Types of Governments Types of Governments The Key 2 Liberty involves learning the principles of freedom for yourself and then sharing your knowledge with others. TYPES OF GOVERNMENTS Left vs. Right It is amazing how much the meaning of the words “left” and “right” changes from one person to another when referring to various types of governments. Every news media outlet portrays a different point of view. Many people view the political scale ranging from communist governments on the far left to fascist governments on the far right placing “moderate” governments in the middle. This type of political scale leads to confusion as it provides little information regarding the power structure between the leaders of a government and its people. The far left and far right of this political scale are governments that are structured from the top down. The leaders have complete control of the people and determine the rules that they must follow without their consent. Governments in the middle of this scale have less control over the people but the level of control is ambiguous. The discussion of left vs. right governments becomes even more perplexing since it is common for people to refer to political parties as being associated with “the left” or “the right”.

In the United States the Democrats are commonly referred to as being the party of “the left” while the Republicans are depicted as the party of “the right”. Using the words “left” and “right” in this context does not provide any information regarding the level of control the leaders of the government have over the people. For the remainder of this section on the web site, Types of Governments, the words “left” and “right” will specifically refer to types of governments and not political parties. The Founders used a different scale to measure governments. Their scale was based on the degree of power the leaders had over the people. On the left side of the scale are governments that exercise tyrannical control of the people such as in a monarchy or dictatorship. On the right side of the scale there is no government or a state of anarchy. The middle of the scale represents governments that give a certain degree of power to the people. This web site will use the Founder’s definition of the governmental power scale when describing different forms of governments with tyrannical governments having total control of the people on the far left to no government or a state of anarchy on the far right.

The different types of governments will be described in the general order from left to right on the Founder’s scale with those having the most control over the people on the far left to a state of anarchy on the far right. There are many different words that people use to describe governments with some of them having only slight differences. Three key characteristics of each type of government listed on this page will be described. The first being whether or not the majority of the people have consented to the particular form of government. The second is how much control (if any) the people have in their government and the third is the relationship held between the military leaders, the government leaders, and the people. Totalitarian Under this type of government the state has complete control over all aspects of public and private life. The government is composed of a single political party that operates all sectors of the media and uses mass propaganda to influence the people and stay in power. Totalitarian governments are positioned on the complete, far left side of the Founder’s scale. The leader(s) of a totalitarian government are not elected and as a result there is little consideration for the rights of the people. The people have no say in the operations of the government or creation of the laws that rule them.

The military is always used in a totalitarian style government to keep the current leaders in power and to maintain absolute control of the people. People who live under totalitarian governments are never permitted to own guns. Examples of totalitarian style governments are Germany under Adolf Hitler and Russian under Joseph Stalin. Authoritarian This type of government is similar to totalitarianism except there is an illusion of some power in the hands of the people. Like a totalitarian government an authoritarian government uses massive regulations to administer every aspect of public and private life. There is a certain degree of private business ownership but the immense degree of governmental control makes business ownership a beautiful facade over a crumbled building. An authoritarian government would be placed slightly to the right of a totalitarian government on the Founder’s scale at a point about 5% from the far left and 95% from anarchy on the far right. If elections are held they are basically rigged as the choices are preselected by the current people in power. The people have no say in the operations of the government or creation of the laws that rule them. The military is always used in an authoritarian style government to keep the current leaders in power and to maintain absolute control of the people. People who live under authoritarian governments are never permitted to own guns.

Examples of authoritarian style governments are Libya under Moammar al-Qadhafi and Iran under Ali Khamenei. Dictatorship Rule by one. In this form of government one person creates all the rules and decides how, when and if they are enforced. The rights of the people are commonly ignored. The Founder’s would place a dictatorship anywhere from the complete, far left (operating as a totalitarian government) to a point, at best, around 20% from the far left and 80% from the far right of the governmental power scale depending on how much power the dictator allows the people to have. Almost by definition there are no elections in a dictatorship. A dictator assumes power by force nearly 100% of the time. The people usually have very little say, if any, in the operations of government in a dictatorship. In reality dictatorships do not exist because one person never leads alone. A dictator has to have at least a small group of people to be able to manage the operations of the country and stay in power. Dictatorships in practice operate as oligarchies.

Sometimes a dictator is placed in power by a small group of people and serves really nothing more than playing the part of a front man with little to do with the actual operations of the country. Examples of dictatorships are Germany under Adolf Hitler, France under Napoleon Bonaparte, Cuba under Fidel Castro, and Venezuela under Hugo Chavez. Monarchy Rule by one. Similar to a dictatorship except the monarch (king or queen) usually claims the right to rule by “the divine right of kings” which is the premise that kings or queens are appointed by God to rule the people. In a monarchy, as in a dictatorship, the rights of the people are often ignored. The Founder’s would place a monarchy, like a dictatorship, anywhere from the complete, far left (operating as a totalitarian government) to a point, at best, around 20% from the far left and 80% from the far right of the governmental power scale depending on how much power the monarch allows the people to have. The right to rule is passed from one generation to the next so there are no elections. The people have very little say in the government. A monarch has total control of the military.

A monarch, like a dictator, typically has a small group of people to help manage the affairs of the country such as a council of nobles so in reality the country operates as an oligarchy. Examples of monarchies are England under various kings and queens (Charles, Elizabeth, etc.), France under various kings and queens and Japan under emperors. These countries no longer operate as pure monarchies. France currently has a president for its chief executive officer and although England still has kings or queens and Japan still has an emperor they no longer serve as the head of state. Their roles are mainly ceremonial. Autocracy Rule by one. An autocrat has absolute control over the people. Although an autocracy is basically another word for a dictatorship the term autocracy technically has no positive or negative connotations. Oligarchy Rule by a few. Oligarchies are typically ruled by one or a combination of any of the following; wealthy families, families of royalty, owners of extremely large corporations, and military leaders. The exact rulers of an oligarchy are not always apparent to the people. Often in an oligarchy a dictator is put in charge and serves as the front man who represents the leadership of the country while the real power structure operates behind the scenes.

