What next? A historical analysis of forms of government

Political systems In India: Oligarchies in power Russia In Russia: Anna —40 In Russia: The oligarchs In Russia: Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources.

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Democracy, literally, rule by the people. Slavery, condition in which one human being was owned by another. A slave was considered by law as property,…. Authoritarianism is a form of government in which the people have zero participation. The citizens in these societies must adhere to the rules of the leader with absolute obedience. The power often changes and is ill-defined. Finally, totalitarianism is a form of government in which the leaders have unlimited and total control over people's lives.

Citizens have no privacy, and scare tactics are used to force people into obedience. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study. Did you know… We have over college courses that prepare you to earn credit by exam that is accepted by over 1, colleges and universities. You can test out of the first two years of college and save thousands off your degree. Anyone can earn credit-by-exam regardless of age or education level. To learn more, visit our Earning Credit Page.

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Forms of Government: Monarchy, Democracy, Oligarchy & More

Democratic Countries in the World. What is a Dictatorship? Forms of Government in Ancient Greece.

Diversity and Intercultural Communication. Test Practice and Study Guide. The governance of nations differs significantly based on who has power. Power Defined Sociology is the study of human social behavior, human development, organizations, and institutions. Whoa, what's going on in that country? It looks like they aren't happy with their government. Monarchy Let's begin with monarchy. Democracy Another form of government is a democracy. Oligarchy The next form of government is oligarchy. Try it risk-free No obligation, cancel anytime. Want to learn more? Select a subject to preview related courses: Authoritarianism Governments can also impose their power in forceful methods.

Totalitarianism Totalitarianism is a type of power where the leaders have unlimited and total control over people's lives. Lesson Summary So, in conclusion, a monarchy is a form of government ruled by a single family, and the power resides in one individual, like a king or queen. Unlock Your Education See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.

Forms of Government

It seeks to control all aspects of national life, including the beliefs and attitudes of its people. The leader is credited with almost infallible wisdom, because to admit that he or she may be wrong would deprive the regime of its authority. In some Communist countries the cult of personality appears to have given way to the dominance of a group of party leaders — a ruling oligarchy. The successor regime in China, for example, continues to claim infallibility for its policies and doctrines but not for the leaders.

The United States and India with their state governments and Canada and China with their provincial governments are examples of workable federal systems in large nations with very diverse populations. The national governments of these countries are clearly more powerful than those of their subdivisions, even though the constitutions delegate many powers and responsibilities to the subnational units. In the United States, for example, state legislatures pass laws having to do with state affairs; state administrators carry them out; and state judiciaries interpret them.

List of forms of government - RationalWiki

The citizens in each jurisdiction elect many of the public officials. In addition, certain special districts exist with a single function, such as education or sanitation, and have their own elected officials. Often the different levels compete for control of functions and programs. Subnational national units administer matters within their jurisdiction, but their powers are set and delegated by the national authority.

Most nations are unitary states, but their institutions and processes may differ markedly. Great Britain, for example, is considered a unitary system, yet a certain degree of regional autonomy exists in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, and local county governments perform certain fairly autonomous functions.

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In other unitary states there exists only token territorial decentralization. It also represents the confederation in dealings with outside governments, but its actions are subject to the review and approval of the confederated states. The executive branch usually predominates at such time.

Proponents of the separation of powers bring an additional argument in its favor: Governments do not relinquish their authority unless compelled to do so. It may identify itself with ancient traditions, with hope for the future, or with fear of a common enemy. Some governments employ repression, never relaxing their vigils against real or imagined opponents.

Even democracies, when threatened, are likely to engage in a search for subversives and "enemies of the people. The French monarchy in the 18th century and the Russian monarchy in the 20th century were based on aristocracies that had lost much of their legitimacy in the eyes of the people. Governments tend, therefore, to foster widespread ideological commitment to the nation through patriotic ceremonies, propaganda, and civic education; they employ armed forces and intelligence-gathering organizations for national defense; they maintain police and prison systems to ensure domestic order; and they undertake the administration of supervisory and regulatory functions to carry out national goals by establishing various bureaucracies to handle each complex function.

All governments recognize the principle that the public must be protected and served. Federal, state, and local governments in the United States also engage directly in economic activity. In other countries governments intrude even further into the workings of the economy.