Government Systems

Government Systems

SSCG1 Compare and contrast various systems of government

Purpose of government

• Make and enforce laws

• Collect taxes to provide public goods and services

• Provide police and courts to settle disputes

• Provide national security (military)

Theories of Government Creation

• Evolution- as family units grew larger, they needed to organize

• Force- smaller units had to submit to a more powerful authority to have their needs met

• Divine Right- rulers receive their authority from "god"

• Social Contract- people contract among themselves or with a ruler in order to protect natural rights

Multiple Choice

In Cuba in 1959, revolutionary Fidel Castro and a small force of guerrilla soldiers defeated the national army and took control of the government. This is an example of

• Evolution Theory

• Divine Right Theory

• Social Contract Theory

• Force Theory

Where is the power?

• Anarchy- nobody has the power, proponents don't believe in government

• Limited Government- government power is restricted by laws such as a constitutional government

• Authoritarian- government has complete power over all political aspects, rules by force

• Totalitarian- government has complete power politically, economically, socially, religiously, and does not provide for liberties or rights

How many rulers?

• Autocracy- ruled by one such as a dictatorship or monarchy

• Oligarchy- ruled by a few such as an aristocracy or theocracy

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Multiple Choice

In North Korea, Kim Jong -un has absolute power over the government, people, economy, and religion. What is North Korea an example of?

• authoritarian autocracy

• totalitarian autocracy

• authoritarian oligarchy

• totalitarian oligarchy

Types of Democratic Governments

• Direct or pure is where people make and pass policy and laws directly

• Representative or Indirect or a Republic is where people elect representatives to make policies and laws.

Types of Representative Democracies

• Presidential- •a President is elected by the people to be the “Head Executive” (enforces laws) and the “Head of State” (symbolic leader to represent the nation)

• •Parliamentary – an elected Parliament selects a Prime Minister to be the “Head Executive” and the Constitutional Monarch serves as the “Head of State”

Where is the power located?

• Unitary- there is only one national government, centrally located; delegates/gives power to states

• Confederal- stronger state governments that make sovereign laws; gives power to the weaker national government 

• Federal - there is a stronger national government that makes sovereign laws with state governments that make state and local laws that must adhere to national laws

What is the full description of the US Government?

The U.S. is a presidential representative democracy (democratic republic) with a limited (constitutional) federal system

Multiple Choice

Which term does not fit?

• autocracy

• monarchy

• oligarchy

• dictatorship

Multiple Choice

Which form of government is this picture demonstrating?

• unitary

• federal

• confederal

Open Ended

What questions do you still have?