DemocracyDemocracy

• Supreme political authority rests with the people

• Can be either direct or indirect– Indirect: aka

Representative; people are elected to express the will of the people.

DictatorshipDictatorship

• Oldest and most common form of government

• Those in power have absolute, unchallengeable, authority

• Either autocracy or oligarchy– Autocracy: single person

holds political power– Oligarchy: power to rule is

held by a small group

Cuba

UnitaryUnitary

• A centralized government

• All government powers held by a central agency

• Central agency creates local units for convenience

• NOT a dictatorship

France

FederalFederal

• Powers of government are divided between central government and local governments

• Division of powers cannot be changed by local or national level alone

ConfederateConfederate

• An alliance of independent states

• Central organization handles matters member states assign to itEuropean Union

PresidentialPresidential

• Executive and legislative branches are separate but coequal (have same amount of power)

• Branches can block actions of the other branches

ParliamentaryParliamentary

• Executive (Prime Minister)

• Prime Minister and Cabinet are members of legislative branch

• Prime Minister is the leader of majority party

Great Britain