Citizen Participation

Autocracy, Oligarchy, &

Democracy

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

In each country, the people have different
rights to participate in the government.

•In some countries, any citizen can run for
office or vote in elections.
•In other countries, there are restrictions
placed on who can run for office and who
can vote.
•There are also countries where NO citizen
can vote and there are no elections.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

Types of Government are based on two key
questions:

1. Who governs the country?
2. What is the citizen participation like?

The way a country answers these questions

determines its government type:

Autocracy

Oligarchy

Democracy

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

• Have a single ruler with unlimited power.
• Citizens cannot participate in the selection
of the ruler or vote on the country’s laws.

• One benefit – decisions for the country can
be made quickly.

• However…the needs of the citizens may
be ignored.
• The leader may make poor or selfish
decisions that hurt the citizens.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

Generally the power to rule the country is
inherited (kings/queens) or is taken by
military force.

There are two main types of autocracies:

Dictatorship

Absolute Monarchy

• The leader uses
force to control the
citizens.
• Example: Hitler

• The monarch has
absolute power (no
constitution) over
the citizens.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

• The country is ruled by a small group
of people.

•The group gets their power from
either religion, military force, or
wealth & resources.

• The citizens do not select the
members of this group or vote on the
country’s laws.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

The citizens hold the power of the
government.

Citizens have the opportunity to
participate in the government:

•All citizens have the opportunity to
be a leader.
•All citizens have the opportunity to
vote for leaders & laws.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

This Polity Data Series Map tries to measure a country’s true

democracy in government. The countries in the lightest pink have
the highest democracy score. The darker the color, the lower the

score.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

There are two forms of
democratic governments:

Both are designed to represent
and protect the rights of the
citizens.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

The citizens vote directly for the leader of
the country.

Citizens also vote for members of the
legislature, but separately from the leader.

•The leader of the country does not
make the laws. The legislature does this.

•Example: US, Russia, Mexico

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

The citizens vote for members of the
legislature, not directly for the leader.

The legislature then chooses the country’s
leader among its members.

•The leader is part of the legislature, so
he/she has a hand in making laws.

• Examples: United Kingdom, Canada, &
Australia

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

1.

What are the two types of Autocratic
governments?

2.

Who rules the country in an Oligarchy?

3.

Compare and contrast Autocracy vs. Democracy.

4.

What are the two types of Democratic
governments?

5.

How is the leader chosen in a Parliamentary
democracy?

6.

Do the citizens get to choose the leader in a
Parliamentary democracy?

7.

How is the leader chosen in a Presidential
democracy?

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

•Choose the type of government that you would
like to represent in your cartoon: Autocracy,
Oligarchy, or Democracy.

•Create a comic strip that represents the
leadership of the government and the citizen
participation (who votes) in the government.
•

•*Your characters & countries may be
fictional, but you need to make sure that your
cartoon includes realistic information about
how your government type actually works.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

•Create a mascot that will represent your group’s
vocabulary word. *Can be a real OR made up thing!

•Draw & color your mascot on the paper provided.

•Be sure to give your mascot a creative name.

•Write down at least 3 reasons why/how your
mascot represents your group’s vocabulary word.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles

Create a simile for each
of the vocabulary words.
A simile is a comparison of
two things or ideas using
like or as. It is not enough
just to write the simile,
you must explain it too.
.

Which type of government
do you prefer to live
under? Write a paragraph
explaining your position.

Create facial expressions
for each of the
vocabulary words to
summarize how a person
would feel living under
that government. (You
only need to draw the
heads.)

Create an acrostic poem
for each of the vocabulary
words.

Create a crossword puzzle
using the vocabulary
words.

Create a “Who Am I?”
riddle for each of the
vocabulary words. Each
riddle should have a
minimum of 3 lines.

© 2014 Brain Wrinkles