Oligarchies typically operate using authoritarian or totalitarian control over the people, although this is not positively the case. The Founders would place most oligarchies at the far left of the political power scale. Elections are non-existent or at best very rare under an oligarchy. Oligarchies nearly always use the military to maintain control of the government and keep the leaders in power. Examples of oligarchies are France under the French First Republic and the Directory, the ancient Greek civilization of Sparta, and present day Russia. Some arguments can be made that even the United States is somewhat controlled by a corporate oligarchy. Extremely large corporations such as media outlets, builders of military equipment and banks employ high paid lobbyists to sway the opinions of the elected officials in Congress and the President. If the elected officials start to work in the interest of the large corporations instead of the people the country can basically fall under the control of a corporate oligarchy. It can be debated that most countries of the past and present have either openly operated as an oligarchy or have at least been greatly influenced by a behind the scenes oligarchy. Plutocracy Rule by a few.

A plutocracy is a specific form of oligarchy that by definition is ruled by a wealthy group of people. This type of government would be placed on the far left of the Founder’s scale of political power. The people’s rights are limited as are elections if they exist at all. An example of a plutocracy would be the Roman Republic or the civilization of Carthage. Aristocracy Rule by a few. An aristocracy is just another blend of an oligarchy where the leaders are typically the most famous citizens. The right to rule is often passed from one generation to another. This type of government would be placed on the far left of the Founder’s scale of political power. The people’s rights are limited as are elections if they exist at all. An example of an aristocracy would be the city-states of ancient Greece. Stratocracy Rule by military. A stratocracy is basically a formal military dictatorship. A military dictatorship is often not recognized by any written laws or recognized as legitimate by the people. In a stratocracy leaders of the military fill formal positions of an orderly government. A stratocracy recognizes the military’s right to rule by law. The Founders would place this type of government on the far left of their scale.

The people’s rights are limited. Examples of stratocracies are the late Roman Republic and the current State Peace and Development Council of Myanmar (Burma). Military Junta A military junta is a government that is composed of a committee of military leaders. They take power by force and do not hold elections. A junta can become a stratocracy where a formal government is created that places the military leaders in power. The Founders would place this type of government on the far left of their scale. Examples of military juntas are the country of Chile from 1973-1990, Argentina from 1976-1983 and Libya from 1969 to the present. Another country that recently formed a junta in 2011 is the country of Egypt. Theocracy A theocracy is a government that is ruled by religious authority. It can be ruled by one person or many different people. The laws of a theocracy are modeled after the particular beliefs of a religion. A theocracy can fall anywhere on the Founder’s scale depending on the level of control the people have over the government. Some theocracies have elected leaders and some do not.

The people can have substantial control over the government or none at all. Some theocracies use the military to assure control over the people while others do not. One example of a theocracy is the ancient kingdom of Israel where the people where organized into small manageable units that each had elected officials. The laws were created with the consent of the people and people were considered innocent until proven guilty if they were accused of a crime. There are many countries that operate as theocracies under Islamic Law (Sharia) and have their laws modeled after the Islamic ruling system. Countries operating today under Islamic Law include Yemen, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. The exact structure of the Islamic governments varies from one country to the next. Iran has a supreme leader that is elected by an Assembly of Experts that are Islamic scholars elected by the people from a pre-approved list by the government. The supreme leader appoints the commanders of the military and police as well as other important government positions. Iran also has a president that is elected by the people and is in charge of implementing the constitution and performing all executive functions that are not handled by the supreme leader. The people do have some say in the government as they do get to elect some positions of the government directly and others indirectly.

Whether or not a person has rights depends on the person. Islamic Law does not treat everyone equally. Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Information Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Information System governed by a few powerful people A government type by military chiefs. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Oxford Dictionary. Oxford Dictionary Oligarchy is a type of government controlled by a small group of people A type of government by the armed forces. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge Dictionary A type of government by powerful people in a small group is called oligarchy A political system or organization based on military power. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Dictionary A small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes in a type of government, this government is called as Oligarchy. When military is the basis of a type of government it is called as Stratocracy. ? Analysis of origin of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Etymology Language in which the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy originated.

Word Origin Language(s) Latin Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy Latin Root Greek Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy Greek Root Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy in other languages like French, Old French, etc Other Period in which the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy originated. Word Origin Period Comparison of merits between Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Advantages Individualism, Self empowerment for people, Voting for all matters Faster process, More discipline, Stronger Military ⇅ % of Advantages of Oligarchy with respect to Stratocracy = Comparison of demerits between Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Disadvantages Complete control with the wealthy, Decisions made by a small group, Racism, Slow process for the system No individual freedom, Few people in power, No fixed laws, No political freedom, People's right is limited ⇅ % of Disadvantages of Oligarchy with respect to Stratocracy = Attributes defining the structures of Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Structure ? Majority rule is when the party or group which has maximum number of members has the power of take decisions. Majority Rule Compare Governments with or without Majority Rule ✔ Majority Rule (Comparisons) ?

To govern a country it requires a authoritative figure/figures which sometimes may be a single individuals or many elected representatives. In This section we compare governments according to their power figures. Power Resides in No. of Governments with various Authorities = Types of Governments where Power Resides in is Military chiefs ? Lets compare governments on the basis of voting i.e. governments which formed by voting and which are not. Voting Governments with or without Voting ✔ Succession is the right to inherit the position that has the power to take decisions. Succession Heritance as well as Elective Neither Heritance nor Elective Governments with different types of Successions No. of similar Governments with various types of Succession = A legislature has the power to take decisions. Parliament Compare Governments with or without Parliament = A set of principles and rules on which a state or country is governed. Constitution Compare Governments with or without Constitution = Compare the size of legislature assembly in Oligarchy and oligarchy. Legislature Size Compare Governments with different Legislature Sizes Compare Similar Governments with different Legislature Sizes = Comparison of Governments based on Political Stability Category wise comparison of No.of Governments for Political Stability = Compare Oligarchy and oligarchy according to their economical stability.

