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The human race settles itself naturally into social order, and leadership becomes established at a relatively early date on the timeline of civilization. From tribal chiefs and councils of elders to high priests to nobility and kings to elected officials, most cultures must, in order to survive, form, support, and submit to some form of government. Depending on the type of societies you have created, you may have any number of government or leadership roles.

* Leadership by Right of Combat. This is one of the simplest and earliest forms of leadership. The alpha male. Leadership is won through challenge and combat. Leaders who age or are injured are challenged and replaced (or killed, as was often the case). In highly-contentious societies with great numbers of enemies, the War Chief will often become the leader of the society, simply because effective military leadership is essential for survival.
* Religious Leadership. This includes Popes / High Priests / Priestesses / Shamans. Typically religious leaders work in conjunction with a more secular (though often “divinely appointed”) leader such as a king or tribal leader; however, depending on your society the religious leader may be instrumental in governing the society. Decide how powerful your religious leaders are and what influence they hold over daily life, decisions of state, and the rulers of your society.
* Council of Elders. In many societies, age is equated with wisdom and tribes are governed by assemblies of elderly men (and sometimes women) who pool their collective experiences to guide the younger members of their society. In such societies, elderly members of the society are typically revered for their age, not reviled for it, and the society encourages open care of devotion for its aged members. Families are extended to include elderly members. This does not, suggest, however, that younger members of the society always accept the wisdom of their elders without contention. Nor does it imply that the Elders are always right!
* Feudalism. In a Feudal society, the nobles reign supreme. Feudal societies typically are ruled by a king and a heirarchy of nobles who have sworn fealty to him. Each noble may also have other, lesser nobles, whom have sworn fealty to them as well. The king typically rules by birthright. Serving him are a collective of nobles, who may have earned their titles and stewardship of self-supporting estates (typically agrictulturally-driven estates) through service to the crown. In return, as a vassal of the king, the nobles offer a proscribed number of “knights fees” or months of soldiers’ service to the king on an annual basis, gathering taxes for the king, and dispensing the kings justice on their etates. It is not uncommon, however, for the nobility to rule as kings on their own estates, dispensing justice and governing as they see fit.
* Absolute Monarchy. In an absolute monarchy, the king reigns supreme. No law and no body of people (noble or otherwise) may oppose him. Typically in an absolute monarchy, the king is thought to possess his kingship through Divine Right (i.e., the will of God). Even in absolute monarchies, however, most kings have inner councils of advisors to help him make wise, well-informed decision
* Constitutional Monarchy. In this, the most modern, form of monarchy, the king is essentially a figurehead. Real power rests with an elected body of officials (the Parliament, for instance).
* Democracy. In a true democracy, all governance is performed through majority vote. Beyond a small tribal collective, pure democracy quickly becomes unweildy and anarchistic, not to mention terribly unfair for the unlucky sods in the minority (who lose every vote). In a true democracy, if John was a miner who found and mined a fortune in gold, his less fortunate fellows could gather together and vote to take John’s gold and divide it amongst themselves. And John would have no way to stop them. Pure democracy, which sounds so nice on the surface, is really mob rule. If your character finds himself wandering into a pure democracy, he’d better hope he’s got the mob on his side!
* Democratic Republic (aka, Representative Democracy). A democratic republic, or representative democracy, is the type of government we currently have in the United States. The people elect representatives to governmental councils called congresses (town councils, county boards, state congresses, national congresses). As part of this election, the electorate empowers the elected official to introduce, develop and vote on legislation on their behalf.

While you’re deciding on the type of government your society has in place, also consider the benefits and perils of how the succession is decided. In monarchies, rule is passed by birthright. The eldest son of the current ruler becomes king after his father’s death. Can women rule? What happens if the king dies without issue? What if the inheriting son or daughter is not up to the task of leadership? What if they are still a child when the king dies? Is there a regency? Is it a single person? Are successions peaceful or times of great tension and upheaval? Do not forget how the governments support themselves (taxation, goods and services donated by the governed, etc.). Also do not forget how the government establishes and maintains law and order.