Who Rules?Who Rules?Forms of Government Forms of Government

Forms of Forms of GovernmentGovernment

When people decide to form the social When people decide to form the social contracts that we call governments, they contracts that we call governments, they

make many different decisions about how make many different decisions about how their government will look. their government will look.

President or King?

President or King? Rule by few or rule by all? Rule by few or rule by all?

Hold elections?

Hold elections? Where do the rulers get their power? Where do the rulers get their power?

Democracy Democracy

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

directly or through their elected directly or through their elected representatives. representatives.

There are two kinds of There are two kinds of DemocraciesDemocracies… … Direct!

Representative!

Direct DemocracyDirect Democracy

All citizens participate in government. All citizens participate in government.

All citizens can create public policy if they want to.All citizens can create public policy if they want to.

Example: In ancient Athens, Greece, they held Example: In ancient Athens, Greece, they held assemblies where citizens voted to pass laws. assemblies where citizens voted to pass laws.

There are no representatives in government: The There are no representatives in government: The citizens vote on everything!citizens vote on everything!

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracy

Like direct democracy, all citizens participate in Like direct democracy, all citizens participate in governmentgovernment

People elect representatives who vote on laws People elect representatives who vote on laws for the citizensfor the citizens

Representatives answer to the people through Representatives answer to the people through regular electionsregular elections

Representatives are also usually held accountable Representatives are also usually held accountable by a constitutionby a constitution

Fill in the blanks to review DEMOCRACY!

The two forms of The two forms of democracy are __________ democracy are __________ and ___________________.and ___________________.

directdirectrepresentativerepresentative

In a democracy, all In a democracy, all __________ participate in __________ participate in

government. government. citizenscitizens

All citizens vote on All citizens vote on everything in a everything in a

______________________. ______________________. direct democracydirect democracy

In a direct democracy, there In a direct democracy, there are no ________________ are no ________________

in the government. in the government. representativesrepresentatives

In a representative In a representative democracy, the democracy, the

representatives answer to representatives answer to the people through the people through

______________________. ______________________. regular electionsregular elections

Now that we’ve talked about

DIRECT DEMOCRACY!And

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY!

we can move on to forms of government where only one person is in control…

AutocracyAutocracyA form of government in which political power is A form of government in which political power is controlled by controlled by oneone individual such as a monarch, individual such as a monarch,

dictator, emperor, etc. dictator, emperor, etc.

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

Monarchs!

Dictators!

MonarchyMonarchyRule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses… Rule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses…

sometimes by other names, but always sometimes by other names, but always MONARCHS! MONARCHS!

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

Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan have constitutions.have constitutions.

DictatorshipDictatorshipIn a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is In a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is

acquired by force (military or political)acquired by force (military or political)

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

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il is considered a North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il is considered a dictatordictator

What else? What else?

We’ve talked about We’ve talked about DEMOCRACIESDEMOCRACIES……

Democracy is…

rule by the people!

What else? What else?

… … and and AUTOCRACIESAUTOCRACIES… …

Autocracy is…

… rule by one!

… … but what other forms of but what other forms of government are there?government are there?

What else? What else?

What if, instead of everyone or just one person, a few people got

together to rule a nation?

Rule by Few!

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

Military strength = Military JuntaMilitary strength = Military JuntaFamily power = AristocracyFamily power = AristocracyReligious control = Theocratic OligarchyReligious control = Theocratic Oligarchy

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

TheocracyTheocracy

““Theo” means “god” in Greek… so if a Theo” means “god” in Greek… so if a government is THEO-cratic that means it is ruled government is THEO-cratic that means it is ruled by… That’s right! A god or higher power!by… That’s right! A god or higher power!

Leaders (Leaders (autocraticautocratic or or oligarchicoligarchic) are usually ) are usually religious leaders and society uses religious law to religious leaders and society uses religious law to settle its disputessettle its disputes

Example: The Islamic Republic of Iran is a modern Example: The Islamic Republic of Iran is a modern theocracy that uses the holy Islamic book, The theocracy that uses the holy Islamic book, The Qur’an, as its guide. Qur’an, as its guide.

AnarchyAnarchy

No government at all… No government at all…

WAIT!

Then who makes and

enforces laws?

AnarchyAnarchy

No government at all… No government at all…

In an anarchy there is no government to make or In an anarchy there is no government to make or enforce laws. enforce laws.

What do you think

that would be

like?

Wow! There are so many

forms of government!

And remember there are also combinations…

What is government ruled by GOD and a FEW people called?

WHEW! We had better

review…

Time for some “A or B!”

Democracy Democracy A B

Rule by everyone

Rule by no one

Direct DemocracyDirect DemocracyA B

Citizens elect people

to vote

All citizens vote on

everything

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracyA B

Representatives are

appointed

Representatives are elected

AutocracyAutocracyA B

Rule by one

Rule by few

MonarchyMonarchyA B

Never have constitutions

Power is inherited

DictatorshipDictatorshipA B

Always protect

freedom of speech

Have total

control

OligarchyOligarchyA B

Power is always

inherited

Come in many forms

TheocracyTheocracyA B

Power from a higher

being

Power taken

through force

AnarchyAnarchyA B

Everyone follows the

laws

Everyone does what they want

Now, review your chart along with your teacher!