Economic Stability Comparison of Governments based on Political Stability = Types of Governments where Economic Stability is Unstable ? Is the given government is based on religion or it&#8217s follow some particular philosophies. For ex. Some democracies like Pakistan are based on "Sharia law" which was for Muslims created centuries ago. Based on Religion Governments that are/are not based on religion ✔ Lets compare governments which allow and which don&#8217t allow freedom to follow religion. Freedom of Religion How many Governments have Freedom of Religion? ✔ Freedom of Religion (Comparisons) ? A list of countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days or is still practiced at present. List of all Asian countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy is practiced. Asian List of all the European countries which practice Oligarchy and Stratocracy. European All the African countries that practice Oligarchy and Stratocracy. African List of all North American countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy is practiced. North American Cuba and United States of America Not present List of all South American countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy is practiced. South American All the remaining countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy is adopted.

Others A list of countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. Ancient Regime A list of countries in Asia where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. Asia A list of countries in Europe where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. Europe Ancient Greece and Ancient Sparta ? A list of African countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. Africa Not Available ? A list of North American countries countries countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days North America A list of South American countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. South America A list of other countries where Oligarchy and Stratocracy was practiced in earlier days. Other Not Available ? History of Oligarchy and Stratocracy that gives an insight of the origination of these forms of government. Philosophy that dates back to 1000-500 BC A government type by military chiefs which originated in the 17th century ?

Origin of the concepts of Oligarchy and Stratocracy Origin The places or regions where the government forms of Oligarchy and Stratocracy had originated Place of Origin The time period in which both Oligarchy and Stratocracy emerged as forms of government. Period of Origin Era in which the ideologies of Oligarchy and Stratocracy were conceived. Origin Era Governments based on their Origin Era Origin Era of Governments similar to Oligarchy and Stratocracy = Compare famous quotations from many authors on government type. Famous Quotes As an American citizen, one has to vote. If we don't vote, we're not doing our part. We'll become some sort of oligarchy. - Jason Mraz NA The famous leaders who advocated this form of government. Famous Leaders Same number of Famous Leaders as Oligarchy ? A summary of how the ideologies of Oligarchy and Stratocracy have changed throughout history and their modern day implications. Modern Oligarchy and Stratocracy in the early modern days Early Modern Imperial Dynasties in China, 1649: Emergence of Oligarchy as an idea in English Parliament Late Roman Republic is also an example of Stratocracy. ? Oligarchy and Stratocracy in 18th and 19th century.

18th and 19th Century Changes in Oligarchy and Stratocracy in 20th and 21st century. 20th and 21st Century 1948: South Africa officially applied Oligarchy 1981: Rise of Stratocracy in Russia 2010: Military's control was implemented in Government of Burma. << Differences Compare Oligarchy and Stratocracy Information When you compare Oligarchy and Stratocracy information, you will observe that no two types of governments are going to be exactly same. Either they have completely different ideologies or they are derived from one another. When a nation adopts a type of government, all the social, economic and political situations prevalent in that nation are taken into consideration. You can know the basis of these government forms if you study the Oligarchy Definition and Stratocracy Definition . More Compare All Types of Government Oligarchy and Stratocracy The basic differentiating factor between Oligarchy and Stratocracy, is their definition. Oligarchy can be defined as System governed by a few powerful people and Stratocracy can be defined as A government type by military chiefs.. The interpretion of any word may vary in different dictionaries.

Similarly, the meaning of Oligarchy and Stratocracy varies in different dictionaries. Some of the most notable dictionary meanings are given below: Oligarchy: Oxford Dictionary- Oligarchy is a type of government controlled by a small group of people Cambridge Dictionary- A type of government by powerful people in a small group is called oligarchy Merriam-Webster Dictionary- A small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes in a type of government, this government is called as Oligarchy. Stratocracy: Oxford Dictionary- Oligarchy is a type of government controlled by a small group of people Cambridge Dictionary- A type of government by powerful people in a small group is called oligarchy Merriam-Webster Dictionary- A small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes in a type of government, this government is called as Oligarchy. Compare Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Characteristics When you compare Oligarchy vs Stratocracy characteristics, what you are actually comparing are their merits and demerits.The advantages of Oligarchy are Individualism, Self empowerment for people, Voting for all matters. Whereas, advantages of Stratocracy are Faster process, More discipline, Stronger Military.

As a coin has both sides, similarly, these governments also have demerits. The disadvantages of Oligarchy are Complete control with the wealthy, Decisions made by a small group, Racism, Slow process for the system and the disadvantages of Stratocracy are No individual freedom, Few people in power, No fixed laws, No political freedom, People's right is limited. A complete study of Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Characteristics will give you a profound knowledge about these types of governments and their various attributes. More All governments Comparing Oligarchy vs Stratocracy History It is said that if you really want to understand a person, you should start from his roots. Same is true for any type of government. Comparing Oligarchy vs Stratocracy history will give you all the information about their roots. Oligarchy is Philosophy that dates back to 1000-500 BC which was originated in Greece, Rome. Whereas, Stratocracy is A government type by military chiefs which originated in the 17th century that originated in Russia. Once a government type is established, we need people who promote or advocate the qualities and advantages. Some of the famous leaders of Oligarchy are Many famous leaders.

