1.2.1 Study: How Governments Function

Governments can be classified based on:

1. Who has the power 2. How much power they have 3. Where that power is located 4. How that power is distributed

Constitutional monarchy

A King or Queen is the official head of state but power is limited by a constitution.

authoritarian government

A government controlled by an individual or small group with absolute political power. There are no restrictions on the ruler or rulers' power.

constitutional government

A government whose powers are limited by a written document — a constitution.

society

A group of people who interact in a defined territory and share a culture.

citizen

A person who owes loyalty to and is protected by a country. Citizens of a country have certain rights and responsibilities.

dictatorship

A system of government in which all of the power is held by one person or a small group of people.

monarchy

A system of government in which political power is inherited and control over the state is given to one individual.

Absolute monarchy

A system of government in which the head of state is a hereditary position and the king or queen has almost complete power

democracy

A system of government in which the people rule, usually by voting.

anarchy

A total lack of government.

confederal government

A type of government in which independent states join together, forming a central government with only limited powers over the states.

unitary government

A type of government in which power is centralized in one location.

federal government

A type of government in which power is divided between a central government and smaller, more localized governments.

parliamentary government

A type of government in which the executive branch is composed of members from the legislative branch.

presidential government

A type of government in which the legislative branch and the executive branch are separate and provide checks and balances on each other's powers.

totalitarian government

An authoritarian government that seeks to control all aspects of society.

nation-state

An independent state inhabited primarily by a group of people who share a culture and language.

social institution

An organized or standard way by which society meets its basic needs.

Which statement best describes the relationship between power and authority? A.Power is authority that is recognized as legitimate. B. People with power always have authority as well. C. Sometimes people with power lack authority.

C. Sometimes people with power lack authority.

Which statement most accurately compares citizens' participation in democracies to their participation in dictatorships?

Citizens are encouraged to participate in democratic governments, while in dictatorships, they have little voice.

spectrum

Continuum or range.

public policy

Government plans or actions that attempt to solve a society's problems.

Theocracy [Dictatorships]

In a theocracy, power is held by officials of a particular religion who are considered to be guided by a god or other higher power. In these governments, followers believe that authority is granted by that higher power. In addition, the legal systems of these nation-states are based in religious law. Iran is a modern example of a theocracy.

Autocracy [Dictatorships]

In an autocracy, all power is held by a single individual. This supreme leader has no limits on his or her power — not from a constitution, the laws of the nation, or even the rest of the government. In an autocracy, individual rights are often ignored and power is seized, not granted. Adolf Hitler, leader of Nazi Germany during World War II, is one of history's best-known autocrats.

Oligarchy [Dictatorships]

In an oligarchy, a small group holds all the power. This group is usually linked by a common trait, such as royalty, education, or — in most cases — extreme wealth. This wealth brings extreme power and the ability to influence the government and the economy. In many cases, the power is significant but not legitimized by the people, a constitution, or any other factor. Many consider the modern Russian Federation to be an oligarchy because it is ruled by a small circle of extremely wealthy businessmen.

Which statement best compares the source of authority in democracies and dictatorships?

In democracies, the government's authority comes from the people; in dictatorships, rulers often have power but no authority.

power

In government, control over the actions of others.

authority

In government, power that is recognized as legitimate.

mutually exclusive

Related in such a way that each makes the other impossible; not able to be true or exist at the same time.

Which statement best evaluates the role that rule of law plays in democracies, dictatorships, and absolute monarchies?

Rule of law is a fundamental principle of democracy, but it has little place in dictatorships and absolute monarchies.

political scientists

Scholars who study political beliefs and government systems.

rule of law

The acceptance of the legitimacy of the law and general obedience to the law.

separation of powers

The division of power between multiple parts of a government. For example, the U.S. federal government has a separation of powers between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches.

sovereignty

The power of a nation-state to determine its form of government.

constitution

The set of rules that define and organize a government.

oppression

Unjust or cruel use of power.