Government

1
Government

• Standard SS6CG4
• SS6CG4 The student will compare and contrast
  various forms of government
• a. Describe the ways government systems
  distribute power unitary, confederation, and
  federal.
• b. Explain how governments determine citizen
  participation autocratic, oligarchic, and
  democratic.
• c. Describe the two predominant forms of
  democratic governments parliamentary and
  presidential.

2
What is government?

• Make laws or rules people must follow.
• Make sure laws are carried out.
• Settle disagreements about the laws.
• Oversee the welfare of its people.

3
Classifying Governments

• Geographic Distribution of Power
• Relationship between Legislative Executive
  Branches
• Number of People Who Can Participate

4
Government Distribution of Power

• the relationship between the national or central
  government and the smaller governmental divisions
  (states, provinces, counties and cities).

5
Unitary Government

• Oldest
• Most Common
• One Central Power
• all key powers being held by the central
  government
• Examples Cuba and the United Kingdom

6
Confederate Government

• state/regional authorities holding most of the
  power.
• Weak Central Government
• Individual states/local governments autonomous
  (independent)
• Local governments join or withdraw by choice!
• Example European Union is an organization of
  more than 25 countries to promote trade within
  Europe

7
Federal Systems

• Power is shared between a central government and
  local governments.
• Some powers re-side with the central government,
  some powers reside with the regional governments,
  and some powers are shared.
• The central government is supreme!
• Examples Australia, Germany, Russia, Canada,
  Brazil, Mexico

8
Citizen Participation

• Voting Rights for all citizens.
• Limited rights for citizens.
• No rights for citizens.

9
Autocracy

• Government by a single person having unlimited
  power despotism (domination through threat of
  punishment and violence) .
• dictators maintain their position via inheritance
  or military power, the citizen has little, if
  any, role in the government. People who try to
  speak out against the government are often
  silenced through use of power.

10
Oligarchy

• A government in which a few people such as a
  dominant clan or clique have power.
• Communist countries are mostly oligarchies. The
  citizen has a very limited role in government.

11
Democracy

• In a democracy, the government is elected by the
  people.
• Everyone who is eligible to vote has a chance to
  have their say over who runs the country.
• It is distinct from governments controlled by a
  particular social class or group (aristocracy
  oligarchy) or by a single person (despotism
  dictatorship monarchy).
• A democracy is determined either directly or
  through elected representatives.

12
Forms of Democracy

• Presidential (USA) a system of government in
  which the president is constitutionally
  independent of the legislature.
• Parliamentary (UK) A system where the
  legislature controls the power.

13
Presidential v Parliamentary System

• Presidential Set term
• Parliamentary No term or limit on term
• Presidential an independent executive,
  separation of powers
• Parliamentary Member of Legislative branch
• Presidential Elected by the people
• Parliamentary Chosen by the majority party in
  Parliament
• Presidential Leader answers to the people
• Parliamentary Leader answers to the Parliament
• Presidential checks and balances
• Parliamentary Legislature controls power