Government• A system, group, or individual

that makes decisions for the people in a social group, state, or nation

Responsibilities• Duties owed by citizens to

their government to make sure it can continue its functions

Ways in which we organize governments:

• rule by one= autocracy • rule by few = oligarchy • rule by many = democracy

Limited Government• Type of government where, through law,

some control is placed on leadership’s powers

• They HAVE limits on their powers• everyone, including authority, must obey

the law; usually citizens vote, societies have constitutions, freedom of the press/speech

Democracy• Definition-

A type of government when laws are made by elected leaders.. (to ELECT means to VOTE)• “Rule by MANY”

Direct Democracy• First known Democracy arose in ancient

Athens in the fifth century B.C. • Democracy is Greek for – “people-power”• Citizens of ancient Athens assembled to

make important decisions facing their city-state. • They voted on the issues directly.

*Examples: Small New England Towns; Switzerland

Representative Democracy• The Romans developed the first

representative democracy. • Different social groups elected their own

representatives who met in assemblies. The nobles were represented in the Senate.

• The governmental power was divided between these two branch and they voted on various issues.

• *Examples: United States

Republic• When a society overturns its monarchy it

becomes a republic. • It is simply a government without a king

or queen. • The head of the country is usually an

elected president. • The people in a republic choose

representatives to make decisions. • Example: France and the United States

Constitutional Monarchy• Government in which the king or queen

is the official head of state, but elected officials run the government

• Monarchs’ powers are limited by a written constitution.

• Council of lords can overrule the king’s decision with a vote

• Example: Great Britain

Unlimited Government• Type of government which

leaders rule without any restrictions• There are NO limits on

their powers

Monarchy• Rule by an individual who has inherited

the role and expects to bequeath it to their heir

• The rulers often claim to hold this power by “divine right” or the will of God.

• Ordinary people have no rights or freedoms, except those that the monarch allowed.

• Autocracy-”Rule by ONE”

Dictatorship• Rule by an individual who has full power over the

country • The leader has not been elected and may use force

to keep control. • In a military dictatorship, the army is in control. • People are afraid to criticize or oppose the dictator. • Autocracy-”Rule by ONE”• Examples: – Adolf Hitler, Germany– Joseph Stalin, Soviet Union– Muammar Qadhafi, Libya

Totalitarian• The state regulates nearly every aspect of

public and private behavior• People are forced to do what the government

tells them and may also be prevented from leaving the country.

• People who oppose the government are arrested and sent to labor camps or killed.

• “Rule by ONE” • Example: Nazi Germany, Joseph Stalin,

Saddam Hussein

Communist State or Single Party State

• Government has total control over economics and society as a whole

• In a communist country, the government owns property such as businesses and farms.

• It provides its people's healthcare, education and welfare.

• Example: China

Theocracy• Rule by a religious elite • A form of government in which a god or

deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler

• In Ancient times the rule was usually a priest.

• Oligarchy- “Rule by FEW”• Example-Iran,

Anarchy• Absence, or lack of government • This can happen after a civil war in a country,

when a government has been destroyed and rival groups are fighting to take its place.

• Anarchists are people who believe that government is a bad thing in that it stops people organizing their own lives.

• Example-Somalia used to be