Who Rules?Who Rules?Forms of Government Forms of Government

Forms of Forms of GovernmentGovernment

When people decide to form the social When people decide to form the social contracts that we call governments, they contracts that we call governments, they

make many different decisions about how make many different decisions about how their government will look. their government will look.

President or King?

President or King? Rule by few or rule by all? Rule by few or rule by all?

Hold elections?

Hold elections? Where do the rulers get their power? Where do the rulers get their power?

Democracy Democracy Any form of government in which political Any form of government in which political power is exercised by power is exercised by all citizensall citizens, either , either

directly or through their elected directly or through their elected representatives. representatives.

There are two kinds of There are two kinds of DemocraciesDemocracies… … Direct!

Representative!

Direct DemocracyDirect DemocracyAll citizens participate in government. All citizens participate in government.

All citizens can create public policy if they want to.All citizens can create public policy if they want to.

Example: In ancient Athens, Greece, they held Example: In ancient Athens, Greece, they held assemblies where citizens voted to pass laws. assemblies where citizens voted to pass laws.

There are no representatives in government: The There are no representatives in government: The citizens vote on everything!citizens vote on everything!

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracy

Like direct democracy, all citizens participate in Like direct democracy, all citizens participate in governmentgovernment

People elect representatives who vote on laws People elect representatives who vote on laws for the citizensfor the citizens

Representatives answer to the people through Representatives answer to the people through regular electionsregular elections

Representatives are also usually held accountable Representatives are also usually held accountable by a constitutionby a constitution

In a representative In a representative democracy, the democracy, the

representatives answer to representatives answer to the people through the people through

______________________. ______________________. regular electionsregular elections

Now that we’ve talked about

DIRECT DEMOCRACY!And

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY!

we can move on to forms of government where only one person is in control…

AutocracyAutocracyA form of government in which political power is A form of government in which political power is controlled by controlled by oneone individual such as a monarch, individual such as a monarch,

dictator, emperor, etc. dictator, emperor, etc.

We’re going to talk about two kinds of We’re going to talk about two kinds of autocracyautocracy……

Monarchs!

Dictators!

MonarchyMonarchyRule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses… Rule by kings, queens, princes, and princesses…

sometimes by other names, but always sometimes by other names, but always MONARCHS! MONARCHS!

Leaders usually gain their power because their Leaders usually gain their power because their parents were rulers too.parents were rulers too.

Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan Some modern monarchies like Spain and Japan have constitutions.have constitutions.

DictatorshipDictatorshipIn a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is In a dictatorship, power is not inherited, but is

acquired by force (military or political)acquired by force (military or political)

Dictators have absolute control over the lives of Dictators have absolute control over the lives of their citizens and usually people are not allowed their citizens and usually people are not allowed to voice their negative opinionsto voice their negative opinions

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il is considered a North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Il is considered a dictatordictator

What else? What else? We’ve talked about We’ve talked about DEMOCRACIESDEMOCRACIES……

Democracy is… rule by the

people!

What else? What else? … … and and AUTOCRACIESAUTOCRACIES… …

Autocracy is… … rule by

one!

Democracy Democracy A B

Rule by everyone

Rule by no one

Direct DemocracyDirect DemocracyA B

Citizens elect people

to vote

All citizens vote on

everything

Representative Representative DemocracyDemocracyA B

Representatives are

appointed

Representatives are elected

AutocracyAutocracyA B

Rule by one

Rule by few

MonarchyMonarchyA B

Never have constitutions

Power is inherited

DictatorshipDictatorshipA B

Always protect

freedom of speech

Have total

control