Forms or Types of state.pdf by iisat university Gujranwal

Forms of state
Related to rule of sovereign

1. By: SadiaNazirAhmed

2. Introduction:
Whendiscussingtheformsofastate,itmaybe
referredtothevariouswaysinwhichpolitical
powerisorganizedandexercisedwithinasociety.
Basically,theconceptofthestateencompasses
variousformsandstructures,eachreflecting
differentpoliticalandgovernancesystems.
Theseformscanvarywidelydependingon
historical,cultural,andideologicalfactors.
Soasperthedifferentconcepts,followingarethe
variousformsofstate.

3. *UnitaryState:
*Unitarystateisasystemwherepowerandauthorityare
concentratedinthecentralGovt.,whichexercises
completecontroloversubordinateunits.
*Subnationalentities,suchasprovincesorregions,
derivetheirauthorityfromthecentralgovernmentand
canbecreated,altered,orabolishedbyit.
*CentralGovernmentpossesstheabilitytodelegatethe
powertothesubordinateunits.
*Centralgovernmentisresponsibleformakingdecisions
onbehalfofentirestateincludingpolicyformulation,
lawmakingprocessandgovernance
*Localgovernmentsorsubordinateunitshavelimited
powers.
*ExamplesincludetheUnitedKingdom,France,Japan,
ItalyandChina.

4. *Federation:
*Federationis a political system where power and
authority is divided between a central government and
constituent units or subnational entities, such as states
or provinces.
*The constitution of a Federation distributed powers
among center and other units.
*The central government has power to take decisions
regarding Foreign affairs and issues effecting the entire
state.
*Whereas the constituent units or provinces have power
to make policies relating to education, basic healthcare
etc.
*Each level of government has its own sphere of
influence and powers, often outlined in a constitution.
*Examples include the United States, Canada, and
Germany.

5. *Confederation:
*Confederationisanassociationofsovereignstates
thatcometogethervoluntarilytoaddresscommon
interestsandcooperationinspecificmatters.
*Insuchformofstate,individualpoliticalentities,
suchasstatesorregions,retainmostoftheir
sovereignty,andtheydelegatelimitedpowerstoa
centralgovernment.
*Thecentralgovernment'sauthorityisoftenweak
comparedtothesubnationalentities.
*HistoricalexamplesincludetheConfederateStatesof
AmericaduringtheAmericanCivilWar.

6. *AuthoritarianState:
*Inanauthoritarianstate,poweris
concentratedinthehandsofasingleleaderor
asmallgroup,andthereislimitedpolitical
pluralismoropposition.
*Politicaldecisionsaremadebytheruling
elite,andcitizenshaveminimalinfluenceon
governance.
*ExamplesincludeNorthKoreaandChinaunder
certainperiodsofitshistory.

7. *DemocraticState:
*Inademocraticstate,politicalpoweris
derivedfromthepeoplethroughfreeandfair
elections.
*Citizensparticipateindecision-making
processes,andtherearechecksandbalances
topreventtheconcentrationofpower.
*ExamplesincludetheUnitedStates,India,and
variousEuropeancountries.

8. *TotalitarianState:
*Inatotalitarianstate,thegovernment
exercisesextensivecontroloverallaspectsof
publicandprivatelife.
*Political,social,andeconomicactivitiesare
tightlyregulated,anddissentisoften
suppressed.
*HistoricalexamplesincludeNaziGermanyand
theSovietUnionunderJosephStalin.

9. *Monarchy:
*Inamonarchy,asingleindividual,themonarch,
holdsahereditarypositionastheheadofstate.
*Monarchiescanbeabsolute(withthemonarch
havingsignificantpowers)orconstitutional(with
limitedpowers,oftenasaceremonialfigurehead).
*Examples includetheUnitedKingdom
(constitutionalmonarchy)andSaudiArabia
(absolutemonarchy).

10. *Republic:
*Inarepublic,theheadofstateiselected,and
politicalpowerisnotinherited.
*Republicscantakevariousforms,suchas
parliamentaryrepublicsorpresidential
republics.
*ExamplesincludetheUnitedStatesand
France.

11. *Theocracy:
*Inatheocracy,religiousleadersorreligious
institutionsholdpoliticalpower.
*Thelegalsystemandgovernanceareoften
basedonreligiousprinciples.
*ExamplesincludeIranandtheVaticanCity.

12. *ParliamentaryState:
*Inaparliamentarystate,theexecutivebranch
derivesitslegitimacyfromandisaccountable
tothelegislativebranch(parliament).
*Theheadofgovernmentistypicallytheleader
ofthemajoritypartyinparliament.
*ExamplesincludetheUnitedKingdomand
India.

13. *Dictatorship:
*Inadictatorship,powerisconcentratedinthe
handsofasingleleaderorasmallgroup,andthere
isoftenlittletonomeaningfuloppositionor
democraticprocesses.
*Dictatorshipscanarisethroughmilitarycoups,
revolutions,orauthoritarianregimesseizingpower.
*Theseregimesoftensuppressdissent,limitcivil
liberties,andcontrolthemediatomaintaintheir
holdonpower.
*Ex.AdolfHitlerinGermany,JosephStalininSoviet
Union,MaoZedonginChina,GeneralAyubKhanin
Pakistan.

14. *Thepresidential:
*Thepresidentialformofstatereferstoasystemof
governmentwherethepresidentservesasthehead
ofstateandheadofgovernment,possessing
significantexecutivepowers.
*Inthissystem,thepresidentistypicallyelectedby
thepeopleoranelectoralcollegeforafixedterm
andusuallycannotberemovedfromofficethrough
avoteofconfidencebythelegislature.
*TheprominentexamplesofareUnitedStatesof
America,Russia&France.