Name: Adham ahmed

ID :93838
FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

A government is a system of order for a nation, state, or another political unit. A government is

responsible for creating and enforcing the rules of a society, defense, foreign affairs, the economy, and

public services. While the responsibilities of all governments are similar, those duties are executed in

different ways depending on the form of government. Some of the different types of government

include a direct democracy, a representative democracy, socialism, communism, a monarchy, an

oligarchy, and an autocracy.

Basic Types of Government

While there are numerous political philosophies and systems, there are five specific types of

government that are most common around the world. Most forms of government are some variation of

one of the following.

Aristotle's Six Types of Government

The earliest and most famous classification of governments was Aristotle's in the fourth century B.C. He

distinguished among three legitimate kinds of government where the ruling authority acts in the

interests of all and three corrupt counterparts where government acts only in the interests of self.

A monarchy, according to Aristotle, is one person ruling in the interest of all. But monarchy can

degenerate into tyranny, the corrupt form, under which the single ruler exercises power for the benefit

of self. Aristocracy, Greek for rule of the best (aristos), is several persons ruling in the interest of all. But

this legitimate rule by an elite can decay into oligarchy, the corrupt form, in which several persons rule

in the interest of themselves.

Aristotle saw the polity (what we might call constitutional (democracy) as the rule of many in the

interests of all and the best form of government. All citizens have a voice in selecting leaders and

framing laws, but formal constitutional procedures protect rights. Aristotle warned that polity can decay

into the corrupt form, democracy, the rule of many in the interests of themselves, the worst form of

government. Deluded into thinking that one person is as good as another, the masses in a democracy

follow the lead of corrupt and selfish demagogues and plunder the property of the hardworking and the

capable. Aristotle's classification, which reigned for nearly 25 centuries, is still useful and can be

summarized like this:

In an authoritarian regime, the government has total control. Authoritarian regimes have typically

earned this control by forceful means. While this seems pretty cut and dried, it is anything but.

Authoritarian regimes aren’t always easy to recognize. They might still hold elections and have branches

of government, but only a small group holds the power. Authoritarian regimes can be monarchies or

various forms of government including communism, socialism and fascism.

Saudi Arabia, under Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, is an authoritarian state as well as an

absolute monarchy. All the power rests in the hands of the ruling family, the House of Saud, and the

majority of the kingdom’s most important positions are filled by members of the royal family or report

directly to the royal family.

During the 20th century, Argentina became authoritarian under President Juan Perón. Perón imposed

mass censorship by closing down over 100 publications between 1943 and 1946 and having opposition

members imprisoned and even tortured. After Perón went into exile in 1955, the following

administrations also employed authoritarian tactics.

When Hugo Chávez became president of Venezuela in 1999, the country implemented democratic

socialism and a presidential government. However, it also became increasingly authoritarian under

Chávez and later Nicolás Maduro.

Refrence: https://examples.yourdictionary.com/different-types-of-government-around-the-world.html

(Authoritarianism)

• The term authoritarianism and Totalitarianism are often confused, but the two words have

different meanings.

• Authoritarianism is a system of government in which power.

Nondemocratic Government:

Authoritarianism (Syria, Iraq, Burma):

[1] Single - party or no party politics.

[2] Self-determined or party - determined leadership.

[3] Elections without choices.

[4] Irregular tolerance of individual liberties.

[5] Little or no constitutional restraint on government.

[7] Government determination of economic system and structure.

[8] Government control of press.

Refrence : Text book ch.3

Democracy

A popular form of government in the modern era is democracy, which is an example of a limited

government. In direct contrast to an authoritarian government, a democracy exists when the people

hold the power. Different types of democracy include direct and representative. Most democracies

around the world are representative democracies, but there are many types of democracy.

The United States is often cited as an example of representative democracy, or a democratic republic.

More specifically, the U. S.is a federal republic with a democratic government and a capitalistic

economy. There are several other examples and types of democracy in the world, including, but

certainly not limited to:

• parliamentary democracy

In a parliamentary democracy, the head of state is different from the head of government. In the United

Kingdom, the head of state is the monarch, who serves a primarily ceremonial role, and the head of

government is the prime minister. Executive power is exercised by the House of Commons and House of

Commons on behalf of the monarch to represent the people. The people vote for members of

parliament in elections, and the party with the most representatives appoints the prime minister.

• presidential democracy

The United States is an example of a presidential democracy. There are three branches of government:

executive, legislative and judicial. The president is the head of the executive branch of government and

the head of state. The people elect the president as well as the representatives in the Senate and House

of Representatives, which make up the legislative branch. Only the judicial branch is not elected by the

people; instead, they are chosen by the president.

