1 / 11

Comparative Government

Comparative Government. Essential Questions. How is the leader chosen, or how does the leader acquire power? Given the manor in which the leader is decided, are they qualified to lead? What powers or limits on powers does the leader have?

cantrellm
Download Presentation

Comparative Government

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Comparative Government

  2. Essential Questions • How is the leader chosen, or how does the leader acquire power? • Given the manor in which the leader is decided, are they qualified to lead? • What powers or limits on powers does the leader have? • What advantages and disadvantages does each type of government have? • What opportunities for citizen participation are there in each government?

  3. Absolute Monarchy • Leader is a monarch (king or queen) • Leader is decided through hereditary lineage (by birth) • Leader is groomed by birth to lead • There is no limit to the monarch’s power, so citizens have no rights • Examples: France until 1789, Russia until 1917, Saudi Arabia today

  4. Constitutional Monarchy • Head of state is either through hereditary lineage or elected • Shares power, or is merely a figurehead, with a prime minister • Power of monarch is limited by a constitution that gives citizens rights • Examples: United Kingdom today

  5. Parliamentary Democracy • Prime minister is elected to be the head of government • People elect a legislature which then elects the head of government, so no true separation of powers • Leader can be removed for unpopularity with a “vote of no confidence” • Power of government is limited through a constitution, so citizens are guaranteed rights • Example: United Kingdom today

  6. Presidential Democracy • Leader is popularly elected as president • Has a complete separation of powers (with checks and balances guaranteeing no part of government gets too powerful) • Leader can be impeached for misconduct (high crimes or misdemeanors) • Government power is limited by a constitution guaranteeing citizens rights • Example: United States today

  7. Dictatorship • Leader acquires power through force • Has no laws or legally-organized opposition telling the leader what they can do • Equivalent to a police state • Considered exact opposite of a democracy • Involves constant indoctrination through propaganda to erase any potential for dissent • Examples: North Korea today, Cuba today, Iraq under Sadam

  8. Theocracy • Leader is either oligarchy or autocracy of ruling priests • Government is ruled through religious authority (This is basically a dictatorship, but the basis of rule is a strict religious command) • Citizens have no rights that conflict with religious doctrine • Examples: Iran today, the Vatican today, Afghanistan under the Taliban

  9. Totalitarian Governments • Totalitarianism • The state controls every aspect of public and private life • The ruler(s) have TOTAL control/power • Keep power by disseminating (spreading) propaganda through state-controlled media, restricting free speech, controlling the economy, creating a personality cult, and use of terror tactics

  10. Propaganda • Widespread promotion of particular ideas to further your cause or damage an opposing one • Indoctrination • The act of teaching particular doctrines, beliefs, or ideas of a party or cult

  11. Examples of totalitarian states: • Nazi Germany • Soviet Union • Mao Zedong’s Communist China • Khmer Rouge of Pol Pot in Cambodia • Saddam Hussein’s Iraq • North Korea today under Kim Jong-Il

More Related