Types of Government (Unit 3)

Authoritarian Government

BROAD system where Political power is concentrated in one leader or a small group, while citizens have limited participation in choosing leaders or influencing government decisions.

Democratic Government

BROAD System where citizens have a meaningful role in choosing leaders and influencing government decisions, either directly or through elected representatives.

Autocracy/Dictatorship

One person holds most political power and makes major government decisions with few effective checks on that power.

Absolute Monarchy

A hereditary king or queen holds most or all governing power and faces few effective limits on that power.

Constitutional Monarchy

A king or queen remains head of state, but law limits that role and elected leaders carry out most governing.

Oligarchy

A small, powerful group controls most government decisions. Membership in the ruling group may be based on wealth, family, military power, political connections, or social status.

Military Junta

A group of military leaders controls the government, often after taking power from the previous government in a coup.

Totalitarian Regime

Government seeks broad control over political life and many parts of society, such as media, information, education, and organizations, while allowing little political opposition or individual freedom.

Theocracy

Religious leaders, institutions, or teachings play a central role in political authority, laws, and government decisions.

Republic/Representative Democracy

Citizens choose representatives who make laws and government decisions on their behalf.

Direct Democracy

Citizens vote themselves on laws or major government decisions rather than leaving those decisions entirely to elected representatives.

Unitary System

Most governing power is concentrated in the national or central government. Regional and local governments exercise powers given to them by that central government.

Federal System

Governing power is divided between the national government and state or regional governments, with each level having powers of its own.

Confederal System

States or regions keep most governing power and give a shared central government only certain limited powers.

Legislature

The part of government responsible for making laws.

Executive

The part of government responsible for carrying out and enforcing laws.

Presidential System

The executive and legislature are separately chosen and operate as separate branches, and the head of the executive serves a set term.

Parliamentary System

Executive leadership comes from the legislature and remains in power only while it has enough legislative support to govern.

Prime Minister

The head of government in a parliamentary system, usually the leader of the party or coalition that has enough support in the legislature to govern.

Parliament

The lawmaking body in a parliamentary system. Its members also help determine which party or coalition forms the government.

Coalition

Two or more political parties that agree to work together, often so they have enough legislative support to form a government.