Governments

Autocracy

a system of government by one person with absolute power.

Absolute Monarchy

A government in which the king or queen has absolute power.

Dictatorship

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

Theocracy

a system of government in which priests rule in the name of God or a god.

Totalitarianism Regime

Totalitarianism is a form of government that attempts to assert total control over the lives of its citizens.

junta

a military group ruling a country after seizing power

Oligarchy

A government ruled by a few powerful people

one-party state

a political system in which one party controls the government and actively seeks to prevent other parties from contesting for power

Aristocracy

Group of the most wealthy and privileged

Totalitarianism

A form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator (not restricted by a constitution or laws or opposition etc.)

plutocracy

government of the wealthy

Direct Democracy

A form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives

Indirect Democracy

a system of government that gives citizens the opportunity to vote for representatives who work on their behalf

Representative Democracy

A system of government in which citizens elect representatives, or leaders, to make decisions about the laws for all the people.

Republic

A form of government in which citizens choose their leaders by voting

Presidential Democracy

A form of government in which the citizens directly elect a president

Parliamentary Democracy

Form of government in which people vote for the legislative body, which in turn selects the prime minister.

anarchy

absence of government

Power

The ability to rule

authority

the right to rule

Legitimacy

society's belief that their ruler or government has the right to rule

Sovereignty

supreme and ultimate power or authority within a territory

Divine Right

Belief that a rulers authority comes directly from god.

Evolution Theory

state developed naturally out of the early family

Social Contract

A voluntary agreement among individuals to secure their rights and welfare by creating a government and abiding by its rules.

Force Theory

state was born of force

Monarchy

A government ruled by a king or queen

consitutional monarchy

monarch inherits right to rule but is limited by laws and a law-making body elected by the people

unitary system

A government that gives all key powers to the national or central government

federal system

A government that divides the powers of government between the national government and state or provincial governments

confederal system

A system consisting of a league of independent states, each having essentially sovereign powers. The central government created by such a league has only limited powers over the states.