Whereas, some of the supporters of Stratocracy are Leaders of government. When we study about Oligarchy vs Stratocracy history, it becomes clear that these government forms have undergone a lot of changes since their origin. Evolution of these governments over time can be classified as given below: Oligarchy: Early Modern- Imperial Dynasties in China, 1649: Emergence of Oligarchy as an idea in English Parliament 18th and 19th Century- Not Present 20th and 21st Century- 1948: South Africa officially applied Oligarchy Stratocracy Early Modern- Late Roman Republic is also an example of Stratocracy. 18th and 19th Century- Not Present 20th and 21st Century- 1981: Rise of Stratocracy in Russia 2010: Military's control was implemented in Government of Burma. Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definition Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definition The exact meaning of Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Definition </> System governed by a few powerful people A government type by military chiefs. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Oxford Dictionary.

Oxford Dictionary Oligarchy is a type of government controlled by a small group of people A type of government by the armed forces. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Cambridge Dictionary. Cambridge Dictionary A type of government by powerful people in a small group is called oligarchy A political system or organization based on military power. ? Definition of Oligarchy and Stratocracy in Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Merriam-Webster Dictionary A small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes in a type of government, this government is called as Oligarchy. When military is the basis of a type of government it is called as Stratocracy. ? Analysis of origin of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy. Etymology Language in which the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy originated. Word Origin Language(s) Latin Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy Latin Root Greek Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy Greek Root Roots of the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy in other languages like French, Old French, etc Other Period in which the words Oligarchy and Stratocracy originated. Word Origin Period << Summary Comparison of Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definition Definition is the most distinguishing factor for any type of government.

Comparison of Oligarchy vs Stratocracy definition provides you with the exact difference between the meanings of both the types of government. It is now easier to compare Oligarchy Definition vs Oligarchy Definition from three different dictionaries. Along with the dictionary definitions, etymology comparisonn is also provided. Etymology gives the difference between the word origins of both the government forms. You can compare Oligarchy vs Stratocracy definition with respect to their word origin period and word origin language(s). More Compare All Types of Government Compare and Contrast Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definition The easiest way to know the meaning of a word is to get its dictionary meaning. Though the meaning of any particular word can be framed in numerous ways in different dictionaries, its underlying principle remains same. The same is true in case of Oligarchy and Stratocracy definitions. You can compare and contrast Oligarchy vs Stratocracy definitions based on the meaning given by different dictionaries. Dictionary definitions give appropriate meanings for these government types. Oligarchy can be described as, System governed by a few powerful people and Stratocracy as A government type by military chiefs..

You can get a further insight about the difference between its meanings by comparing Oligarchy vs Stratocracy definitions from Oxford, Cambridge and Merriam Webster dictionaries as follows, Oxford Dictionary Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definitions: Oligarchy: Oligarchy is a type of government controlled by a small group of people Stratocracy: A type of government by the armed forces. Oligarchy definiton and Stratocracy definition from Cambrige Dictionary: Oligarchy: A type of government by powerful people in a small group is called oligarchy Stratocracy: A political system or organization based on military power. Merriam-Webster Dictionary Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Definitions:Oligarchy: A small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes in a type of government, this government is called as Oligarchy. Stratocracy: When military is the basis of a type of government it is called as Stratocracy. Difference Between Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Etymology Etymology is the history and development of Oligarchy and Stratocracy as words. Difference Between Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Etymology gives details about how Oligarchy and Stratocracy as phrases or words originated and from which languages.

The word origin period for Oligarchy is 15th century AD and for Stratocracy it is 17th century AD. Therefore, Dictionary definitions and etymology of both the government types give us a complete comparison of Oligarchy vs Stratocracy definition. Also find out about a brief Oligarchy vs Stratocracy summary or get to know about all Oligarchy vs Stratocracy Information at once! Forms of Government Forms of Government About Watch and Favorite Watch Watching this resources will notify you when proposed changes or new versions are created so you can keep track of improvements that have been made. Favorite Favoriting this resource allows you to save it in the “My Resources” tab of your account. There, you can easily access this resource later when you’re ready to customize it or assign it to your students. Forms of Government Forms of government are categorized by the power source and power structure of any given state. Learning Objective Compare and contrast the various forms of government Key Points Government is the means by which state policy is enforced, as well as the mechanism for determining the policy of the state. States are served by a continuous succession of different governments. Governments with Aristarchy attributes are traditionally ruled by the "best" people.

Examples include aristocracy, technocracy and meritocracy . Governments with autocratic attributes are ruled by one person who has all the power over the people in a country. Examples include authoritarian, totalitarian and fascist governments. Governments with democratic attributes are most common in the Western world and in some countries of the east. In democracies , all of the people in a country can vote during elections for representatives or political parties that they prefer. Governments with monarchic attributes are ruled by a king or a queen who inherits their position from their family, which is often called the royal family. Governments with oligarchic attributes are ruled by a small group of powerful and/or influential people. These people may spread power equally or not equally. Plutocracy defines a society or a system ruled and dominated by the small minority of the wealthiest citizens. Unlike systems such as democracy, capitalism , socialism or anarchism , plutocracy is not rooted in an established political philosophy and has no formal advocates. Terms A political division of a federation retaining a degree of autonomy, for example one of the fifty United States. See also Province. Example An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people.

Some historical examples of oligarchy are the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Apartheid in South Africa. Fictional oligarchic examples include the dystopian society of Oceania displayed in the book Nineteen Eighty-Four, the stratocracy government of Starship Troopers, and the kritarchic "Street Judges " of Judge Dredd. Full Text Government Government is the means by which state policy is enforced, as well as the mechanism for determining the policy of the state. A form of government, or form of state governance, refers to the set of political institutions by which a government of a state is organized (synonyms include "regime type" and "system of government"). Governments consist of two broad interplaying elements that generally determine how a government is coded: the power source and the power structure. Power source refers to the individuals and institutions that exercise governing authority over a state and the means by which they obtain their power, while power structure refers to the system by which they are organized. In the case of its broad definition, government normally consists of legislators, administrators, and arbitrators. Government is the means by which state policy is enforced, as well as the mechanism for determining the policy of the state.

