Types of Governments

Government authority is based on the consent of the governed.

• Anarchy
• Monarchy
• Democracy
• Dictatorship

 Self-appointed single person/group rules controlling all aspects of public life (example: freedom of speech) often through military force, intimidation

• Dictatorship
• Totalitarian
• Monarchy
• Oligarchy

Ruler, king/queen/emperor/empress, etc.), inherits power.  Rules by divine right- given power to rule by God.

• Theocracy
• Democracy
• Republic
• Monarchy

 People elect representatives to make laws/decisions for them, a government without a monarch.

• Anarchy
• Republic
• Dictator
• Monarchy

Government which controls every aspect of public and private life. 

• Republic
• Totalitarian
• Theocracy
• Democracy

Example: Ancient Greece; citizens gathered to make decisions for their city-states and voted directly on issues.

• Constitutional Monarchy
• Democratic Republic
• Representative Democracy
• Direct Democracy

Example: Modern day – England – ruler is a symbolic head of state with elected members of Parliament who govern.

• Constitutional Monarchy
• President
• Dictator
• Republic

Example: United States; citizens vote for representatives on local, state and national levels who make laws.

• Monarchy
• Anarchy
• Theocracy
• Republic

Example: Soviet Union – Joseph Stalin; censored all books and articles, citizens are terrorized by police; any opposition is sent to labor camps or killed.

• Democracy
• Theocracy
• Republic
• Totalitarian

This country is still a monarchy and ruled by a royal family.

• Iraq
• Iran
• Syria
• Saudi Arabia