Government Systems DISTRIBUTION OF POWER UNITARY Unitary Characterized

Government Systems

DISTRIBUTION OF POWER

UNITARY Unitary Characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority.

CONFEDERATION Confederation Voluntary association of independent states or countries that come together for a common cause Example: OPEC CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (during civil war)

FEDERAL Federal a form of government in which power is divided between one central authority and several regional authorities Example: USA

CITIZENS ROLE IN GOVERNMENT

AUTOCRATIC Autocratic government in which one person possesses unlimited power and the citizens have little if any role in the government

OLIGARCHIC Oligarchic (oli-gar-kick) Government by the few, sometimes in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes. The citizen has a very limited role.

DEMOCRATIC Democratic A government in which the supreme power is given to the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of free elections.

FORMS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT

PARLIAMENTARY Parliamentary Form of democratic government in which the legislative branch and the executive branch are unified. May have a Prime Minister

PRESIDENTIAL Presidential A system of government in which the president is constitutionally independent of the legislature