States are served by a continuous succession of different governments. Each successive government is composed of a body of individuals who control and exercise control over political decision-making. Their function is to make and enforce laws and arbitrate conflicts. In some societies, this group is often a self-perpetuating or hereditary class. In other societies, such as democracies, the political roles remain, but there is frequent turnover of the people actually filling the positions . This map shows all the countries of the word, colored according to their type of government. Blue represents full presidential republics, while green and yellow are presidential republics with less powerful presidents. Orange represents parliamentary republics. Red and pink are parliamentary constitutional monarchies, and purple represents absolute monarchies. Brown represents single-party republics, green shows countries where government has been suspended (e.g., military dictatorships), and grey countries do not fit any of the above categories. Forms of Government Governments with Aristarchy attributes are traditionally ruled by the "best" people. Aristocracy refers to the rule by elite citizens; a system of governance in which a person who rules in an aristocracy is an aristocrat. It has come to mean rule by "the aristocracy" who are people of noble birth.

A meritocracy refers to rule by the meritorious; a system of governance where groups are selected on the basis of people's ability, knowledge in a given area, and contributions to society. Finally, a technocracy refers to rule by the educated; a system of governance where people who are skilled or proficient govern in their respective areas of expertise in technology would be in control of all decision making. Doctors, engineers, scientists, professionals and technologists who have knowledge, expertise, or skills, would compose the governing body, instead of politicians, businessmen, and economists. Governments with autocratic attributes are ruled by one person who has all the power over the people in a country. The Roman Republic made Dictators to lead during times of war. In modern times, an Autocrat's rule is not stopped by any rules of law, constitutions , or other social and political institutions. After World War II, many governments in Latin America, Asia, and Africa were ruled by autocratic governments. Governments with democratic attributes are most common in the Western world and in some countries of the east. In democracies, all of the people in a country can vote during elections for representatives or political parties that they prefer.

The people in democracies can elect representatives who will sit on legislatures such as the Parliament or Congress . Political parties are organizations of people with similar ideas about how a country or region should be governed. Different political parties have different ideas about how the government should handle different problems. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, for the people. Governments with monarchic attributes are ruled by a king or a queen who inherits their position from their family, which is often called the "royal family. " There are at two opposing types of monarchies: absolute monarchies and constitutional monarchies. In an absolute monarchy, the ruler has no limits on their wishes or powers. In a constitutional monarchy a ruler's powers are limited by a document called a constitution. Governments with oligarchic attributes are ruled by a small group of powerful and/or influential people. These people may spread power equally or not equally. An oligarchy is different from a true democracy because very few people are given the chance to change things. An oligarchy does not have to be hereditary or monarchic. An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people.

Some historical examples of oligarchy are the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Apartheid in South Africa. Fictional oligarchic examples include the dystopian society of Oceania displayed in the book Nineteen Eighty-Four, the stratocracy government of Starship Troopers, and the kritarchic "Street Judges" of Judge Dredd. Government - definition of government by The Free Dictionary Government - definition of government by The Free Dictionary (gŭv′ərn-mənt) n. 1. The act or process of governing, especially the control and administration of public policy in a political unit. 2. The office, function, or authority of a governing individual or body. 3. Exercise of authority in a political unit; rule. 4. The agency or apparatus through which a governing individual or body functions and exercises authority. 5. A governing body or organization, as: a. The ruling political party or coalition of political parties in a parliamentary system. b. The cabinet in a parliamentary system. c. The persons who make up a governing body. 6. A system or policy by which a political unit is governed. 7. Administration or management of an organization, business, or institution. 8. Political science. 9.

Grammar The influence of a word over the morphological inflection of another word in a phrase or sentence. gov′ern·men′tal (-mĕn′tl) adj. gov′ern·men′tal·ly adv. Usage Note: In American usage government always takes a singular verb. In British usage government, in the sense of a governing group of officials, takes a plural verb: The government are determined to follow this course. See Usage Note at collective noun . government (ˈɡʌvənmənt; ˈɡʌvəmənt) n 1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the exercise of political authority over the actions, affairs, etc, of a political unit, people, etc, as well as the performance of certain functions for this unit or body; the action of governing; political rule and administration 2. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) the system or form by which a community, etc, is ruled: tyrannical government. 3. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a. the executive policy-making body of a political unit, community, etc; ministry or administration: yesterday we got a new government. b.

(capital when of a specific country): the British Government. 4. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a. the state and its administration: blame it on the government. b. (as modifier): a government agency. 5. regulation; direction 6. (Linguistics) grammar the determination of the form of one word by another word governmental adj (ˈgʌv ərn mənt, -ər mənt) n. 1. the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, and states; direction of the affairs of a community, etc. 2. the form or system of rule by which a state, etc., is governed: monarchical government. 3. the governing body of persons in a state, community, etc. 4. a branch or service of the supreme authority of a state or nation, taken as representing the whole. 5. (in some parliamentary systems, as that of the United Kingdom) a. the particular group of persons forming the cabinet at any given time: The Prime Minister has formed a new government. b. the parliament along with the cabinet. 6. direction; control; management. 9.

a relationship between two words in a sentence such that the use of one word requires the other to be of a particular form. [1350–1400; Middle English < Old French governement. See govern , -ment ] gov`ern•men′tal (-ˈmɛn tl) adj. gov`ern•men′tal•ly, adv. 1. a political theory advocating the elimination of governments and governmental restraint and the substitution of voluntary cooperation among individuals. 2. the methods and practices of anarchists. Cf. Nihilism. — anarchist, n. — anarchic, adj. 1. the science of government. 2. the science of origins. 1. a government in which one person has unrestricted control over others. 2. a country with an autocratic system. — autocrat, n. — autocratic, adj. 1. the power or right of self-government. 2. a self-governing community. Cf. heteronymy. — autonomous, adj. 1. a legislative body having two branches, houses, or chambers. 2. advocacy of bicameral structure. Cf. unicameralism. — bicameralist, n.

