Types of Government What is government? What does government protect? What does government provide?

Types of Government

What is government?What does government

protect?What does government

provide?

What is government?

the institution that people set up to protect their community and enforce its rules.

What does government protect?

lives, liberty, and property of the members of the community

What does government provide?

Services that individuals cannot otherwise provide on their own.

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Monarchy

Hereditary (groups of related people, typically father and son) rulers controls government and what to do

-oldest form of government

-divine right – power from God

-constitutional monarchy – monarchy that shares power with an elected legislature

Middle Ages Europe

(Louis XIV)

Ancient Roman Empire

Ancient China

England

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Republic

People who govern themselves without a monarch

-use representatives to make decisions

-or, hereditary nobles to govern

United States

Republics of Venice and

Genoa

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Democracy

People control government through voting

-people enjoy certain basic rights

-direct democracy – people vote on issues directly

-representative democracy – people choose representatives to vote on issues

Ancient Athens

United States

many nations throughout the world

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Dictatorship

Control rests with an individual or a small group of people

- control is seized by force or an individual is placed into authority

- citizens have few rights or influence on the government

Cuba under Castro

Uganda

Zimbabwe

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Totalitarian

Government closely controls every aspect of life.

- government controls:

- religion

- political parties

- media (radio, t.v.)

- all dissent is suppressed

Germany under Hitler

Soveit Union under Stalin

Iraq under Hussein

North Korea

Types of Government

Type of Government

Who controls the

government?Who gives the government

power?

Important Aspects

Examples

Theocracy

Religious leaders control government

- believe that government is directed by God

- no legal separation of church and state

- citizens of other faiths are expelled or excluded

Iran

Vatican City

(Pope)

Which is the best form of government?

• Listen to the debate between the following characters:

– Thomas Jefferson (democracy);– Joseph Stalin (dictatorship);– and Louis XIV (monarchy)

as they debating which form of government is the best.

• At the end of the debate you will need to answer the following questions:

1. Which government do you think is best?– Explain your answer.

2. What would a ruler of a THEOCRACY add to this debate?