SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

QUESTION FOR THOUGHT:

Let’s pretend that your family has decided to go out to dinner tonight. How would your family go about making the decision of where to go out to dinner? Please write at least three complete sentences. Possible answers:

Mom Decides (or Dad… but we all know who is really in charge)

Parents Decide together Family Vote Other options?

THREE TYPES OF GOVERNMENT

Autocracy – power is held by a single ruler Rule of One

Oligarchy – power is held by a small, elite group of people in society Rule of Few

Democracy – power is held by the people Rule of Many Direct Democracy – all people vote on everything Indirect Democracy (REPUBLIC)– people elect

representatives who make decisions Which of these sounds most like our

government?

ASSIGNMENT

Read pgs. 21-27 in We the People books Answer: What are the three characteristics of

republican government? Draw and complete the following chart in notes:

ADVANTAGESof republican government

DISADVANTAGESOf republican government

THREE CHARACTERISTICS OF A REPUBLICAN GOVT.

Citizens have the power to govern

Citizens delegate their power to elected leaders who represent the people’s interests

Both citizens and their representatives work together toward the common good

REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT

ADVANTAGESof republican government

DISADVANTAGESOf republican government

1. Representatives serve the common good- How? - Self-Interest (re-election)

2. More efficient- Specialized law-makers

3. All people still have a voice in government- How?- Voting!

4. Representatives are responsible to be the voice of the people- What prevents them from

serving special interests only?- Self-Interest (re-election)

1. Works best in smaller settings where communication is easy- Do you know your U.S.

senators?- Do you know your state

representative?2. Diversity in population can be

problematic- What if you are the voice of a

district that has half republicans and half democrats?

- Half rich and half poor?3. Can create factions

- Special interests can have a big influence

ASSIGNMENT:

Get into groups of 2-4 (no more than 4) Read pgs. 26-27 in WE THE PEOPLE Reflect on the story as you discuss and

create answers to the questions that follow the reading.

Have designated people within your group ready to answer each question.

FORMS OF AUTOCRACY Absolute Monarchy

Monarch has absolute power Does not include “Constitutional

Monarchs” like the Queen of England

Dictatorship/Totalitarianism One leader who not only controls behavior, but

attempts to control thinking Fascism Communism

Theocracy Religious leader in charge People must follow laws of the religion

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Adolf Hitler

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Two Forms of Totalitarianism

Fascism Communism

Benito Mussolini-founded ItalianFascism (Italy 1922-1943)

Adolf Hitler- Nazi Germany

- extreme nationalism- warlike policies- persecution of minorities

- all property is owned by the government

- the government controls all publications, radio, and television, and restricts journalism

Kim Jong-il,North Korea

Examples: North Korea, Cuba, the former Soviet Union

Oligarchy - Power is held by a small, elite group of people in society.- Often controlled by a few powerful

families who raise their children to inherit the government

Autocracy - “Rule by a Single Person”Democracy - “Rule by the Many”

• wealth• political influence• military strength

• family ties to an aristocracy• ruthlessness

Examples: Ancient Sparta; South Africa under apartheid when the white minority ruled the black majority (1948-1994)

There really aren’t any true oligarchies in the world today.

Characteristics:

Types of Democracies/RepublicsDirect Democracy

Representative Democracy/Republic

Liberal Democracy

- All the citizens vote directly on the laws

- Representatives vote on the laws

- Representative Democracy that includes the protection of minorities, separation of powers, and protection of liberties

Full Presidential Republic

Semi-Presidential Republic

Parliamentary Republic

Three Forms ofRepublics

Rule of One – Monarch or King

inherit

related

onerareAbsolute

Constitutional

aristocracy

military strength

political influencewealth

inherit

elite

weaktakes

elected

inherit

dictatorforce

AllDirect

representatives

The people

ruthlessness

Rule of the many – People

Rule of the few – Small Group

Rule of One - Dictator

Liberal

representativesRepresentative

all

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

Adolf Hitler

South Africa under apartheid U.S. and many other nations in various forms

Two Forms of Democratic Government

Presidential RepublicParliamentary Republic

- The President is both the Chief Executive and the Head of State - Powers of the President are usually balanced (or shared) with those of the legislature

- The President is elected independently by the people, not by the legislature

U.S. President Barack Obama

- Head of State and Chief Executive are two separate offices. Head of State is either a President or a Monarch. Chief Executive is often called a Prime Minister. - Head of State is usually a ceremonial role, while the Prime Minister runs the government. - Prime Minister is not elected, but is usually chosen by the party with the most seats in the legislature, or is sometimes appointed by the President.

British Queen Elizabeth II & Prime Minister David Cameron

Some countries combine Presidential and Parliamentary Systems

Semi-Presidential Republic

The President is usually elected by the people and serves as head of state, but is more than a purely ceremonial figurehead. The President also has some power to run the government.

The Prime Minister is usually appointed by the President, and sometimes elected by the people, and serves as the head of government.

In France, the President controls foreign policy and the Prime Minister controls domestic policy.

France

President François Hollande

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault (appointed by the President)

Examples: France, Russia

Three Systems of Government

UnitaryConfederation

Federal

StrongCentral

Government

Weak Central Government

Strong State GovernmentsWeak State Governments

Strong CentralGovernment

Powersof theCentralGov’t.

Powersof theStates

SharedPowers

Strong State Governments

Unitary System of Government

Definition: A strong central government controls

weaker state and local governments.Strong Central

Government

• Central Government can take power away from the state and local governments at any time.• Central Government acts directly on the people.

• Examples: United Kingdom, France, Sweden

Weak State Governments

Confederation System of Government

Definition: Independent, strong state governments with a weak central government.

Weak Central Government

Strong

• States have independent control over their own area• Central government only controls things of common concern• States can withdraw from the Confederation at any time• Central government acts on the states, not directly on people

• Example: Second Athenian Empire, Old Swiss Confederacy

State Gov- ern- ments

Before the Founding Fathers created the Constitution, most nations had either a Unitary or Confederate system of government.

Governments held authority over the people. The people did not control the government. In some countries, the King was in charge. In Confederation governments, the local or state government was in charge. The people

had little say.In a Federal System of government, the people decide who gets the power. In the Constitution, the Framers decided to split the power between the central government and the state governments.

Federal System of Government

Definition: Power is shared between the central

government and state governments.Strong Central

Government

• The Central Government is usually stronger than the state governments, but there are some powers the states have that the Central Government does not have.• Examples: United States, India, Canada, Germany, Mexico

Powers of theCentral

Government

Powers of theState

GovernmentsSharedPowers

• Create post offices• Declare war

• Create public schools

• Tax the people

Strong State Governments

STRONG CENTRAL WEAKE

R

FRANCE

UNITED KINGDOM

PEOPLE

CENTRAL POWERS

SHARED

UNITED STATES

STATES

WEAKER

STRONG

SHARED POWERS

STATE POWERS

STRONG Central Govt.

STRONG Central Govt.

weak Central Govt.

STRONG State Govts.weak State Govts.

STRONG State Govts.