— bicameral, adj. 1. the power of demons. 2. government or rule by demons. — demonocratic, adj. despotism 1. a form of government with a ruler having absolute authority; autocracy. 2. a system ruled by a tyrant or dictator having absolute, usually oppressive power. — despot, n. — despotic, adj. 1. a despotic system ruled by a dictator possessing absolute power and absolute authority. 2. the office of a dictator. — dictatorial, adj. 1. a position in government held jointly by two men. 2. the two people holding such a position. 1. a system of government in which a sequence of rulers is derived from the same family, group, or stock. 2. the reign of such a sequence. — dynast, dynasty, n. 1. the tenets of a centralized, totalitarian, and nationalistic government that strictly controls finance, industry, and commerce, practices rigid censorship and racism, and eliminates opposition through secret police. 2. such a government, as that of Italy under Mussolini. — fascist, n. — fascistic, adj. federalism 1.

a union of states under a central government distinct from that of the separate states, who retain certain individual powers under the central government. 2. (cap.) the principles of the American Federalist party, especially its emphasis during the early years of the U.S. on a strong central government. — federalist, n., adj. — federalistic, adj. 1. a system of government by priests. 2. a state so governed. 1. a system of rule by persons considered holy. 2. a state so governed. 1. government by seven persons. 2. a group or confederacy of seven political units. 3. English History. the seven principal concurrent early English kingdoms. — heptarch, heptarchist, n. — heptarchal, heptarchic, heptarchical, adj. heteronomy 1. the state or condition of being ruled, governed, or under the sway of another, as in a military occupation. 2. the state or condition of being under the influence or domination, in a moral, spiritual, or similar sense, of another person, entity, force, etc. Cf. autonomy. — heteronomous, adj. 1.

the system of manorial social and political organization, as in the Middle Ages. 2. Sometimes Pejorative. any small, strong unit of local political and social organization. 1. a matriarchal form of government. 2. a family, tribe, or other social group ruled by a matriarch or matriarchs. — matriarchic, adj. 1. a person who advocates government by the mob. 2. a member of a mobocracy. 1. a governmental system in which supreme power is actually or nominally held by a monarch. 2. supreme power and authority held by one person; autocracy. — monarchie, monarchical, adj. 1. the process of self-government by cities, towns, or municipalities. 2. a doctrine advocating such government. — municipalist, n. a provincial system of government, as in modern Greece, under officials called nomarchs. 2. the office or jurisdiction of a nomarch. Also called nome. 1. a system of rule by a few persons. 2. the people who form such a government. — oligarch, n. — oligarchie, oligarchical, adj. 1. the rule of the rich or wealthy. 2.

the rich or wealthy who govern under such a system. Also called plousiocracy. — plutocrat, n. 1. government by many rulers. 2. the condition of being polyarch. — polyarchist, n. — polyarchical, adj. serfism a feudal social and economic system in which persons of the lower class are bound to the soil, subject to the will of and service for their lord, and transferable to the new owner if the land is sold or otherwise deeded. Also serfdom. 1. the soviet system of government and the principles and practices of such a government. 2. a policy, action, etc., typical of the Soviet Union. — Sovietist, sovietist, n., adj. 1. the principle of concentrating major political and economic controls in the state. 2. the support of the sovereignty of the state. — statist, n., adj. 1. a theory and movement of the 1930s advocating the control of production and distribution by technicians and engineers. 2. a system of government based on this theory. — technocrat, n. — technocratic, adj. 1. the Roman practice of dividing authority over provinces among four governors. 2.

a system of rule by four authorities. — tetrarch, tetrarchate, n. — tetrarchic, tetrarchical, adj. 1. a system of government by God or a god. 2. an order or system of deities. — thearchic, adj. 1. a system of government in which God or a deity is held to be the civil ruler; thearchy. 2. a system of government by priests; hagiarchy. 3. a state under such a form of rule. — theocrat, n. — theocratic, adj. timocracy 1. Platonism. a state in which a love of honor and glory is the guiding principle of the rulers. 2. Aristotelianism. a state in which the ownership of property is a qualification for office. — timocratie, timocratical, adj. 1. a system of highly centralized government in which one political party or group takes control and grants neither recognition nor tolerance to other political groups. 2. autocracy in one of its several varieties. 3. the character or traits of an autocratic or authoritarian individual, party, government, or state. — totalitarian, n., adj. 1.

the rule of a nation, state, or community by three persons. 2. a set of three joint rulers. Usually called triumvirate. 3. a country divided into three governments. 4. a group of three districts or three countries, each under its own ruler. 1. the customs, life, and organization of a tribal society. 2. a strong loyalty to one’s tribe, party, or group. 1. a representative form of government with a single legislative chamber. 2. an advocacy of unicameral structure. — unicameralist, n. — unicameral, adj. 1. the feudal system of lands held in fee and of mandatory vassaltenant homage, fealty, and service. 2. the condition of a person owing homage and fealty to a superior; vassalage. local government by assemblies of parishioners, usually meeting in the vestry of the church. Also vestrydom. — vestryish, adj. Government See Also: LAW , POLITICS An administration, like a machine, does not create. It carries on —Antoine de Saint-Éxupéry Any government, like any family, can for a year spend a little more than it earns.

