This document discusses different forms of government. It describes three main types - autocracy, oligarchy, and democracy - based on who rules and citizen participation. It also outlines three systems for distributing power - unitary, confederation, and federal. Unitary governments have all power centralized, while federal systems share power between central and regional authorities. The document provides examples like the UK and US to illustrate different combinations of type and system.

1. Forms of Governments

2. To study governments, geographers
look at the following:
Types – Who rules and who participates?
Systems – How the power is distributed?

3. Types of Government are based on
one key question: Who governs and
what is the citizen participation?
There are three types of governments:
Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy

4. Autocracy
Government in which the power to govern
is held by one person.
Generally the power to rule is inherited or
by military force.
There are three
types of Autocracy.

5. #1 Dictatorship
The leader has not been
elected and uses force to
control all aspects of
social and economic life.
Examples: Adolf Hitler in
Germany and Joseph
Stalin in the Soviet Union

6. #2 Absolute Monarchy
Brunei, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Vatican City.
A monarchy has a king, queen, emperor or
empress.
The power is usually inherited or passed
down from family members.
The monarch has absolute power meaning
they can make all decisions
without consulting anyone.

7. #3 Constitutional Monarchy
Kings, queens or emperors share power
with elected legislatures.
Generally they are nothing more than
figureheads (ceremonial).
The government is a democratic one that
limits the monarchs power.
Example: Great Britain

8. Oligarchy
A government in which a few people such
as a dominant clan or clique have power.
The group gets their power from either
military, wealth or social status.
Elections may be held but offer
only one candidate.
Example:
Greek city states
CCaauuddiillllooss - those who
owned large estates throughout
SSppaarrttaa the land.

9. Democracy
In a democracy, the government is
“Ruled by the people”
There are two forms of democracy
 Direct Democracy – People vote on all the issues.
 Representative Democracy – People elect representatives
and give them the power to vote on issues.
 Example: United States

10. In a democracy….
Individual freedom and equality is
valued.
Free elections are held
Decisions are based on majority rule.
All candidates can express their views
freely.
Citizens vote by secret ballot.

11. Democratic Governments
There are two major kinds of
democratic governments:
Parliamentary
Presidential

12. Parliamentary Democracy
Voters elect members to the Parliament (legislature)
Parliament has two Houses:
 House of Commons: The Political Party with the most
votes in the House of Commons chooses the Prime
Minister, the government’s leader with no set length
of term.
 House of Lords: Little power with most members
being nobles having inherited their titles.

13. Presidential
Democracy
Voters elect legislators
Voters elect (indirectly) the president.
Therefore, in the presidential system voters
have a more direct say about those who
serve in two branches of the government :
Legislative
Executive

14. Parliamentary
System
Presidential System
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15. Systems of Government are based
on one question:
How is the power distributed?
There are three ways governments
distribute power:
Unitary
Confederation
Federal

16. Unitary
One central government controls
everything.
Power is not shared between states,
counties or provinces.
Examples : United Kingdom, France,
the Netherlands, and Spain

17. Unitary
Ways Government Distributes Power
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority

18. Confederation
A voluntary association of independent states
that agrees to follow a powerful central
government.
Nations can choose to follow or not follow the
lead of the weak central government.
Examples: Confederate States of America
( 1861-1865), Russian Federation.

19. Confederation
Ways Government Distributes Power
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority

20. Federal
Power is shared by a powerful central
government.
States or provinces are given
considerable self rule, usually through
their own legislatures.
Examples: United States, Germany

21. Federation / Federal
Ways Government Distributes Power
Regional
Authority
Central
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority
Regional
Authority

22. How is the power distributed?
Unitary Confederation
Federal
Shared power
All key powers
are held by the
central
government
State/regional
authorities
hold most of
the power
Strong central
government Weaker central
government

23. How Governments Determine Citizen Participation
High Participation High Participation
Citizen Participation
Democracy Oligarchic Autocratic Government Power
Government Power
General Citizens’
Participation
Government Power
Citizen Participation
Select Citizens’
Participation
Low or No Participation Low or No Participation Low or No Participation

24. Putting it all together….
The United Kingdom is an autocratic
constitutional monarchy with a
parliamentary democracy and a unitary
system.
The United States is a presidential
democracy with a federal system.
What do those statements mean?

25. What do you remember?
What are the three types of
governments?
Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy
What are the three systems of
government?
Unitary, Confederation, and Federal