Forms of Government

Any group of people living together in a country, state, city, or local community has to live by certain rules.

• Government

• Mayor

1 person has all the power

• Democracy

• Autocracy

king or queen rules the country

• Monarchy

• Dictatorship

1 leader has absolute control over citizens’ lives.

• Dictatorship

• Monarchy

citizens hold the political power

• Autocracy

• Democracy

citizens elect leaders to represent their rights and interests in government

• Direct Democracy

• Representative Democracy

no representatives. Citizens are directly involved in the day-to-day work of governing the country

• Representative Democracy

• Direct Democracy

small group of people has all the power

• Oligarchy

• Theocracy

God or a divine being as the ultimate authority

• Theocracy

• Anarchy

nobody is in control—or everyone is, depending on how you look at it

• Anarchy

• Oligarchy