Government

How governments determine citizen participation

(role in government/power): 1. AUTOCRACY 2. OLIGARCHY 3. DEMOCRACY

Citizen Participation• Different governments decide

a citizens’ role in government differently

• The government can share none, little, or most of its power with its citizens

Citizen’s Role (Power)NO RIGHTS

MANY RIGHTS• Voting• Freedom of speech• Freedom of religion• Freedom of the press

3 main ways governments determine citizen participation . . .

1. autocratic 2. oligarchic 3. democratic

DEMOCRATICrule by all

OLIGARCHIC rule by the few

AUTOCRATIC rule by one

Autocracy:

Oligarchy:

Democracy:

Autocratic• Rule by One: One person has

unlimited power• The citizen has almost no role

in the government• Ruler is a monarch (ex. King,

Queen, Emperor) or dictator

Oligarchy

•Rule by a Few (group): A small group has control

•The citizen has a very limited role

WARNING!Autocracy & Oligarchy

• Sometimes claim to rule for the people.• In reality, the people have very little say in both

types of government.• Example - may hold elections with only one

candidate or fake the election results• Example - even when these governments have a

legislature (branch that makes laws), they often only approve decisions made by the leaders.

Democracy• Rule by All: Citizens vote on

government representatives & on specific issues

• People have the most power• Ruler is usually a president

or prime minister

1. Now that you know the definitions, look at these three pictures.

2.Decide which government each picture matches.

3.Cut them out, glue them down next to the correct government.

AUTOCRATC rule by one

OLIGARCHIC rule by the few

DEMOCRATIC rule by all

Government Positive Negative

Autocracy

Oligarchy

Democracy

Balloon Demonstration

You (sticky note)= CITIZEN Balloon = POWERBag holder = RULERBe thinking . . . What kind of government are we representing with our actions?


Government #1 – Everyone giving up a balloon to ONE ruler

Government #2 – Everyone giving up a balloon to a small GROUP of rulers

Government #3 - Everyone holding a balloon



• Voting• Freedom of speech• Freedom of religion• Freedom of the press

Democratic(all)

Autocratic(one)

Oligarchic(few)

REAL WORLD EXAMPLES Think of one example from your own

life for EACH type of government (autocracy, oligarchy, democracy)

Write 1 example per slip of paper DO NOT write the type of

government (autocracy, oligarchy, democracy) b/c your classmates will be guessing this

Staple the 3 slips of paper together. Staple them in a RANDOM ORDER.



Democratic(all)

Autocratic(one)

Oligarchic(few)

Dictatorship

Absolute Monarchy

Theocracy

Communism

Republic

Constitutional

Monarchy



Autocratic(one)

Dictatorship

Absolute Monarchy

Examples of Autocratic Gov’tsDictatorships

• Citizens unwillingly follow the ideas of a single leader

• The government controls all parts of citizens’ lives through military force or threats

• Citizens don’t have the power to change their ruler

• Examples- Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Stalin (Russia), Hussein (Iraq)

Examples of Autocratic Gov’tsAbsolute Monarchy

• Monarch has unlimited power• Position is usually inherited (from

parents or other relatives)• Citizens don’t have the power to

change to ______ their ruler• Absolute monarchs are rare today

but from the 1400s to the 1700s they ruled most of Western Europe

• Example – Saudi Arabia



Oligarchic(few)

Theocracy Communism

Examples of Oligarchy Theocracy

• Citizens may only elect leaders from a group of religious experts.

• Leaders claim to rule on the behalf of a god.

• Elected religious experts make god’s laws into government laws

• EX: IRAN

Examples of OligarchyCommunism

• Citizens may only elect leaders from the Communist party

• The communist political group holds all the power in the government

• The communist government plans and controls the economy too

• EX: CHINA

Examples of OligarchyCommunism

• a single political party holds power• state controls are forced • NO private ownership of property • All goods are to be equally shared

by the people (ex. classless society)

Communism: The Beginning• Began as a revolution to

overthrow the rich and give poor workers more wealth and freedom

• END GOAL: an EQUAL society with no economic classes (EX. NO upper class, middle class, lower classes)

Communism: The Symbol• Sickle & the Hammer• Two tools are symbols of the industrial

workers and the farmers• Placing them together symbolizes the

unity between industrial and agricultural workers

Mao ZedongCHINA

Joseph StalinSOVIET UNION

Vladimir LeninSOVIET UNION

Fidel CastroCUBA Karl Marx

FOUNDER



Democratic(all)

RepublicConstitutional

Monarchy

Examples of Democratic Gov’t

Republic

• Citizens elect representatives from any group to rule and make laws for them

• Citizens can vote out their leaders if they don’t like the way they are governing

Examples of Democratic Gov’tConstitutional

Monarchy• Monarch (King/Queen/Emperor) must

follow the laws of the constitution and usually has no government power

• Citizens elect representatives from any group to rule and make laws for them

• Citizens can vote out their leaders if they don’t like how they are governing

The purpose of the figurehead was often to indicate the name of the ship in a non-literate society and always, in the case of naval ships,

to demonstrate the wealth and might of the owner.

