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Geographic Distribution:
- Unitary
government - (a form of government in
which all of the powers of the government are held by a single
unit or agency.)* Local units of government have power
given to them by the central government. Countries such as
France, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom, along with other
democratic nations use the unitary system of government,
however, the same rules. China, North Korea, Cuba, and
other communist-based governments have unitary systems too.
- Federal
Government - (a form of government in which
governmental powers are divided between central authority and a
number of regional political subdivisions.)*
-
Confederations
- (a political system in which a weak central
government has limited authority and the states have
ultimate power.)*
Legislative &
Executive Branches:
- Parliamentary
Government - (a form of
government in which the executive leaders are chosen and
responsible to the legislature.)*
-
Presidential
Government - ( a form of government in which the
legislative and executive branches are separate and function independently.)*
Number
Who Participate:
Aristotle's simple
classification of governments according to members who
participate are still relevant.
Rule by One -
Absolute
Monarchy - (government in which
the ruler's power is hereditary.)*
Dictatorship
- ( a form of government in which an absolute ruler
controls the power, often through fear or force, and ignores the
will of the people.)* Rule by A
Few-
Aristocracy
- ( rule by the finest determined by wealth or social
position.)*
Theocracy
- (the power to rule lies in the hands of a religious
group.)* Political
Party ( a modern version
of rule by a few is control by a political party and the most
obvious examples are the USSR (1917-1991) and China. since
1949.)* Rule by Many- Democracy
(rule by many)
Direct
or Participatory democracy (democracy began in the
city-states of ancient Greese where most citizens participated
directly.)* Democratic
Centralism ( the leaders claim to discover the people's
interest through discussions within the Communist party and then
made decisions based on their beliefs about what the people want
and need. This is not consistent with Aristotle's
definition of a democracy.)*
Representative
Democracy (a democratic system of government in which
policies are made by officials accountable to the people who
elect them.)* (American
Government)
* Ethel
Wood and Stephen C. Sansone. American Government a
Complete Book. Wilmington, MA: Great Source Education Group,
2002. |
