To study governments, geographers look at the following:
Types – Who rules and who participates.
Systems – How the power is distributed.
Types of Government are based on one key question: Who governs and what is the citizen participation?
There are three types of governments:Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy
Types of government define who rules and who participates
There are three types of governments:
1. Autocracy: Rule by one
2. Oligarchy: Rule by few
3. Democracy: Rule by all Forms: Direct and RepresentativeMethods: Parliamentary and
Presidential
Governments distribute power through systems.
A. Unitary All decisions and power held at a central level
B. Federal Decisions and power split between national and state
or provincial governments
AutocracyGovernment in which the power to govern is
held by one person.
Generally the power to rule is inherited or taken by military force.
There are three types of autocratic government.
1. Dictatorships
2. Absolute Monarchies
3. Constitutional Monarchies
Dictatorship A dictatorship consists of rule by one person or a group of people often taken by force.
Very few dictators admit they are dictators and almost always claim to be leaders of democracies
Dictatorship
DescriptionA leader has total power
Examples include:
Cuba (Castro) & North Korea (Kim Jong Il) .
Absolute MonarchyA monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or
empress.The power is usually inherited or passed
down from family members. The monarch has absolute power meaning
they can make all decisions and laws without consulting anyone.
ExampleLouis XIV in France during the 1700s
Constitutional MonarchyKing/Queen has power that is limited by a
set of rules called a constitution) and shares power with elected officials
Generally the Kings are nothing more than figureheads.
The government is a democratic one that limits the monarchs power.
ExamplePresent day England
OligarchyWhen a family or small group of
people control all of the power to govern and make laws
The group gets their power from either military, wealth or social status.
Elections may be held but offer only one candidate.
ExamplesChina
Only one party (communist) allowed
Democracy“Democracy” literally means “rule
by the people.”
In a democracy, the people govern – by voting.
In a democracy….Individual freedom and equality is valued.Free elections are heldDecisions are based on majority rule.All candidates can express their views freely.Citizens vote by secret ballot.
Direct DemocracyDescription
The power of government is controlled directly by the people
Everyone votes on every issue
Example:In some American states, town meetings are held where every citizen votes by publicly proclaiming their vote.
Direct democracy is impossible in a political system containing more than a few people.
In a representative democracy, delegates are selected by the people through a defined process to make and enforce laws.
Representative DemocracyThe people elect representatives who
then make decisions for them
Example:
Canada, United States
Parliamentary Democracy
Voters elect members to a Parliament (legislature)
Example: Canada, Britain,
Parliamentary DemocracyParliaments are bicameral in that they have
two houses where decisions are made
1. House of Commons The political party with the most elected
members in the House of Commons forms the government. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister.
2. Senate or House of LordsElected government chooses people to
govern in the senate.
Presidential DemocracyVoters elect legislators and also elect,
directly or indirectly, the President.
Therefore, in the presidential system voters have a more direct say about those who serve in two branches of the government :• Legislative• Executive
Parliamentary System Presidential System
Executive Legislative
CitizensCitizens
Legislative
Executive
Elect
Elect
Select
Elect