Characteristics of Democracy

Individual Liberty

all people should have an equal opportunity to develop their talents to the fullest extent possible

Government works to promote that kind of equality of opportunity

Characteristics of Democracy

Majority rule with Minority Rights

•Representative democracy means that laws passed in the legislatures represent the will of the majority of the lawmakers

•Laws are accepted by the people because the lawmakers are elected by the majority of the people

•Tyranny of the majority against the minority

Characteristics of Democracy

Free Elections

•Everyone’s vote carries the same weight

•Candidates have the right to express their views freely giving voters access to competing ideas

•Citizens are free to help candidates or support issues

•Legal requirements for voting are kept to a minimum

•Citizens may vote freely by secret ballot without coercion or fear of punishment

Characteristics of Democracy

Competing political parties

Political party=groups of individuals with broad common interests who

•organize to nominate candidates,

•win elections,

•conduct government, and

•determine public policy

Political Parties:

Choice among candidates

Simplify and focus attention on key issues

“loyal opposition”

Types of GovernmentsWho Governs??

Autocracy = Rule by one person

1. Totalitarian dictatorship

Ideas of a single leader or group dominate and the government seeks to control all aspects of social and economic life

Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Kim Jong IL

“The Leaders are the sun of the nation and mankind”

Types of Governments

2. MonarchyIdeas of a king, queen or emperor dominate the government,

position is inherited

Who Governs??

Carl XVI GustafKing of SwedenHarald VKing of NorwayMargrethe IIQueen of DenmarkElizabeth IIQueen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandBeatrixQueen of the NetherlandsAlbert IIKing of the BelgiansHenriGrand Duke of LuxembourgJuan Carlos IKing of SpainAlbert IIPrince of Monacco

Johannes Adam IIPrince of LiechtensteinAkihitoEmperor of JapanAbdullahKing of Saudi-ArabiaAbdullah IIKing of JordanRama IXKing of ThailandHamad bin Isa al-KhalifaKing of BahrainHaji Hassanal BolkiahSultan of BruneiNorodom SihanoukKing of CambodiaJaber al-Ahmad al-Jabel al-SabahEmir of Kuwait

Letsie IIIKing of LesothoMohammed VIKing of MoroccoGyanendraKing of Nepal QaboosSultan of OmanMswati IIIKing of SwazilandTaufa'ahau Tupou IVKing of TongaZayed bin Sultan an-NahyanPresident of the United Arab EmiratesMalietoa Tanumafili IIKing of Western SamoaHamad Khalifa al-ThaniEmir of Qatar

Types of Governments

Absolute Monarchy:

• Complete and unlimited power to rule their people, based on divine right

• God granted to those of royal birth the right to rule their people

• Rebellion seen as a sin and treason

Who Governs??

King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud

Types of GovernmentsWho Governs??

Constitutional Monarchy:

•Share power with elected legislature

•Serve mainly as the ceremonial leaders of their governments

Elizabeth IIQueen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Juan Carlos IKing of Spain

Types of Governments

Who Governs??

Oligarchy = rule by a small number of people or groups

Power comes from wealth, military power, social position or religion

Types of GovernmentsWho Governs??

Democracy = rule by many