Types of Government

A government ruled by a small, privileged class.

• Monarchy
• Plutocracy
• Tyranny
• Aristocracy

The system in which the central government has total control over its constituent parts.

• Unitary System
• Federalism
• Autocracy
• Authoritarian Socialism

A community or country ruled by a single person with unlimited authority.

• Representative Democracy
• Federalism
• Autocracy
• Oligarchy

Similar to Oligarchy, this denotes government controlled by the wealthy, generally working to advance their own interests over those of the people they rule. 

• Socialism
• Monarchy
• Dictatorship
• Plutocracy

A system of government in which powers are divided between a central government and various sub-governments.

• Federalism
• Parliamentary Democracy
• Dictatorship
• Autocracy

A government based on the rule of a single person who is normally chosen by hereditary succession to rule for life.

• Tyranny
• Monarchy
• Aristocracy
• Oligarchy

A system of government in which people directly exercise their power in open assemblies.

• Communism
• Direct Democracy
• Parliamentary Democracy
• Representative Democracy

A small group of socially and economically elite citizens that rules a country or other political unit.

• Democracy
• Unitary System
• Dictatorship
• Oligarchy

Arbitrary rule by an individual who is not constitutionally responsible to the people or their elected representatives

• Federalism
• Dictatorship
• Oligarchy
• Plutocracy

A form of government in which citizens choose representatives through free and fair elections to make decisions on their behalf.

• Representative Democracy
• Federalism
• Unitary System
• Direct Democracy