Government Systems and Forms of Power

Vocabulary flashcards covering the characteristics, power distributions, and key terms of different government systems including Democracy, Monarchy, Dictatorship, and Theocracy.

Limited Power

A form of government power where the government has to follow the same laws as the people.

Unlimited Power

A form of government power where the government does NOT need to follow the same laws as the people.

Democracy

A government system where power rests with the people, leaders and representatives are voted on through fair elections with term limits, citizens have rights and freedoms, and power is limited.

Monarchy Democracy

A limited government system where power rests with the people and leaders have term limits, while an inherited king, queen, or emperor serves as a symbol to the country.

Monarchy Dictatorship

An unlimited government system where power rests with an inherited monarch who serves until death, makes all decisions in government, and citizens have no rights and freedoms.

Monarchy Theocracy

An unlimited government system where power rests with an inherited monarch and religious leaders, religious law is based off of the holy book, and citizens do not have rights and freedoms.

Dictatorship Theocracy

An unlimited government system where all power rests with one leader along with key religious leaders, laws are based off of the holy book, the leader has no term limits, and citizens have no rights and freedoms.

Dictatorship

An unlimited government system where all power rests with one leader who has no term limits, comes to power through unfair elections, force, or inheritance, and denies rights and freedoms to the people.

Fair Elections

The voting method used by citizens in a democracy to elect their leader and representatives.

Term Limits

Restrictions setting a maximum time that leaders and representatives can serve; present in a Democracy and Monarchy Democracy, but absent in dictatorships.

Key Words: Democracy

Elected, Representatives, and Voting.

Key Words: Monarchy Dictatorship

King/Sultan, Inherits, and Force.

Key Words: Monarchy Theocracy

King/Sultan, Holy Book, and Religious.

Key Words: Dictatorship Theocracy

Total Control, Holy Book, and Religious.

Key Words: Dictatorship

Total Control, Threats, and Force.