Politics and Culture

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Political Units• Cities, counties,

states, and countries• Different levels might

overlap• Defined by

boundaries, called borders, at each level:• Man-made• Natural

Natural Border

Man-Made Border

GovernmentAll types of government are defined by answering a few questions:

How much control does the government have?Where does the power come from?How is the ruler changed?How much freedom do

the people have?How much power is

given to minorities?

DemocracyGovernment is directed by the peopleRule by the majority – directly or indirectly; often

called “Mob Rule”Human rights and individual freedoms are

valued, encouragedFree elections for all people whom are eligible to

voteWhile democracies tend to protect the rights of

minorities, these are not guaranteedSwitzerland is a democracy

RepublicGovernment is limited by lawConstitutions and laws direct the governmentFree elections for all those allowed by law to voteConstitutions guarantee certain rights to the

peopleRights of minorities are defined by lawThe United States is a republic

MonarchyIn traditional monarchies, the monarch holds

absolute power; in constitutional monarchies, power is shared with elected officials

The ruler is decided by lineageWhen a ruler dies, power passes to a member of the

monarch’s familyThe amount of freedom people enjoy is decided

by those in powerMinority rights are defined by those in powerSaudi Arabia is a traditional monarchy;

Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy

TheocracyA religious leader or council has ultimate

authorityPower comes from religious beliefRulers are chosen by the churchPeople are limited by religious law, as interpreted

by the governmentMinorities, particularly religious minorities, may

be discriminated againstIran is a theocracy

DictatorshipA single person or small group exercises

complete powerDictators seize power or are placed into a

position of authority by a group in societyDictators hold power until they are overthrownPeople have little to no freedom in a dictatorshipMinorities are often discriminated againstNorth Korea is a dictatorship

TotalitarianismGovernment controls all aspects of their citizens’

livesDictatorship with unlimited authorityRule until death or removalNo freedom, and significant repression (of all,

including minorities)Burma is a totalitarian state

Cultural beliefs and governmentCitizenship practices,

public policies, and decision making may be influenced by:

NationalismPatriotismGender BiasReligionTradition