GOVERNMENT STUDY GUIDEStandards: The student will compare and contrast the various forms of government. a. Describe the ways government systems

distribute power: unitary, confederation, and federal.

b. Explain how governments determine citizen participation: autocratic, oligarchic, and democratic.

c. Describe the two predominant forms of democratic government: parliamentary and presidential.

Governments can be:

• Unitary• Federal• Confederation

HOW ARE POWERS DISTRIBUTED?Countries must decide how to set up their government. Part of setting up a government is deciding how to organize and distribute power.

• The central government has all the power.

• Has a constitution that tells duties, powers, and people of the central government.

• Central government can give power to or take away power from lower levels of government.

• Central government can even do away with the lower levels of government or choose their leaders for them.

Examples of unitary governments:France, United Kingdom, Spain, Belgium

• Has a constitution that tells duties, powers, and people of the central government.

• Power is divided between the central government and the lower levels of government.

• Central government CANNOT take back the power of the states, do away with the lower levels of government, or choose their leaders.

Examples of Federal governments:United States, Germany, Australia,

Canada

• A group of states or communities that come together to support each other and work on their common problems.

• formed by a treaty• Participants are voluntary, equal

members• This is a first step toward creating a more

powerful government• Members cannot act alone but must

meet before taking action on an issue

Examples of Confederation: Switzerland, The Soviet Union, the

Confederate States of America (1861-1865)

You try! Write the answer on your paper:

1. Select the word or phrase that describes a confederation.

A. PartnersB. Divided powerC. A strong federationD. A strong central government

Write the answer on your paper:

2. What country in Europe has a federal government?

A. FranceB. GermanyC. Great BritainD. United States

Write the answer on your paper:

3. Explain one way a federal system and a unitary government are alike.

4. Explain one way a federal system and a unitary government are DIFFERENT.

5. Which type of government system is considered a first step toward creating a more powerful government?

Citizens have different rights when it comes to participating in their government:•In some countries citizens are allowed to be in political office, vote for their leaders and vote on laws.•In other countries there may be a small group of people who have all the power--who are supported by wealthy people or the military—and from this group they select their own leader.•Some countries still have only one ruler. The ruler usually comes to power through a family bloodline (king or queen) or the person may be a dictator because they have military strength.

HOW DO CITIZENS PARTICIPATEIN THEIR GOVERNMENT?

• AUTOCRACY• OLIGARCHY• DEMOCRACY

AutocracyA form of government in which political power is controlled by one individual such as a monarch,

dictator, emperor, etc.

We’re going to talk about two kinds of autocracy…

Monarchs!

Dictators!

• Single ruler• Ruler has unlimited power• No one is elected. Citizens have no

choice in choosing a ruler.• Citizens are not allowed to vote so

no elections are held.• Examples: Czarist Russia, Cuba,

North Korea

MonarchyRule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses…

sometimes by other names, but always MONARCHS!

Leaders usually gain their power because their parents were rulers, too.

Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan have constitutions.

DictatorshipIn a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is

acquired by force (military or political)

Dictators have absolute control over the lives of their citizens and usually people are not allowed to voice their negative opinions.

Hitler and Stalin were both considered dictators.

Oligarchy “Rule by few” Power can be based on several things:

Military strength = Military JuntaFamily power = AristocracyReligious control = Theocratic Oligarchy

Oligarchies can often come from or lead to other forms of government (like autocracies)

• “Rule by the few“-small group of people are in control

• The group only answers to each other when making decisions.

• No one is elected outside the ruling group. The rulers are selected from the group members.

• Oligarchy is from the Greek words for "few" and "rule”.

• There is no citizen participation, people do not vote and no elections are held.

EXAMPLES:•African tribes•Medieval governments

Democracy

Any form of government in which political power is exercised by all citizens, either

directly or through their elected representatives. There are two forms of Democracies…

Presidential Parlimentary

• Citizens of the country rule• The voters within the country hold the

power • Any citizen (few restrictions; age-jail time)

can be elected to office• Any citizen (few restrictions) can vote for

people who will rule.

• Abraham Lincoln described democracy as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

• Example: The United States, Canada

Democracy Clips

https://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/democracy/

http://www.history.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-birth-of-democracy

• Parliamentary• Presidential

FORMS OF

DEMOCRACY:

Presidential• A system of government in which the

President is in charge of the day-to-day tasks of running the government and heads the military.

• President is the symbol of the country AND runs the country.

• President is elected by the people to serve a specific term.

• President does not make laws.• Legislature makes laws.• Legislature is elected by people.• Examples: The United States, Latin

American countries.

Parliamentary• Common in Europe• Head of State (King or Queen) has

ceremonial duties and serves as a symbol for the country.

• King or Queen is NOT voted into office; they come from a family line of royalty.

• The Prime Minister is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the country (running government) and controls the military.

• Prime Minister leads Parliament –the lawmaking body. Parliament selects the Prime Minister. Prime Minister can dissolve Parliament.

• Examples: Most European nations, Canada, Great Britain, Germany.

Summary Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bXLv5X73a4

Kids Believing in Democracy

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVkfNUxRh7g