Government Basics What is the role of citizens

Government Basics What is the role of citizens?

Question: Do the citizens (people) of the nation have a say in their government?

Governments and Citizen Participation: Autocracy ■ Autocratic – one person possesses unlimited power; citizens have limited if any role in government ■ Forms of Autocratic Governments: – Absolute or Totalitarian Dictatorships – Absolute Monarchies

Government and Citizen Participation: Oligarchy ■ Government by the FEW; citizens have very limited role in government ■ Government run by small group that gets power from military, social status, wealth, religion, or a combination of these ■ Examples: – Communist countries like China – leaders in political party and military control government – Afghanistan under the Taliban

Government and Citizen Participation: Democracy ■ Citizens influence the government by voting; citizen participation is highest in this form of government ■ Two basic types of democratic governments: – Parliamentary Democracy – Presidential Democracy

Parliamentary Democracy ■ Citizens vote on members of legislative branch ■ Cabinet (made up of members of the legislative branch) has executive power ■ Legislative branch sometimes elects a Prime Minister ■ LEGISLATIVE BRANCH has most power ■ Example: Israel

Presidential Democracy ■ People vote on legislative branch AND leader of executive branch (President) ■ Government where the president has executive power and is independent of the legislative branch ■ Power is generally shared among the branches of government ■ Example: United States

Low or No Participation Autocratic Low or No Participation Oligarchic Citizen Participation Government Power General Citizens’ Participation Select Citizens’ Participation Government Power Citizen Participation Government Power How Governments Determine High Participation Citizen Participation High Participation Low or No Participation Democracy