Civics: Types of Government
Constitutional monarchy
A monarch shares power w/ elected officials and must follow constitutional laws
Oligarchy
A small elite group of people control the government
Confederation
A weak or loose organization of sovereign states that agree to work together on big issues such as defense or trade
Three types of authoritarian governments/ autocracy
Absolute monarchy, dictatorship, totalitarianism
A country governed by direct democracy?
Athens, Ancient Greece
Representative democracy
Citizens select representatives to make policy decisions in a governing body
Direct democracy
Citizens vote on all major policy decisions
Three types of democracy?
Constitutional monarchy, direct democracy, representative democracy
Totalitarianism/communism
Country is ruled by one political party, gov. control is very strong in citizens' lives
A country governed by constitutional monarchy?
England
Example of confederation
European Union (EU)
Dictatorship
Government controlled by an unelected person who usually has control over the military
Theocracy
Government controlled by people who base laws on religious ideas
Aristocracy
Government ruled by aristocrats
A country governed by theocracy?
Iran
Absolute monarchy
King or queen has absolute power through divine right
A country governed by dictatorship?
Nazi Germany
A country governed by totalitarianism?
North Korea, Cuba, China
Autocracy/authoritarian government
One leader/group holds absolute power
Democracy
Power is held by the people, who exercise power through voting ("rule by the people")
Federal system/federalism
Power shared by federal, state, and local levels of government
A country governed by absolute monarchy?
Saudi Arabia
A country governed by oligarchy?
South Africa (1948-1994)
A country governed by representative democracy?
USA
What are aristocrats?
Wealthy and educated people
