Forms of Government

A system of government in which political power resides with the people.

• Autocracy
• Democracy
• Oligarchy

1. The voters in a community meet together to make decisions and laws.
2. Suited for smaller communities.

• Direct Democracy
• Representative Democracy

1. A system of government in which the people elect candidates to make policies and laws for them.
2. This is the type of government that the United States has.

• Direct Democracy
• Representative Democracy

A few people hold all the power.

• Autocracy
• Democracy
• Oligarchy

• A system of government that one person has absolute power.
• A single ruler (dictator, absolute monarchy)

• Autocracy
• Democracy
• Oligarchy

Some people argue that because most elected leaders in governmental positions in the United States are wealthy, that the United States is actually 

• A monarchy
• A republic
• A democracy
• An oligarchy

In Swaziland, absolute power is vested in a single person and the monarch is the head of state as well as the government. This is an example of 

• A constitutional monarchy
• A dictatorship
• An absolute or traditional monarchy
• An oligarchy

The United Kingdom has a royal family and also a government headed by a Prime Minister and his cabinet. This type of government would be 

• A dictatorship
• A constitutional monarchy
• An absolute or traditional monarchy
• An oligarchy

Why do the individual voters have more power in a democracy than they do in an oligarchy or dictatorship?

• Dictators are always mean and cruel. 
• Oligarchies and dictatorships are usually run by the military and suppress voters.
• A democracy keeps the power totally in the hands of local governments. 
• The voters get to choose the people who make the laws.

What is one reason why China's authoritarian government has restricted internet access for its people? 

• To help stabilize the economy 
• They want to hog the internet for themselves
• It's too expensive for the country
• They don't want their people to organize & protest