SS.7.C.3.1 Compare different forms of government (direct democracy, representative democracy, socialism, communism, monarchy, oligarchy, autocracy).

oligarchy

a form of government in which a small group (often of wealthy people) has total control and power

monarchy

a form of government headed by a king or queen who inherits the position, rules for life, and holds power that can range anywhere between limited to absolute

communism

a form of government in which a single ruling party owns and controls the entire economy, and in which no private ownership is allowed

dictatorship

a form of autocracy where a military leader becomes the leader of a country often through violent means

absolute monarchy

a form of autocracy where a person becomes the sole leader of a country by being born into a family of rulers; there are no limits on the monarch's power

socialism

a form of government in which the government plays a major role in running the economy, but private ownership is also allowed and leaders may be elected by the people

direct democracy

a form of government in which the power to govern is directly in the hands of the people rather than elected representatives

autocracy

a form of government where one person has unlimited power

democracy

a system of government in which political power is held by the people

representative democracy

a system of government in which the people elect representatives to make policies and laws for them, also known as a republic

anarchy

the absence of any form of government