Types of Government and Economic Systems

What do an autocracy and oligarchy have in common?

• The head of state is chosen by Parliament.

• Their citizens decide public issues for themselves.

• The majority of citizens have little or no control over government.

• Political power is exercised by representatives elected by the people.

How do communist economies determine what goods and services to provide to their citizens?

• Central planners set quotas for state-owned farms and factories.

• Private businesses decide what to produce based on consumer demand.

• Private citizens determine their own needs and produce for themselves.

• State-owned industries determine some production while private businesses produce goods based on consumer demand.

Which type of economic system provides the most economic freedom and has historically provided high standards of living?

• socialism

• capitalism

• totalitarian

• communism

What is one advantage of the American constitutional republic over autocratic nations in safeguarding individual liberties?

• Its national government has unlimited power over its citizens.

• The conduct of its government officials is limited by the rule of law.

• It places power in a single person without any checks and balances.

• It gives local authorities final authority over the national government.

The Venn diagram compares two forms of government. What would be considered an advantage of the government on the right?

• There are fewer disagreements over public policy.

• It is able to act more quickly in a crisis or emergency.

• It provides better safeguards for protecting individual liberties.

• Members of the government are able to meet with foreign officials.

Which statement is true of a federal but not of a unitary system of government?

• Its local governments are extensions of the central government.

• Its local governments cannot be abolished by the central government.

• Its central government usually appoints the leaders of local governments.

• Its central government delegates responsibilities to local governments to carry out.

The excerpt is from "The Form of Islamic Government" by Ayatollah Khomeini, Supreme Leader of Iran.

Based on this excerpt, which form of government would Ayatollah Khomeini have preferred?

• oligarchy

• autocracy

• theocracy

• democracy

John lives in the country of Devonia. Devonia has an absolute leader in charge of its government. This leader holds unlimited power. She can imprison or even execute citizens at will. She has opened special internment camps, where she sends critics of her government. The government controls all aspects of people's daily lives-education, work, social organizations, and media. No rival organizations are permitted. Under which form of government does John live?

• a monarchy

• an oligarchy

• a constitutional republic

• a totalitarian government

What is an advantage of the federal system of government in balancing local sovereignty with national unity?

• In this system, local governments can leave the nation at any time because they are sovereign.

• In this system, national unity is secure because the national government exercises complete control over local governments.

• In this system, freedom is protected because local governments have sovereignty over the national government in all matters.

• In this system, the national government is strong enough to protect the nation but local governments prevent it from becoming authoritarian.

Why did the authors of the Constitution create a federal system of government rather than a unitary system?

• They did not trust the state governments.

• They feared a central government that was too powerful.

• They wanted to limit the role of the people in government.

• They had seen how inefficient a weak central government was under the Articles of Conferderation.