Government and Economic Systems - Section 1

Select an example of a direct democracy.

• A town meeting where citizens vote on laws

• A monarchy ruled by a king

• A representative democracy with elected officials

• A dictatorship led by one person

What is a constitution?

• A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed.

• A constitution is a type of government building.

• A constitution is a collection of national holidays.

• A constitution is a list of famous leaders.

Define: democracy

• a form of government in which the people elect leaders and rule by majority

• a system where a king or queen has absolute power

• a government controlled by a single political party

• a society without any formal government

Define: direct democracy

• government in which citizens meet in popular assembly to discuss issues and vote for leaders

• government in which a single ruler holds all the power

• government in which representatives are elected to make decisions

• government controlled by a small group of elites

Define: limited government

• government that has legal limits on its power, usually in the form of a constitution

• government that has unlimited power over its citizens

• government that is controlled by a single individual with absolute authority

• government that does not follow any written laws or constitution

Define: unlimited government

• government in which power is concentrated in the hands of a single leader or small group.

• government where citizens have equal power to make laws.

• government that operates under a constitution limiting its powers.

• government in which leaders are elected by the people.

Define: totalitarian government

• government that controls all aspects of society

• government that allows complete freedom of speech

• government with no central authority

• government based on direct democracy

Which of the following are examples of totalitarian governments?

• Nazi Germany and Soviet Union

• United States and Canada

• United Kingdom and France

• India and Japan

Which of the following is an example of a human rights abuse?

• Torture and unlawful detention

• Freedom of speech

• Access to education

• Right to fair trial

Limited and unlimited governments can be compared and contrasted based on the extent of power held by leaders and the protection of citizens' rights. Which statement best summarizes the difference between limited and unlimited governments?

• Limited governments restrict the power of leaders and protect citizens' rights, while unlimited governments allow leaders to have unchecked power.

• Limited governments allow leaders to have unchecked power, while unlimited governments restrict the power of leaders.

• Both limited and unlimited governments always protect citizens' rights equally.

• Unlimited governments always have more laws protecting citizens than limited governments.