Foundations of Government Part 5 Systems of Government

Foundations of Government Part 5: Systems of Government

Review • What is a government? • How can a government emerge? • What are the main purposes of a government? • Are there different levels of government?

Governmental Systems • Most governments subscribe to one system. – Confederacy – Federal – Unitary • Each system creates different levels of government and different levels of power within the government.

Confederacy • A loose union of independent states. • Tend to be created to address major issues with a central government that provides support to all members. • Examples: – The Iroquois League: Made of six nations and holds the oldest, unchanged government in North America. – The European Union: Made of 27 European nations including France, Austria, Germany, Spain, and the UK, and created to promote economic stability.

Federal • Divides governmental powers between a central government and state and/or local governments to create levels. • Each level has sovereignty in some areas. • Examples: – Most western nations, including the US, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Unitary • All key powers go to the central government. • The central government can create lower governments, therefore creating levels of government. • The central government gives the lower government(s) limited sovereignty. • Examples: – South Africa, Greenland, Egypt, China, and most of Europe.

What this looks like… • …but which is which? Central Government Lower Governments • Why does the arrow go both ways in one scenario, but not the other?

Review • How does the unitary system differ from the federal system? • Do lower governments in the federal system hold any power? • What makes up a confederacy? • Do the nations of a confederacy hold any power?