“A government for the people must depend for its success on the intelligence, the morality, the justice, and the interest of the people themselves.” (Grover Cleveland, the twenty-second President of the United States of America)
Gully cricket is popular amongst young boys
in India. They just troop into a street with little traffic outside their homes
and start hitting the ball with the bat. There are a number of ways in which
this can be organized. When only one boy brings a bat, he rules. He keeps
batting even when he gets out and he lets his close friends also bat or as long
as they want. If he wants to end the game, he simply walks away with the bat.
Let’s call this the Bossy Bully System.
Sometimes all the cricket equipment (bat,
ball, stump, and gloves) is contributed by all. So each boy gets a good batting
chance, a chance to wear the pads and gloves. Let’s call this the Just Friends System.
Sometimes a coach monitors and improves the game of each and every boy in his
tutelage. You don’t get to say whether you like the way he coaches. This can be
the Big Brother System.
If we think of these teams as forms of
government, then the Bossy Bully System is a dictatorship. A Just Friends System
is a socialist government (and or could even be a democracy) depending on how
you look at it. A Big Brother System is totalitarian. If one of the players
owns the street where the boys are playing, it would be a monarchy. Governments
can be like flavors of ice cream. Sometimes more is just better, but not always
simple. :
Anarchy-Anarchy isn’t a type of government; it’s
actually the absence of one. In an anarchist society, a central governing body
doesn’t exist. Many times, anarchy will take center stage when a government
collapses. A few historical examples include Albania in 1997
and Germany after the First
World War.
Aristocracy-To remember aristocracy, think of aristocrat. In an
aristocracy, the wealthy or noble hold the power. These privileged few leaders
make up the ruling class or elite. Historically, Ancient Greece had an
aristocratic government. A modern example is the royal family in the United Kingdom
(UK), and to some aspects the Kennedys in the United States (US).
Authoritarian-In an authoritarian regime, the
government has total control. Authoritarian regimes have typically earned this
control by forceful means. While this seems simple, it is not. Authoritarian regimes
aren’t always easy to recognize. They might still hold elections and have
branches of government, but only a small group holds the power (not the people).
A good worldly example of an authoritarian government is Cuba.
Capitalism-While capitalism is
actually a type of economy, many times it works to drive a government and
political power. In capitalism, the government doesn’t run the economy; instead
private-ownership corporations and businesses do. While the US. is a mixed
economy, many would consider it capitalistic. Other examples include
Switzerland and Hong Kong.
Communism-When it comes to
what type of government China has, most people might think of communist.
Actually, China is probably one of the most famous historical examples of a
communist government.
However, in modern China the answer isn’t so simple. So, what is communism? A
theory created by Karl Marx, communism is where everything is publicly owned
rather than privately like in capitalism. It’s an attempt to create a classless
society, but it typically happens through a violent revolution. Beyond China,
communist examples include Vietnam and Laos.
Democracy-Another big
government type is democracy, which is an example of a limited government. In direct contrast
to an authoritarian government, a democracy exists when the people hold the
power. Different types of
democracy include
direct and representative. If you’ve ever wondered about the US’ government
type, democracy is your answer. But they’re not the only example of democracy in the world.
Canada, Sweden, and Columbia are a few other examples.
Dictatorship-Typically, a
dictatorship connects with an authoritarian and totalitarian government. In
this government form, a dictator rules, and they assert their authority using
military power, which is called a military dictatorship. There have been many
dictatorships throughout history. Famous examples include Joseph
Stalin’s rule of the Soviet Union and Saddam Hussein’s rule of Iraq. North
Korea falls into this list as well.
Federalism-Federalism is all about
dividing power. Not only does the government have central power, but local
states or regions also have their own specific powers. For example, in the US
the federal government is the central power, but the individual states all have
their own regional and state governing laws. This means state laws might be
different in California than they are in Tennessee.
Monarchy-A monarchy isn’t as common as a democracy,
but you still hear about them. In a monarchy, one family rules, and their title
is passed down through the generations. However, much like a democracy, who is
in charge isn’t totally for sure. In an absolute monarchy, the king or ruler
is in control of all the government. The more common constitutional
monarchy has
a royal family, but they serve mostly as ceremonial figures. As an example,
think of the UK and Queen Elizabeth. She is the queen, but the parliament has
most government control.
Oligarchy-Similar to a
monarchy, an oligarchy places power in
a few people. However, titles aren’t passed down through the family or even
from one person. Instead, it could be a group of people such as a country’s
wealthy. The power might be passed down from one family to another, but it has
nothing to do with bloodlines. Examples through history include China and the
Soviet Union.
Republicanism-When something is a
true republic as in republicanism, it means the citizens have the power. They
have the voting power and the power to make changes in their government. Now,
republicanism can get quite confusing because it typically goes in connection
with federalism and theocracy. Examples include France and India.
Socialism-Socialism and communism
form from the same ideals of Karl Marx for a utopian, classless society.
However, while communism uses violence to achieve its aims, socialism places
emphasis on making small changes through reforms and laws. Additionally,
communism doesn’t have private property, while in socialism, you can own
property, but industry is regulated by the government. Socialist examples found around
the world include Algeria and Tanzania.
Theocracy-Types of governments
are about who rules. In a theocracy, the ruler is God or
a deity. The creation of laws comes from religious texts, scriptures, and spiritual
leaders. A theocracy also mixes with other types of governments. For example,
Iran is an Islamic democracy, and the Vatican government is dictated by the
Christian religion and the pope.
Totalitarian-When you think of
a totalitarian
government,
it takes absolute power to the extreme. These leaders control not only the
government but the personal lives of their people. Citizens have no say in
government, and the totalitarian regime is 100% in charge. This type of
government is forceful and extreme. Remember Hitler and Nazi Germany?
Tribalism-Indigenous tribes
around the globe use a form of government called tribalism. In this form of government, you
follow the dictates and rules of your tribe, which is made of specific people
groups or those with the same ideals. There can be a council of elders making
decisions, but not always. Each tribes make up is unique. While tribalism is
becoming less and less common, tribes in Africa still use this
form of government.
“The purpose of
government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness.
Government exists for the interests of the governed not for the governors.” (Thomas Jefferson, the third
President of the United States of America)[i]
[i] Adapted from:
· “Different Types of Government around
the World” by YourDictionary
· “Grover Cleveland” and “Thomas
Jefferson” from Wikipedia
· “Types of Government” by Mocomi.com
The Capitol in Washington DC
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