Download Types of Government

Types of Government
Contemporary World
Government Systems
● There are a variety of government systems
around the globe
● We have been focusing on representative
democracy (Republic) in this class thus far
● Different political beliefs across the political
spectrum lead to different government systems
around the world
Communism
● Classless and stateless society (all people equal,
no state government- just national government)
● Government run business
● Common ownership (no private property- all
government owned and operated)
● No religion or just 1 state sponsored religion
● Only 1 political party
● Examples: China, former Soviet Russia, Cuba,
North Korea
Democracy
● All people have an equal say/vote in decisions
regarding government
● Government led by the people
● Pure democracy not very practical on the large
scale because we can not vote on every single
decision (see Republic)
● Example: USA, Canada, Britain, France (although
none are pure democracies)
Republic/Representational
Democracy
● Elected officials (voted into office by
the
people) make decisions and lead the government
● Takes principles of democracy and makes it
practical on the large scale
● The people vote for people to represent their
opinions and make decisions on their behalf
● For example, in the US we vote for senators and
representatives to represent us and make the
laws in congress
● Examples: USA, Germany, Spain, Australia
Dictatorship
● Government ruled by an individual- a dictator
● That ruler is given absolute power to make
decisions for the government
● Usually this person has gained power through a
military coup/revolution
● There can be dictators in communist societiesNorth Korea for example
● Examples: Libya (prior to Gadhafi's fall), N. Korea,
Cuba
Monarchy
● the office of head of state is usually held until
death or abdication
● often hereditary
● King or Queen is the leader
● In modern day we have monarchies that are just
figure heads and do not control the governmentie- Britain
● Examples: United Arab Emirates, various African
tribal leaders, etc.
Oligarchy
● power rests with an elite class
● “Greek meaning = rule of the few”
● Small group of people (the upper class) makes the
decisions while lower class individuals not
involved in government decision making
● Example: former apartheid South Africa
Fascism
● Government system that forbids and suppresses
opposition
● Single political party, often a dictator
● Emphasis on nationalism (often racist)
● Government run industry and commerce
● Examples: Hilter’s Germany & Mussolini’s Italy
during WWII, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq
Communism vs. Fascism
Similarities
● Opposition to conservatism,
●
●
●
●
liberalism, and social
democracy
Use of a political party to
spark a revolution
Opposition to social division
by class and class conflict
Opposition to the
bourgeoisie (upper class)
Revolution
Differences
● Nationalism & militarism key
to fascism
● Eugenics role in fascism
● Economic self-sufficiency
important to fascism
● Fascism has private control
of social resources (exfactories)
Anarchism
● Opposes authority and any form of government
● Government is thought to be immoral
● We don’t see this on the large scale, but do see
this belief system in small scale communities and
group
Types of Government in
Relationship to the Spectrum
Communism
Fascism
Radical
Liberal
Moderate
Conservative
Reactionary
Democracy/republic can fall in the middle between liberal and
conservative, depending on the views of the people.
Dictatorships, monarchies and oligarchies are led by one or the few, and
their placement is dependent on the individual views of the leader(s).