Political Understandings of Europe

1. Political Understandings of Europe SS6CG4: The student will compare and contrast various forms of government. SS6CG5: The student will explain the structure of modern European governments.

2. What is government? • Definition: The system or form by which a community or other political unit is governed. The study of government of states and other political units. The organization that is the governing authority of a political unit. • Legislators (law-makers) • Administrators • Control a state/country • Organization • How state policy is enforced • To govern • To manage

3. Different governments • Aristocracy • Autocracy • Communist state • Confederation • Democracy • Empire • Federation • Monarchy • Oligarchy • Parliamentary state • Presidential • Republic • Theocracy • Tyranny

4. Forms of government in the world What do you recognize about the types of government all over the world?

5. UNITARY • Single national government has all the power. • There is no state or local government independent of the national government.

6. Unitary Ways Government Distributes Power Regional Authority Regional Authority Central Authority Regional Authority Regional Authority

7. List of Unitary States Italy Poland Portugal Spain Ukraine United Kingdom

8. CONFEDERATIONS • Made up of state governments or provinces. • Loose alliance between them. • Most of the power rests with the state governments or provinces. • The national government has some power, but not as much as the states.

9. Confederation Ways Government Distributes Power Regional Authority Regional Authority Central Authority Regional Authority Regional Authority

10. List of Confederations- Today • European Union and OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

11. FEDERAL • Have a strong national government that shares power with smaller state governments. • Most of the power is in the hands of the national government, but some authority is reserved for the states. • The United States has a federal form of government. • The federal (national) government shares power with fifty state governments.

12. Federation / Federal Ways Government Distributes Power Regional Authority Regional Authority Central Authority Regional Authority Regional Authority

13. List of countries with Federal Governments (24) BELGIUM GERMANY RUSSIA SPAIN UNITED STATES

14. Federal government 3 branches

15. Ways Government Distributes Power All key powers are held by the central government State/regional authorities hold most of the power Federal Confederation Unitary Strong central government Weaker central government

16. Questions—Power and how it is distributed? On a blank piece of paper #1-6 and write Unitary, Confederation, or Federal for your answer. Spell out the word 1. In this form of government power is shared with smaller governments (provinces/states). 2. In this form of government the power is in the smaller state governments or provinces. 3. This type of government is where you would most likely see a dictatorship. 4. In this type of government most of the power is in the hands of the national government, but some power is reserved for the states. 5. In this type of government the national government has all the power? 6. In this type of government there is no state or local government independent of the national government.

17. How government systems distribute power • A unitary government does NOT distribute power • A confederation’s power is with the state governments or provinces. • A federal government shares power with smaller states.

18. Sample test question In Nigeria’s government, power is divided between Central and regional authorities. This is an example of which government type? A. Unitary B. Confederation C. Federal D. Parliamentary

19. How governments determine citizen participation • Autocracies-Ruled by a dictator • Oligarchies-Ruled by a small group • Democracies-Citizens have a voice in their government

20. Autocracies(Autocracy) • Ruled by a dictator • Citizens do not have much say • Ruler usually do what he/she wants • Does not need the approval of the people • Leaders rule until they die, are overthrown, or decide to resign from office • Many rule for year, or even decades.

21. Speaking of dictators… World's 13 deadliest dictators

22. Oligarchies (Oligarchy) • Governments that are ruled by a small group • Elite families, military officers, religious leaders and/or members of the upper class • Have a say in how the government is run • Citizens who are outside the ruling group have very little to say

23. Democracies (Democracy) • Citizens have a voice in their government • Citizens elect leaders and often get to vote on laws • If the people do not like their leaders, they can vote to replace them • Many people think the United States is a democracy, but it is a REPUBLIC (If anything the United States is a Federal Presidential Constitutional Republic)—NOT a democracy • People of ALL classes who are qualified citizens are allowed to vote and have a say in their government

24. Practice questions Who of the following would be the head of government in an autocracy? • President • Dictator • Prime Minister • Members of the upper class

25. Practice questions Steven lives in a country where one national government has all the power. It sounds like Steven lives under which form of government? • Unitary • Federation • Confederation • State

26. Forms of Democratic Government • Parliamentary Democracy • Presidential Democracy

27. Parliamentary Democracy • Most of the power rests with the legislative body or parliament • The parliament selects government ministers • The parliament elects a prime minister who serves as both the leader of the legislature and the nation’s head of government. • Role of the citizens? • Have a say through parliamentary elections • Elect members of parliament who will then choose government leaders • There is often a head of state (King or Queen) but they have very little power.

28. Presidential Democracy • Power is divided between the legislature and an executive, usually called the president • Role of the citizens? • People elect their legislators and the president separately • The president and the legislature have different powers and they work together, but neither has authority over the other.

29. Practice question Which of the following is the best description of a prime minister? • An executive independent of the legislative branch • An autocratic ruler • The leader of an elite ruling class • A head of government elected by members of a legislature