FIGURE HEAD

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Warrior_figure_de_proue.JPG

Examples of Democratic Gov’t

Constitutional Monarchy• Monarch → inherits title → has no real

power (figure-head)• Prime Minister/President → elected by

citizens → holds the real government power

How leaders get power . . . 1. You are receiving six pictures.2. Each box illustrates how the leaders in

each gov’t (dictatorship, republic, theocracy, etc.) get their power.

3. Figure out which illustration goes with each gov’t example and glue it down under the explanation.

Dictatorship

Absolute Monarchy

Theocracy

Communism

Republic

Constitutional

Monarchy

Leader gets power through military force

Leader gets power through relatives (inheritance)

Leader gets power through religious group

Leader gets power through political party

Leader gets power through citizen elections

Leader gets power through election (true power)

& inheritance (figure-head)


MANY RIGHTS• Voting• Freedom of speech• Freedom of religion• Freedom of the press

Democratic(all)

Autocratic(one)

Oligarchic(few)

Dictatorship

Absolute Monarchy

Theocracy

Communism

Republic

Constitutional

Monarchy



Democratic(all)

RepublicConstitutional

Monarchy

Presidential

President

Parliament

Prime Minister

Parliamentary

Democratic(all)

Republic

Constitutional Monarchy

Rule by All: Citizens vote on government representatives & on specific issues

People have the most power

Each elects their

branches of government differently

2 main forms of democratic governments . . .1. Presidential2. Parliamentary

Each elects their branches of government differently

Separation of Powers In 1787, the founding fathers wrote the Constitution, the document which establishes the basic principles of the American government.

The Constitution calls for a separation of powers that divides the powers and duties of the government between three separate branches of government.

Branches of Government

EXAMPLES• Congress (Senate &

House of Representatives)

• Parliament

EXAMPLES• Supreme Court• District courts &

juries

EXAMPLES• President or Prime Minister• Vice President• Cabinets/Agencies - Departments of

Agriculture, Defense, Education, Health, Homeland Security, Transportation, etc.

Enforces Laws - makes sure laws are carried out

Interprets laws – settles

arguments about laws

Makes laws

Balance of Power Each branch has its own responsibilities and at the same time the branches work together to make the country run smoothly and to assure that the rights of citizens are not ignored or disallowed.

This is done through checks and balances. A branch may use its powers to check the powers of the other two in order to maintain a balance of power among the three branches of government.

Branches of Government

Enforces Laws

Interprets lawsMakes laws

What is the difference between these 2 pictures?

President

Parliament

Prime Minister

The citizens vote for the branches of government

differently

Presidential DemocracyCitizens vote for EVERY branch of gov’t

President

Parliamentary DemocracyCitizens DO NOT vote for Executive Branch

Parliament

Prime Minister

Presidential Democracy (definition)• Executive branch is independent

from the legislature• Head of the executive branch

(president) elected by citizens, not the legislature

Presidential Democracy(characteristics)

• Different branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) are equal in power

• Leader is called a president• EXAMPLE U.S.A., Mexico, Brazil


President

Parliamentary Democracy (definition)

• executive branch is dependent on legislative branch (Parliament)

• Head of executive branch (Prime Minister) elected by the legislature, not the citizens

Parliamentary Democracy(characteristics)

• NO clear separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches

• Legislature makes most decisions

• Leader is called a prime minister


Parliament

Prime Minister

Examples of Parliamentary Democracy

U.K., Canada, Germany, Australia

What do you know?1. What is the main difference between a

Presidential Democracy and a Parliamentary Democracy?

• Presidential = executive branch (ex. President) is chosen by the citizens, not the legislature

• Parliamentary = executive branch (ex. Prime Minister) is chosen by the legislature (parliament)

2. Which form of democracy do you think allows for more citizen participation? Why?

• Presidential b/c citizens get to vote for all 3 branches of gov’t


President


Parliament

Prime Minister

DEMOCRACYRule by All: Citizens vote on government representatives & on specific

issuesPeople have the most power

Constitutional Monarchy

Republic

Presidential Democracy

President

Parliament

Prime Minister

Parliamentary Democracy

Government

Documents

Transcript of Government