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    Systems of Government - Democracy and Dictatorship

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    Urva Fatima

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    Systems of Government - Democracy and Dictatorship

    Uploaded by

    Urva Fatima
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    Original Title

    Systems of Government--Democracy and Dictatorship

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    15 views41 pages

    Systems of Government - Democracy and Dictatorship

    Uploaded by

    Urva Fatima

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 41

    Systems of Government:

    Democracy and Dictatorship


    Autocracy
    Systems of Government

    Autocracy Oligarchy Democracy


    Government Power

    Citizen Participation

    Autocratic
    Government Power

    Select Citizens’
    Participation

    Oligarchic General Citizens’


    Participation

    Government Power

    Citizen Participation
    State Power & Citizen Participation

    Democratic
    1. Autocratic State
    I , Me and Myself
    One person possesses unlimited power.
    The citizens have limited, if any, role in government.
    1. Autocratic
     The oldest form of government.
     Most common form of government in history.
     Autocrats maintain power through inheritance or
    ruthless use of military and police power.
     Rulers cannot be held accountable to the will of the
    people.

     Stalin (SU), Mussolini (Italy), Hitler (Germany),


    Saddam Hussain (Iraq)
    Autocracy
    Dictatorship Totalitarianism Authoritarianism Monarchy
    Forms of Autocratic Governments:
    Dictatorship
    Pakistan, Sudan and Cuba
    A form of government in which a ruler or small
    clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a
    constitution or laws).
    They can be classified as autocracies or
    oligarchies.
    All dictatorships are authoritarian: Rulers hold
    absolute and unchallengeable power over their
    citizens.
    • In most dictatorships today, several
    groups hold power. These include, army,
    religious leaders, wealthy industrialists.
    • Many times people are able to vote, but
    ballots typically contain only one
    candidate.
    • Most dictatorships today are military in
    nature; power is gained and held by force.
    Forms of Autocratic Governments:
    Totalitarianism/ Fascism
     Ideas of a single leader glorified.
     Government tries to control all aspects of social
    and economic life.
     People lack the power to limit their rulers.
     Examples: Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini,
    Joseph Stalin, Sadam Hussain, Kings of Saudi
    Aarabia, Gaddafi, North Korean leaders
    Forms of Autocratic Governments

    Authoritarianism
     Unlimited state power
     Limited rights for people
     Single party or dominant party political system
     Intolerance of opposition
     Press censorship
     Use of state force
    1979 – 2003 1927 – 1953
    Forms of Autocratic Governments

    Monarchy
    Government in which supreme power rests in
    the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state
    or territory, usually for life and by hereditary
    right.
    Monarchy
    Absolute Constitutional
    Monarchy Monarchy
    Forms of Autocratic Governments:

    Absolute Monarchy
    • King, queen, or emperor exercises the supreme
    powers of government/unlimited power.
    • Position is usually inherited.
    • People lack the power to limit their rulers.
    • Absolute monarchs are rare today, but from the
    1400s to the 1700s they ruled most of Western
    Europe.
    • Examples- King of Saudi Arabia
    King of Brunei
    Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
    Brunei
    Qatar
    Oman
    Constitutional Monarchy
    UK, Japan, Netherlands, Belgium,
    Norway, Denmark, Spain, and Sweden
    A system of government in which a monarch is
    guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights,
    duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written
    law or by custom.
    United Kingdom
    Thailand
    The Magna Carta (Great Charter) 1215
    A.D. England
    • First formal declaration of rights for people given by
    any king
    – 1st time ever a king has their powers limited
    • How?
    –King John guaranteed certain rights to nobles.
    »Law veto power
    Constitutional Monarchs: Case of UK
    • Power is within the Parliament
    – Legislative body of government
    • Led by a Prime Minister
    –Real leader of government

    – King or Queen
    • Now just a “figurehead”
    –Have no real power
    –Strictly a ceremonial position
    2. Oligarchy

    We, us, and ourselves


    a small group of people having control of a count
    Oligarchy

    The group gets its power from


    1. military/political might (One-Party System)
    2. social power (Aristocracy)
    3. wealth (Plutocracy)
    4. religion (Theocracy) (Examples: Vatican City,
    Afghanistan (1996-2001), Iran, Saudi Arabia)
    5. Some combination of the above
    *Communist China is an example of a One-Party
    System.
    Communism
    The case of China
    A system of government in which the state plans
    and controls the economy (command economy)
    and a single party-often authoritarian- holds power.
    State controls are imposed with the elimination of
    private ownership of property while claiming to
    make progress toward a higher social order in
    which all goods are equally shared by the people
    (i.e. a classless society).
    Theocracy

    Where a religious leader makes all the decisions and leads


    the country
    Example: Vatican City and the Pope
    3. Democracy
    a system of government by the whole population or all the
    eligible members of a state, typically through elected
    representatives.
    Characteristics of Democracy
    Individual Liberty
    The government promotes
    • Equality
    • Equal opportunity
    Majority rule with
    minority rights
    Government must avoid the “tyranny
    of the majority”
    Characteristics of Democracy
    Free Elections
     1 person = 1 vote
     Open to all candidates
     Free to express views & criticize
     Secret ballots
     Minimal restrictions (e.g. age)
    Competing political parties
     Need a choice in elections.
     Opposition to question and challenge
    What Makes A Good Democracy?

    Active Citizen Participation


    • Citizens need to vote and debate.

    Widespread Education
    • Usually need public schools (supported
    by taxes)
    What Makes A Good Democracy?

    Strong Civil Society


    • Labor unions
    • Newspapers
    • Business associations (Chamber
    of Commerce, etc.)
    What Makes A Good Democracy?

    A Social Consensus
    • General agreement about the purpose of
    government.
    • General agreement about the limits of
    government.
    A Favorable Economy
    • Free enterprise is usually needed.

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