But … continuance of that habit means the poorhouse —Franklin D. Roosevelt, July 30, 1932 The balance of power our founding fathers so brilliantly contrived … has functioned like a gyroscope to keep us from plunging irretrievably into anarchy or despotism —John R. Stockwell, New York Times/Op-Ed, December 14, 1986 Stockwell’s simile was part of his argument for open hearings on Colonel Oliver North. The Constitution is an experiment, as all life is an experiment —Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. Democracy is like a raft.

It never goes down but, dammit, your feet are always wet —Fisher Ames Government is like that old definition of a baby: an enormous appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other —Ronald Reagan, 1986 speech Government … like fire it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master; never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action —George Washington Governments are like men, more or less suspicious according to their temperaments —Punch, 1844 Governments, like clocks, go from the motions men give them, and as governments are made and moved by men, so by them they are ruined also —William Penn A great empire, like a great cake, is most easily diminished at the edges —Benjamin Franklin The life of governments is like that of man. The latter has a right to kill in case of natural defence: the former have a right to wage war for their own preservation —Charles de Secondat Montesquieu Like a funeral or a marriage, an administration in the making creates disparate relationships and revives forgotten alliances —Maurice Edelman Edelman put this simile into the mind of the fictional hero of his novel, Disraeli Rising.

Like clowns, they [royalty] amuse the people, even with their funerals —Marie, Queen of Romania Like knights in search of the Holy Grail, lawmakers are always looking for painless ways to raise revenues —David E. Rosenbaum, New York Times/Op-Ed, March 5, 1986 A monarchy is like a man-of-war, bad shots between wind and water hurt it exceedingly; there is danger of capsizing. But democracy is a raft. You cannot easily overturn it —Joseph Cook Monarchy is like a sleek craft, it sails along well until some bumbling captain runs it into the rocks —Fisher Ames, English Tory, former monarchist, quoted Money Magazine A nation … is like a body contained within a circle, having a common center, in which every radius meets; and that center is formed by representation —Thomas Paine Nations are as a drop in a bucket —The Holy Bible/Isaiah Nations are like olives.

To gentle pressure they respond with sweet oil, to hard pressure with bitter oil —Ludwig Boerne No nation can survive if government becomes like the man who in winter began to burn the wall boards of his house to keep warm until he had no house left —Ronald Reagan, on controlling government spending, annual address to annual conference of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, September 30, 1986 States, like men, have their growth, their manhood, their decrepitude, their decay —Walter Savage Landor States, like men, never protest their honor loudly unless they have a bad case to argue —Harold J. Laski The superpowers often behave like two heavily armed blind men feeling their way around a room, each believing himself in mortal peril from the other whom he assumes to have perfect vision —Henry Kissinger (It’s all papers and forms,) the entire Civil Service is like a fortress made of papers, forms and red tape —Alexander Ostrovsky government The government of a country is the group of people responsible for ruling it. After government you can use either a singular or plural form of a verb. The government has had to cut back on public expenditure.

The government have made up their minds that they are going to win no matter what. Note that in American English, a singular form of the verb is usually used with government. Note also that when talking about the US president and the people he appoints to help him govern, speakers of American English use the word administration. He pledged that his administration will consult with allies and Congress. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: Noun 1.

government - the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit; "the government reduced taxes"; "the matter was referred to higher authorities" governing , government activity , government , governance , administration - the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" polity - a politically organized unit authoritarian regime , authoritarian state - a government that concentrates political power in an authority not responsible to the people bureaucracy - a government that is administered primarily by bureaus that are staffed with nonelective officials ancien regime - a political and social system that no longer governs (especially the system that existed in France before the French Revolution) royal court , court - the sovereign and his advisers who are the governing power of a state Downing Street - the British government empire - a group of countries under a single authority; "the British created a great empire" federal government - a government with strong central powers government-in-exile - a temporary government moved to or formed in a foreign land by exiles who hope to rule when their country is liberated local government - the government of a local area military government , stratocracy - government by the military and an army palace - the governing group of a kingdom; "the palace issued an

 order binding on all subjects" papacy , pontificate - the government of the Roman Catholic Church law-makers , legislative assembly , legislative body , legislature , general assembly - persons who make or amend or repeal laws governance , governing body , organisation , administration , brass , establishment , organization - the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; "he claims that the present administration is corrupt"; "the governance of an association is responsible to its members"; "he quickly became recognized as a member of the establishment" executive - persons who administer the law judiciary , bench - persons who administer justice judicatory , judicial system , judiciary , judicature - the system of law courts that administer justice and constitute the judicial branch of government pupet regime , puppet government , puppet state - a government that is appointed by and whose affairs are directed by an outside authority that may impose hardships on those governed state - the group of people comprising the government of a sovereign state; "the state has lowered its income tax" division - an administrative unit in government or business state government - the government of a state in the United States totalitarian state , totalitation regime - a government that subordinates the individual to the state and strictly controls all aspects of life by coerc

ive measures government officials , officialdom - people elected or appointed to administer a government 2.

government - the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" land reform - a redistribution of agricultural land (especially by government action) squandermania - prodigious squandering (usually by a government) price-fixing - control (by agreement among producers or by government) of the price of a commodity in interstate commerce social control - control exerted (actively or passively) by group action misgovernment , misrule - government that is inefficient or dishonest lawmaking , legislating , legislation - the act of making or enacting laws trust busting - (law) government activities seeking to dissolve corporate trusts and monopolies (especially under the United States antitrust laws) devolvement , devolution - the delegation of authority (especially from a central to a regional government) destabilisation , destabilization - the action of destabilizing; making something less stable (especially of a government or country or economy) protest march - occasion when you can express opposition by marching (usually on some government institution) without a license government - (government) the system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed; "tyrannical government" political science , politics , government - the study of government

 of states and other political units paternalism - the attitude (of a person or a government) that subordinates should be controlled in a fatherly way for their own good manifesto , pronunciamento - a public declaration of intentions (as issued by a political party or government) authorities , government , regime - the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit; "the government reduced taxes"; "the matter was referred to higher authorities" event planner - someone who plans social events as a profession (usually for government or corporate officials) bounty , premium - payment or reward (especially from a government) for acts such as catching criminals or killing predatory animals or enlisting in the military zero coupon bond , zero-coupon bond - a bond that is issued at a deep discount from its value at maturity and pays no interest during the life of the bond; the commonest form of zero-coupon security office , power - (of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power; "being in office already gives a candidate a great advantage"; "during his first year in office"; "during his first year in power"; "the power of the president" anarchy , lawlessness - a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)

 federal - characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is divided between one central and several regional authorities; "a federal system like that of the United States"; "federal governments often evolved out of confederations" unitary - characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority; "a unitary as opposed to a federal form of government" 3.

