Types of Government

Types of Government

Anarchy Constitutional Monarchy Absolute Monarchy Dictatorship Parliamentary Democracy Presidential Democracy Theocracy Oligarchy Republic Communism Types

Anarchy • An apparent absence of laws and restrictions • A lack of government • Typically occurs during transition phases of government • Pro- Each individual has absolute power • Con- Each individual has absolute power

Absolute Monarchy • A king/queen has total power over every aspect of the country • Pro- Ruler can easily make decisions and changes for the benefit of the country • Con- A weak or unjust ruler can create many problems for the country

Constitutional Monarchy • Government with shared power between a king/queen and a legislative body • Can be one-sided with the monarch or the legislature having more power • Sometimes the monarch just serves as a figurehead • Pro- Not all of the power is in one person’s hands

Dictatorship • Absolute power in the hands of one person or group • Usually backed by the force of a military • Pro- Often occurs during times of crisis for a country and brings stability • Con- a ruthless dictator can lead to massive loss of life and destruction

Parliamentary Democracy • Rule of people with their power given to an elected executive and an elected/appointed legislative body • There is no clear separation of powers between the two groups • Pro- When the legislature and executive work together good things happen • Con- Disputes between the groups can grind government to a halt

Presidential Democracy • Rule of the people that contains separation between executive, legislative, and judicial branches • Government type that we have in the United States • Pros- Individual branches keep each of the other branches from becoming too powerful • Cons- If the branches do not cooperate, the governmental action can stop or good laws may be stopped out of spite

Theocracy • Rule by a religious faction or religious leader • Typically occurs in states with an official religion • Can still have a legislative branch, but it would be controlled by the religious group • Pro- Government has massive support by its residents because they believe in that faith • Con- Religious decisions may affect decisions that would better help the country and the people in it

Oligarchy • Power resides within a very small elite group of individuals • Usually specified by royalty, wealth, or family lines • Pro- One person cannot be influenced to make changes within government • Con- Group in power usually tries harder to stay in power than to actually help the country

Republic • Rule by the people in which there isn’t an executive • The people have all of the power • Pro- People have the power to control every aspect of government • Con- The majority group can make decisions that will adversely affect minorities

Communism • Government has total control over all factors of production (land, labor, and capital) • Goal is to create a classless society where everyone is treated equally • Pro- If it works, all people would have the same opportunities • Con- People have no say in anything

Types of Government