• direct democracy

Switzerland is a unique example of direct democracy in practice and has been since 1846. Unlike other

democracies, in a direct democracy electorates may determine policy without legislative

representatives, as opposed to electing representatives as proxies. For example, any citizen

referendum is mandatory to make changes to the constitution.

Refrence: https://examples.yourdictionary.com/different-types-of-government-around-the-world.html

(Democracy)

• In the modern world, democracy is no longer the direct determination of all, government policy

by the people.

• The people play a more general role.

• Democracy, today, is a "political system" which supplies regular constitutional opportunities for

changing the governing officials, and a social mechanism which permits the largest possible part

of the population to influence major decisions by choosing among contenders for political office.

The Representation democracy has several essential

ingredients:

1. popular support of government

2. political competition

3. Alternative in power

4. Popular Representation

5. Majority Rule

6. Political equality

7. Popular equality

8. Popular consultation

9. Free press

Perfect Democracy (Power in Hands of the People):

[1] Non-partisan, politics.

[2] Full individual participation in government virtually.

[3] Unlimited individual liberties.

[4] Absolute social and economic equality.

[5] Free access to administrative office

[6] Absolute freedom of the press.

Refrence : Text book ch.3

Monarchy is not as common as democracy now, but it was historically one of the most common forms

of government. In a monarchy, one family rules, and their title is passed down through the generations.

However, much like a democracy, who is in charge isn’t totally cut and dried. In an absolute monarchy,

the king or ruler is in control of all the government. The more common constitutional monarchy has a

royal family, but they serve mostly as ceremonial figures. Examples of monarchies that exist today

include:

• constitutional monarchy

In the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth is the figurehead monarch, but parliament has most

government control.

• absolute monarchy

Vatican City is not only its own country, it's also a monarchy where one figure, the pope, rules as

sovereign.

Oligarchy

Similar to a monarchy, an oligarchy places power with a few people or families, typically a country’s

wealthy elite. Unlike aristocracy, oligarchy is not necessarily dependent on noble birth, but on wealth or

those who are deemed most “capable” of ruling. The term is derived from the Greek words for "few"

(óligon) and "rule" (arkho).

There are multiple types of oligarchies, including autocracy (one dictator rules over everything),

plutocracy (rule by the wealthy), stratocracy (rule by the military), and theocracy (rule by religion).

Some historical and current examples of oligarchies include:

• autocracy

Russia has had an oligarchy for centuries, beginning in the 15th century and continuing to the modern

day. The wealthy elite have long wielded undue influence in government. In particular, the Russian czars

positioned themselves as autocrats and later on after the revelation and rise of the Soviet Union,

dictators like Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin also took on autocratic roles.

• Plutocracy

City-states like Athens and Sparta in Ancient Greece were ruled by wealthy men who shared king-like
power, which they used to enrich themselves at the expense of the common people.

• stratocracy

Following numerous wars and gradual expansion, a stratocratic system developed over time in Ancient

Rome. After the Marian reforms in 107 B.C., the military became the de facto political power as loyalty

transferred from the Senate to the generals

• theocracy

Modern Iran has a mixed theocratic government where there is a supreme leader, president and several

councils, but the laws of the constitution and justice in the state are based on Islamic law.

Totalitarian

When you think of a totalitarian government, it takes absolute power to the extreme. These leaders

control not only the government but also the personal lives of their people. Citizens have no say in

government, and the totalitarian regime is 100% in charge. This type of government is forceful and

extreme and can come in the form of fascism, socialism or communism.

In Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler used totalitarian tactics to achieve control over Germany with the goal of

extending his power across Europe. He used this for control over the people as well as to justify the

genocide of millions.

Leaders of the Soviet Union like Vladimir Lenin and especially Joseph Stalin silenced opposition to the

state, going so far as to have political enemies imprisoned and even killed. His actions resulted in the

deaths of millions.

Benito Mussolini used secret police to silence opposition to his regime in Fascist Italy.

Chairman Mao Zedong of the People’s Republic of China led the country in the Great Leap Forward and

Cultural Revolution, which resulted in the collapse of the Chinese economy and the deaths of up to 45

million people.

In modern times, North Korea is a prime example of a totalitarian government because it is a one-party

communist dictatorship where only one family, the Kims, hold the power.

Totalitarianism (Communist China, Fascist Italy, Nazi, Germane)

[1] Single-party politics self-determined or party-determined leadership.

[3] Absence of constitutionalism.

[4] Extremely narrow political liberties.

[5] Social structure determined by state.

[6] Substantial economic control by government.

[7] Government control of mass media.

Totalitarianism:

• In totalitarianism individuals have no rights, only obligation.

• Everyone is under the state's control even in private thoughts.

• The media are controlled carefully and the people are told only what the government wants

them to know.

• Every citizen needs the state's permission to marry, to hear children, and to change jobs or

places of residence. Citizens are creatures of the state.