government - (government) the system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed; "tyrannical government" governing , government activity , government , governance , administration - the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" system of rules , system - a complex of methods or rules governing behavior; "they have to operate under a system they oppose"; "that language has a complex system for indicating gender" 4.

bolt - a sudden abandonment (as from a political party) politics - the profession devoted to governing and to political affairs governing , government activity , government , governance , administration - the act of governing; exercising authority; "regulations for the governing of state prisons"; "he had considerable experience of government" mandate - the commission that is given to a government and its policies through an electoral victory patronage - (politics) granting favors or giving contracts or making appointments to office in return for political support demonstration , manifestation - a public display of group feelings (usually of a political nature); "there were violent demonstrations against the war" cabal , conspiracy - a plot to carry out some harmful or illegal act (especially a political plot) social science - the branch of science that studies society and the relationships of individual within a society geopolitics - the study of the effects of economic geography on the powers of the state practical politics , realpolitik - politics based on practical rather than moral or ideological considerations catechism - a series of question put to an individual (such as a political candidate) to elicit their views nominating address , nominating speech , nomination - an address (usually at a political convention) proposing the name of a candidate to run for election; "the nomination was

 brief and to the point" combination - an alliance of people or corporations or countries for a special purpose (formerly to achieve some antisocial end but now for general political or economic purposes) Soviets - the government of the Soviet Union; "the Soviets said they wanted to increase trade with Europe" civilization , civilisation - a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations); "the people slowly progressed from barbarism to civilization" side - one of two or more contesting groups; "the Confederate side was prepared to attack" assassin , assassinator , bravo - a murderer (especially one who kills a prominent political figure) who kills by a surprise attack and often is hired to do the deed; "his assassins were hunted down like animals"; "assassinators of kings and emperors" muckraker , mudslinger - one who spreads real or alleged scandal about another (usually for political advantage) fencesitter , independent , mugwump - a neutral or uncommitted person (especially in politics) regular - a dependable follower (especially in party politics); "he is one of the party regulars" coattails effect - (politics) the consequence of one popular candidate in an election drawing

 votes for other members of the same political party; "he counted on the coattails effect to win him the election" war chest - a fund accumulated to finance a war (or a political campaign) Sturm und Drang , upheaval , turbulence - a state of violent disturbance and disorder (as in politics or social conditions generally); "the industrial revolution was a period of great turbulence" government noun 1.

administration , executive , ministry , regime , governing body , powers-that-be The Government has insisted that confidence is needed before the economy can improve. 2. rule , state , law , authority , administration , sovereignty , governance , dominion , polity , statecraft our system of government Quotations "Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Men have a right that these wants should be provided for by this wisdom" [Edmund Burke Reflections on the Revolution in France] "As the happiness of the people is the sole end of government, so the consent of the people is the only foundation for it" [John Adams] "The requisites of government are that there be sufficiency of food, sufficiency of military equipment, and the confidence of the people in their ruler" [Confucius Analects] "In the long run every government is the exact symbol of its people, with their wisdom and their unwisdom" [Thomas Carlyle Past and Present] "Government is either organized benevolence or organized madness" [John Updike Buchanan Dying] "All government is evil, and the parent of evil ... The best government is that which governs least" [John L.

O'Sullivan] "It is perfectly true that that government is best which governs least. It is equally true that that government is best which provides most" [Walter Lippmann A Preface to Politics] "Society in every state is a blessing, but government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one" [Thomas Paine Common Sense] "Any system of government will work when everything is going well. It's the system that functions in the pinches that survives" [John F.

Kennedy Why England Slept] "Nothing appears more surprising to those who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the ease with which the many are governed by the few" [David Hume First Principles of Government] "The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government" [Henry Ward Beecher Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit] "Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them" [Ronald Reagan Speaking My Mind] Types of government absolutismby an absolute ruler anarchyabsence of government aristocracyby nobility autarchy or autocracyby an unrestricted individual bureaucracyby officials communalismby self-governing communities constitutionalismaccording to a constitution corporatismby corporate groups democracyby the people despotismby a despot or absolute ruler diarchy or dyarchyby two rulers dictatorshipby dictator ergatocracyby the workers gerontocracyby old people gynaecocracy or gynarchyby women hagiocracy or hagiarchyby holy men heptarchyby seven rulers hexarchyby six rulers hierocracy or hierarchyby priests imperialismby an emperor or empire isocracyby equals meritocracyby rulers chosen according to ability mobocracyby the mob monarchyby monarch monocracyby one ruler nomocracyby rule of law

 ochlocracyby mob octarchyby eight rulers oligarchyby the few pantisocracyby all equally pentarchyby five rulers plutocracyby the rich pornocracyby whores ptochocracyby the poor quangocracyby quangos slavocracyby slaveholders squirearchy or squirarchyby squires stratocracyby the army technocracyby experts tetrarchyby four rulers theocracy or thearchyby a deity triarchyby three rulers tyrannyby a tyrant government

Question: Who exercises power in a stratocracy?
Answer: THE MILITARY