Forms of Government

Types of Government

Reviewing Chapter 1 Section 2

On Friday in class, we introduced you to a few different types of governments.

All the types of government can be classified in two ways: Authoritarian governments or Democratic governments.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following answer choices describes an Authoritarian government?

• A government that controls all aspects of its citizens lives

• A system of government in which the people rule

• A type of government without a Constitution

Multiple Choice

Which of the following answer choices describes a Democratic government.

• A government that is not limited

• A system of government in which the people rule

• A government that controls all aspects of its citizens lives

On Friday we also talked about some important characteristics of both Authoritarian and Democratic types of government.

• Example: Democratic governments typically have regular free and fair elections

• Example: Authoritarian governments will typically control the media or news

Multiple Choice

Citizens participate in government by voting. This would be an example of...

• Authoritarian

• Democratic

Multiple Choice

Power is in the hands of one or a few people. This would be an example of...

• Authoritarian

• Democratic

Multiple Choice

Opposition to the government is not allowed. This would be an example of...

• Authoritarian

• Democratic

Multiple Choice

Laws apply to all people, including government leaders. This would be an example of...

• Authoritarian

• Democratic

Types of Government: Dictatorship

Key elements: Power is in the hands of one person

Types of Government: Oligarchy

Key elements: Power is given to a few people or a specific political party

Types of Government: Monarchy

Key elements: A king or queen inherits power from their family. In an absolute monarchy, they rule similar to a dictator.

Types of Government: Direct Democracy

Key elements: A government in which all citizens cast a vote directly on each issue

Types of Government: Representative Democracy

Key elements: The people elect representatives to make laws and conduct the business of government

Types of Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Key elements: A king or queen shares power with elected representatives

In the following slides, I will give you a scenario and I want you to try and figure out what type of government is being used. It could be more than one.

Multiple Select

Switzerland: Citizens elect representatives to sit in two different law making assemblies. But citizens also directly vote several times a year to decide on laws. Citizens can vote to propose their own laws or undo laws passed by their representatives. All citizens may vote directly on these laws.

• Direct Democracy

• Representative Democracy

• Dictatorship

• Monarchy

Multiple Select

South Africa: From 1948-1994, official policy in South Africa gave white people all the political power. Even though the majority of South Africans were black, non-white could not influence government. White South Africans elected representatives to sit in a law making body.

• Representative Democracy

• Dictatorship

• Oligarchy

• Constitutional Monarchy

Multiple Select

North Korea: One man leads North Korea and controls its government. He also controls the ruling political party. The ruling political party chooses candidates for an Assembly, and citizens vote. The candidates do not have opponents, so citizens have no real choices.

• Direct Democracy

• Dictatorship

• Monarchy

• Representative Democracy

Multiple Select

Brazil: Brazil is led by a president who is elected by the citizens. Citizens in Brazil elect a new president every four years. Citizens also elect representatives to serve in two different legislative bodies.

• Direct Democracy

• Representative Democracy

• Dictatorship

• Oligarchy

Next, lets answer some true and false questions about the types of Government...

Multiple Choice

A monarchy can be like a dictatorship or it can be part of a democracy.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A dictatorship can also be a democracy.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A democracy can have both representatives and direct characteristics at the same time.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

An oligarchy can include representative democracy

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

A government can be both a monarchy and an anarchy at the same time.

• True

• False