Government Citizen Participation Autocratic Autocracy Oligarchic Oligarchy Democratic

Government

Citizen Participation Autocratic/ Autocracy Oligarchic/ Oligarchy Democratic/ Democracy Definition Characteristics:

Autocratic/ Autocracy Oligarchic/ Oligarchy Democratic/ Democracy Examples Picture

Citizen Participation • Different governments decide a citizens’ role in government differently • The government can share none, little, or most of its power with its citizens

3 main ways governments determine citizen participation. . . 1. autocratic 2. oligarchic 3. democratic

AUTOCRATIC rule by one OLIGARCHIC rule by the few DEMOCRATIC rule by all

Citizen’s Role in Government Autocratic (one) LEAST citizen participation Oligarchic (few) Democratic (all) MOST citizen participation

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 Low or No Participation Democracy

Autocratic • One person (ex. King, Emperor, Czar) possesses unlimited power • The citizen has limited, if any, role in government

Autocratic cont. • Ruler gets power through inheritance or ruthless use of military & police power • The oldest form of government • One of the most common forms of government

Examples of Autocratic Gov’ts Totalitarianism & Dictatorships • Ideas of a single leader glorified • Gov’t tries to control all parts of social & economic life • People lack the power to limit their rulers • Examples- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Sudan

Examples of Autocratic Gov’ts • • • Absolute Monarchy King, queen, or emperor has unlimited power Position is usually inherited (from parents or other relatives) People lack the power to limit their rulers Absolute monarchs are rare today but from the 1400 s to the 1700 s they ruled most of Western Europe Example - King of Saudi Arabia

Oligarchy • Government by the few (a few powerful individuals make decisions) • A small group exercises control, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes • The citizen has a very limited role

Oligarchy • The ruling group gets its power from military power, wealth, religion or a combination. • Political disagreement is usually suppressed (sometimes violently)

Examples of Oligarchy Theocracy (Iran) • a government run by religious authority • A Deity (god) is recognized as the highest ruler • The Deity's laws are interpreted by religious experts (priests, mullahs, etc. )

Examples of Oligarchy Communism (China) • Gov’t plans & controls the economy • a single party holds power • state controls are forced • NO private ownership of property • All goods are to be equally shared by the people (ex. classless society)

WARNING! Autocracy & Oligarchy • Sometimes claim they rule for the people. • In reality, the people have very little say in both types of government. • Example - may hold elections with only one candidate or control the results of elections • Example - even when these governments have a legislature (branch that makes laws), they often only approve decisions made by the leaders.

Democracy • Citizens vote on government representatives & on specific issues • People have the most power

Presidential Democracy Parliamentary Democracy Definition: Characteristics: Examples

2 main forms of democratic governments. . . 1. Parliamentary: parliament (legislature) elects prime minister 2. Presidential: citizens elect president

Presidential Democracy • Different branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) are equal in power • Executive branch independent from the legislature (ex. president elected by citizens not legislature)

Examples of Presidential Democracy Republic (U. S. , Kenya, South Africa, India) the people elect representatives to govern and make laws

Parliamentary Democracy • Legislature makes most decisions • Executive (Prime Minister) elected by the legislature instead of by the citizens • Example - Israel

Examples of Parliamentary Democracy Constitutional Monarchy (Japan) • Monarch (king or queen) must follow the laws of the constitution • monarch is usually a figure-head, the real power rests with the legislature (Parliament/Congress)