Types of Historical and Modern Governments
-Governments are institutions that make, interpret, and implement laws to maintain order
and provide security for citizens.
-In the United States, citizens choose their leaders through elections. The government is
designed to protect citizens' rights and freedoms.
Types of Government:
Oligarchy: Power is held by a small group, often from the upper class or military. The rulers
serve their own interests rather than the society's.
Monarchy: Power is held by a king, queen, emperor, or empress. Leadership is usually
hereditary.
Monarchy
Traditional Monarchy Constitutional Monarchy
Traditional monarchy: rulers have absolute power.
Constitutional monarchy: the ruler's power is limited by laws.
Dictatorship: A single leader has absolute power over the country, including political, social,
and economic aspects. The leader is not bound by any rules, and elections, if
allowed, are typically meaningless.
Democracy: Citizens exercise power directly or through elected representatives.
Democracy(power of people)
Direct Democracy Representative Democracy
Parliamentary Democracy Presidential Democracy
Direct democracy: Citizens participate directly in government. its foundations in ancient
Greece, Athens
Representative democracy: elected officials govern on behalf of citizens.
Parliamentary Democracy: Government leaders are chosen by the political party with a
majority in the legislature. (Head of government- Prime Minister)
Presidential Democracy:A president, elected by the voters, serves as the head of state and
government. (Head of government- President)
Republic: A form of democracy where the head of state is elected by voters, rather than
being a hereditary monarch.
Theocracy: A form of government in which religious leaders hold the power. Kings were
believed to get their power from the gods.
Aristocracy: A form of government in which power is held by a small, privileged class of
people, often based on education, wealth, or social status.
Anarchy: The absence of any formal government or authority.
