Hitler, and Stalin

Absence of governmental authority

Political theory that aims to create a society without political, economic or social hierarchies

Both a theory and practice of life

Works for the maximization of individual liberty and social equality

Opposed to capitalism - oppressive and exploiting of people

Examples: Russian Revolution, Civil Wars, Somalia

The last government was toppled in 1991. Since then Somalia has been divided into a collection of different areas controlled by rival warlords, who clash for territory. So what is life like after more than a decade without a government?

“Somalia is the only country in the world where there is no government.”

What are the essentials to a good government system?

How would you rate each government type on a scale of most freedoms to least freedoms?

What attributes make a good leader? Why might governments restrict certain

freedoms? How do governments restrict freedoms?

Driving to Mogadishu you pass checkpoints, each run by a different militia. At each "crossing," passenger vehicles/goods must pay an "entry fee" ranging from $3-$300. There is no pretence that any of this money goes to public services; health care, education, or roads. Much of it is spent on khat (illegal drug). Those who can afford it travel with armed guards to pass the road-blocks.

Siad Barre was referred to as a dictator, but some remember schools and hospitals were free. It’s now estimated that 15% of children of primary-school age actually go to school, compared with 75% previously.

Is a pure free market a good thing? Speaking from a theoretical point of view, some economists say yes, but in the harsh reality of Mogadishu, it means guns and other military hardware are freely available in a market not far from the city center. The author was advised that it was too dangerous to visit, as customers were constantly firing the weapons to make sure they work before buying them.

Shelters made from branches, plastic sheets and pieces of metal cover once manicured lawns outside schools and offices. Since some of the militiamen started to kidnap aid workers many of the aid agencies have left, leaving many in camps without any assistance. There are no toilets in this refugee camp, and in the rainy season, diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhea and dysentery spread quickly. Schools, universities, and hospitals continue to operate but they are mostly privately run and charge fees. Thousands of people are unable to pay the $3 it costs to see a doctor, so people die of diseases which could be easily prevented or cured.

The coast of Somalia has harbored pirates throughout the last couple of years. Just last year the pirates took over 28 ships, and recently warships have been deployed to minimize economic and physical casualties.

Lack of a government means that the US dollar is the currency of choice. Even refugees beg in hard currency. Somali shillings are still used but come in one denomination (1,000 worth 7cents US). Three types of notes are in circulation: some still from the last government, some printed by the new President.

Printing passports has been privatized. For $80 and in less than 24 hours, I became a Somali citizen, born in Mogadishu. With passports and guns freely available, those wanting to launch terror attacks have everything they need. And some fear that in the absence of any other authority, terror training camps could be set up in Somalia.

Everyone in Mogadishu is desperate for a return to some semblance of law and order. Schools and hospitals can only follow security on the new government's to-do list. "I just want a government, any government will do," one man told me. We all seem to enjoy criticizing our governments but life in Somalia shows the alternative is far worse.