Forms of Government

Forms of Government PowerPoint for grades 7-9.

1. Forms of Government 2.1

2. Comparing Forms of Government (Introduction) The United Nation is an international organization that is intended to promote peace and human rights throughout the world. In 2013, there are representatives from 193 different countries. The governments of these countries are mainly democracies . A few delegates represent monarchies and an even smaller number represent dictatorships . The Countries of the United Nations have very different populations, forms of governments and economic systems. 2.1

3. Forms of Government in Today's World With the exception of Antarctica, the landmasses on Earth are divided into nation-states . Almost all have some form of functioning government . T hese governments fall into three major groups: rule by the one ( monarchies and dictatorships ) rule by the few ( theocracies and single-party states ) rule by the many ( parliamentary and presidential democracies ). 2.1

4. Monarchy: a A system of government in which a single ruler has supreme power based on heredity or divine right 2.1 4 Pros (+) Cons (-) Efficient way of carrying out decisions and policies since decisions are made by one person Clear line of succession -Citizens know who is next in line for the throne Loyalty to the monarch holds the nation together Quality of leadership can vary Dramatically different from one generation to the next Job of running a modern nation state has become too big for any ,but the most exceptional monarchs to do well

5. Modern Monarchies Today’s monarchs go by many names, including king, queen, sultan, emperor, and Amir. Most have inherited their power and expect to rule for life. But the modern monarch’s power is rarely as great as in the days of Louis XIV and other absolute monarchs Most monarchs today face strict legal restrictions on their power, often imposed by a constitution. 2.1

6. Modern Monarchies A British monarch, for example, has the formal authority to call elections and appoint a new prime minister. However, most jobs are ceremonial. Real power rests with Great Britain’s democratically elected leaders. In contrast, Saudi Arabia’s king exercises broad powers. He inherits his position and has legislative, executive, and judicial powers. Only Islamic law and Saudi traditions limit his powers. 2.1

7. Dictatorship: A system of government in which a single person takes and holds power by force. The leader controls the military and police. 2.1 7 Pros (+) Cons (-) Power is in the hands of a single military or political leader who can get things done efficiently Control of the military and police allows the dictator to maintain peace and order Power can be used to abuse citizens who oppose the dictator Dictators face serious legitimacy problems and citizens may want a new leader.

8. Modern Dictatorship Mobutu Sese Seko , Zaire’s longtime dictator, embezzled over $5 billion from his country. 2.1 8 R ed colored countries are authoritarian, and most often dictatorships . Most current dictatorships are in Africa and Asia. Examples of 20 th century dictators

9. Modern Dictatorship Muammar al-Gaddafi, took control of Libya in a military coup, in 1969 . A coup is the sudden overthrow of a government by a small group of military officers or political leaders . In February 2011, growing discontent led to a wave of protests in Libya, calling for an end to Gaddafi's rule. Months later, he was overthrown . 2.1 R ed colored countries are authoritarian, and most often dictatorships . Most current dictatorships are in Africa and Asia.

10. Theocracy : A s ystem of government headed by a religious leader. 2.1 10 Pros (+) Cons (-) Single, state-supported religion encourages political and social unity Political decisions are in line with the people’s moral values and beliefs Difficult to enforce religious unity as the country grows larger Religious minorities may not have power or may be mistreated Religious warfare may break out

11. Modern Theocracy By 2007, only two theocracies existed in the world: Vatican City and Iran . Vatican City is the governmental and spiritual center of the Catholic Church. Although located in the heart of Rome, Italy , it is an independent state headed by the Catholic pope . Iran changed from a monarchy to a theocracy in 1979. That year, Iranians expelled their hereditary ruler and formed an Islamic republic headed by a religious leader known as the Ayatollah Khomeini. 2.1

12. Modern Single-Party States There are a few single -party states today and they are mainly socialist republics, in which the Communist Party rules. In Vietnam, for example, the Communist Party is the only legal political party. Syria is an example of a non-communist single-party state. It is controlled by the Ba’ath Party, which supports Arab nationalism and unity . Other s ingle-party countries include: Cuba, China, North Korea, Laos and Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. 2.1

13. Single-Party State: Communism A government in which only one political party is allowed to rule under the constitution. Rule by the p olitical e lite or leaders of the party who have more power or wealth then others 2.1 13 Pros (+) Cons (-) Easier to pass laws by avoiding the political arguing common in multi-party states The views of the party elite may differ from the interests of the people as a whole, leading to social unrest People with differing political views are often shut out of the political process

14. Modern Single-Party States 2.1 Red color represents past single party countries.

15. Parliamentary Democracy A system of government in which voters elect lawmakers to represent them in the nation’s parliament; The leaders of the executive branch come from the ruling party in parliament . 2.1 15 Pros (+) Cons (-) members of the legislative majority usually vote with the prime minister or chancellor on key issues, making it easier to get laws passed. no clear-cut separation between the executive and legislative, so no real check on the prime minister’s powers prime minister can be forced to resign, leading to an unstable government

16. Parliamentary and Presidential Forms of Democratic Governments Most countries today have adopted one of two forms of representative democracy: parliamentary democracy presidential democracy . Both forms use elections to choose national leaders, b ut they are different in other ways. 2.1

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18. Modern Parliamentary Democracies The Bahamas, The United Kingdom, India, and Australia are examples of parliamentary democracies . In a parliamentary democracy the v oters elect lawmakers to represent them in the nation’s parliament. The legislative majority then selects a member of parliament to serve as the nation’s prime minister, or chief executive . 2.1

19. Modern Parliamentary Democracies In a parliamentary democracy, there is no real separation between the executive and legislative branches of government. Prime ministers remain in power only as long as they have the support of the parliament. If the parliament has a vote of no confidence, the prime minister must resign. 2.1

20. Presidential Democracy: A system of government in which voters elect lawmakers to represent them in the legislature and a president to lead the government as head of the executive branch. 2.1 20 Pros (+) Cons (-) President may be more responsive to the public than to the party Separation of executive and legislative Powers allow each branch to watch over the other to prevent abuses of power Fixed terms of office creates stability No easy way to remove an unpopular president from power Gridlock may result when a president is not from the party that controls the legislature Difficult to remove the president from office before their terms end

21. Modern Presidential Democracies The U.S. was not formed as a pure democracy, but as a republic where voters elect representatives and electors. Most modern democracies are organized as a representative republic, where citizens vote in elections with two or more people who run for office. These people have actual powers to change current laws in the country and bring about reforms (either more liberal or more conservative). The reason why democracy has succeeded over every other form of government is because people have a peaceful way of removing leaders they no longer want. 2.1

22. 2.1 Modern Presidential Democracies The United States, Russia, and most countries in Latin America are presidential democracies . Blue represents Republic governments around the world .

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