Do Now

What form of government do you believe America took
after and why?
Government
Theories
Major Categories of
Government

A monarchy is a government led by a hereditary ruler.

In a dictatorship the leader has absolute power.

An oligarchy is a form of government with rule held by
small, usually self-appointed elite.

In a democracy supreme authority rests with the
people.
Categories of Government

Each of these forms of government can exist in
numerous varieties. For example, both democracies and
monarchies can be constitutional. Elections occur in
both democracies and dictatorships. Both democracies
and dictatorships can be guilty of human rights
violations.
Social Contract Theory

The social contract theory is the basis for limited
government and liberal democracy. In a limited
government, constitutions, statements of rights, or
other laws define the limits of power. Everyone must
obey the laws. This reduces opportunities for those in
authority to take advantage of their elected or
appointed positions. In unlimited government,
power/control is solely with the ruler with no limits on
his/her authority.
Force Theory

The state was born as a result of force i.e. aggression,
war, conquest and subjugation. In ancient times a
strong man with the help of supporters would dominate
the weaker people of his tribe and establish the
political relations of command and obiedence.
Evolutionary Theory

The state developed out of the early primitive family in
which one person was the head. Over the years the
original family unit became a network of families, or a
clan. Eventually, 20 or more clans grouped together
created a tribe. Once these nomadic tribes began to
settle and develop agricultural techniques, the state
was born.
Divine Right Theory

The state was created by God who gave those of royal
birth the “divine right” to rule. People obeyed their
ruler as they obeyed God. This was a widely held belief
in several early civilizations such as the Aztec and
Mayan, and those of Egypt, China, and Japan. It was
also the basis for many governments in the Western
world from the 15th to the 18th centuries.
Similarities and Differences