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Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of
Government
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
1
Objectives about Forms of Government
In this chapter, the students will…
 classify various political systems
 analyze the advantages and disadvantages of various political systems and compare the
ways in which power is distributed in systems of shared power.
 compare and contrast constitutional democracies with authoritarian regimes; presidential
and parliamentary governments; and federal, confederal, and unitary systems of
government.
 classify and evaluate various economic systems and identify the role of government in
each.
Preview
1. In your opinion, which one of the following people or groups should have the power to make the rules at
Broad Run (principal, teachers, student council, student body, other) Why?
2. Are there any people or groups in question #1 that should not make the rules at Broad Run? If so, why not?
3. Which group usually makes the rules here?
a. Why do you think that is?
b. Advantages of this system?
c.
Notes
Disadvantages?
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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Monarchy
Theocracy
Dictatorship
Single-Party State
Presidential Democracy
On the map below, label the following countries. Canada, US,
Mexico, United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, Cuba, Saudi
Arabia, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Australia. Then, using the key
below, color the countries by their form of government.
Parliamentary Democracy
Forms of Government Around the World
Forms of Government in Today’s World
Term
Monarchy
Dictatorship
Pros
Cons
A system of
government in which a
single ruler exercises
supreme
power based on
heredity or divine right
Definition
 efficient way of carrying out
decisions and policies
 clear line of succession
 loyalty to monarch as unifying power
 quality of leadership can vary
dramatically from one generation to
the next
 job of running modern nation-state
has become too big for any but the
most exceptional monarchs to do
well
a system of government
in which a single person
or group exercises
supreme power based
on its control of the
military and police
 power centralized in the hands of a
single military or political leader who
can get things done efficiently
 control of the military and police
allows dictator to maintain peace
and order
 power can be used to abuse citizens
who oppose the dictator
 dictators face serious legitimacy
problems
a system of government
headed by religious
leaders
 single, state-supported religion
encourages political and social unity
 ensures that political decisions are
in line with the people’s moral values
and beliefs
 difficult to enforce religious unity
 religious minorities often
marginalized or even persecuted
a system of government
in which only one
political party is allowed
by the constitution to
govern and power is
exercised by the
leading members of the
party
 easier to pass laws by avoiding the
political wrangling common in
multiparty states
 the views of the party elite may differ
from the interests of the people as a
whole, leading to social unrest
 people with differing political views
are often shut out of the political
process
a system of government
in which public
decisions are made
directly by citizens
meeting together in an
assembly or voting by
ballot
 each citizen has an equal say in
public affairs
 decisions have widespread support
 very time-consuming for citizens
a system of government
in which voters elect
lawmakers to represent
them in the nation’s
parliament; the leaders
of the executive branch
come from the ruling
party in parliament
 members of the legislative majority
usually vote with the prime minister
on key issues, making it easier to
get legislation passed
 no clear-cut separation between the
executive and legislative, so no real
check on the prime minister’s
powers
 prime minister can be forced to
resign, leading to instability
a system of government
in which voters elect
lawmakers to represent
them in the legislature
and a president to lead
the government as
head of the executive
branch
 president may be more responsive
to the public than to party concerns
 separation of executive and
legislative powers allows each
branch to watch over the other to
prevent abuses of power
 fixed terms of office creates stability
 no easy way to remove an
unpopular president from power
 gridlock may result when a president
is not from the party that controls the
legislature
Theocracy
Single-Party
State
Direct
Democracy
Parliamentary
Democracy
Presidential
Democracy
Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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The Three Systems of Government in Today’s World
Term
Unitary System
Federal System
Confederal
System
Definition
Pros
Cons
a system of government
in which power is
centralized in the
national government;
regional governments
only exercise powers
given by national
government
 promotes national unity
 all parts of the country follow the
same laws and policies
 broad public policies may not fit the
needs of the entire country or
population
 central government officials cannot
know the needs of every locality
a system of government
in which power is
divided between
national and regional
governments
 works well for large, diverse
countries
 gives regional governments flexibility
in meeting diverse needs
 patchwork of conflicting or
competing laws from region to region
 may foster conflict between central
and regional governments
a system of government
in which power resides
in the regions, which
are independent states;
the central government
gets power from
regional governments
 allows regional governments to unite
for some purposes without giving up
the power to run their own affairs
 gives regional governments flexibility
to meet local needs
 prevents rise of an authoritarian
central government
 central government may be too weak
to meet the needs of the nation as a
whole
 may lead to conflict between regions
Forms of Economic Systems in Today’s World
Term
Traditional
Economy
Market
Economy
Command
Economy
Notes
Definition
Pros
Cons
an economic system in
which decisions about
what goods and
services to produce and
how are made on the
basis of tradition
 tradition and community values keep
the economy running smoothly
 people can provide for themselves
 very low standard of living
 limited access to goods and services
an economic system
that relies mainly on
markets to determine
what goods and
services to produce and
how
 efficient at meeting people’s needs,
based on demand
 competition keeps prices from rising
too high
 business investment helps the
economy grow
 instability; periods of growth usually
alternate with recessions
 unequal distribution of wealth
an economic system
that relies mainly on the
central government to
determine what goods
and services to produce
and how
 can ensure full employment
 can control prices and bring stability
to the economy
 distributes income more equally
 workers have little incentive to work
hard or to produce quality goods
 government planners are less
efficient than the market at making
economic decisions
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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Glossary Chp. 2
Directions: Fill in the definition for the term listed. Then, in the box on the right, you have to draw a picture OR
write the definition in your own words OR write a sentence using the word that demonstrates its meeting.
Democracy
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Dictatorship
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Market Economy
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Traditional Economy
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
.
..
Republic
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Parliament
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Command Economy
.
Processing (Illustration, Summarization, or Sentence)
.
.
..
Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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Directions Imagine that you are advising a country that is creating a new constitution. Below are the priorities that
the country might have when it comes to a government and an economic system. For each possible priority, identify the
combination (form of government + system of government + economic system) you would recommend. Then write one or two
sentences explaining why you think this combination works best for the particular priority.
Form of government
System of government
Economic system
Efficiency =
+
+
Freedom =
+
+
Prosperity =
+
+
Equality =
+
+
Security =
+
+
Explain your choices in creating a government that values Efficiency.
Explain your choices in creating a government that values Freedom.
Explain your choices in creating a government that values Prosperity.
Explain your choices in creating a government that values Equality.
Explain your choices in creating a government that values Security.
Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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Summary
DIRECTIONS: Choose only one of the following:
a) write a summary (25-75 words) of what you believe was the most important aspect of the notes/lecture
b) write what you believe to be the most interesting or memorable part of the notes/lecture (25-75 words)
c) draw something that symbolizes the notes/lecture to you (has to be different than your title page)
Notes
Chp. 2: Comparing Forms of Government
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