When we speak of political systems, it’s difficult to determine what the most common types are. After all, many political systems are similar, or have similar roots. As you study political science, it can be helpful to understand some of the most common types of political systems from around the world. This article will focus on the various different kinds of political systems that have functioned throughout the ages & what they mean with each political system having its own advantages and disadvantages. Some of the more common political systems around the world include: ★ Democracy ★ Republic ★ Monarchy ★ Communism ★ Dictatorship Republic: Form of government whose authority is based on citizen voters, which are represented by elected or nominated officials chosen in free elections. An example would be the Republic of Ireland. Democracy: Form of government in which the people or their elected representatives govern themselves. An example would be Norway. Theocracy: Form of government where priests rule in the name of God or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided or consistent with the principles of a particular religion. An example would be Vatican City in Rome, Italy. Autocracy: Form of government controlled by absolute power and in the hands of a single person with minimal restraints on the decisions and lack of any mechanisms of popular control. An example of this would be North Korea. Technocracy: Form of government where scientists and technical experts are in control of the state and where rulers are selected on the basis of their knowledge/skill rather than wealth/power. The closest partial example of this form would be the former Soviet Union. Fascism: Form of government that advocates total control of the people and seeks to promote the ancestral and cultural values and eradicate foreign influences. An example of this form would be Germany during the 1933 – 1945 period referred more at the time as Nazi Germany. Anarchy: A state of absence of the law, a state of lawlessness and disorder usually resulting from a failure of government. Monarchy: Form of government where supreme authority is vested in a single or usually hereditary figure such as a king & whose powers can vary from absolute to none at all. An example of these would be Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom. Oligarchy: Rule of a few, a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a faction of people or families. An example of these would be the period of Apartheid in South Africa, 1948 – 1994. Plutocracy: Form of government ruled by the rich or power provided by wealth often used to describe a wealthy class ruling a government often from behind the scenes. An example of this would be the ancient Roman Empire and a few Ancient Greek territories. Tyranny: Form of government or authority of an absolute ruler, arbitrary exercise of power over subjects not requisite for the purpose of government/approved by law and justice. An example of this would be Zimbabwe. Specifically, under the Mugabe regime from the 1980’s to 2017. Totalitarianism: Form of government or system in which a single political authority regulates total control over state, that is centralized and dictatorial. An example of this would be current day North Korea & the country of Eritrea in East Africa. Federation: Political organization characterized by a union of small states, groups or parties which are self-governed in internal affairs and are run under a central government. An example of this would be Mexico, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland. Communism: System of government, in which the state owns and operates industry on behalf of the people. An example of this would be China and Cuba. Junta: Refers to a group or coalition that takes control of a state after overthrowing a government, usually conducted by military groups and referred to as a coup d'état. Examples of countries would be Mauritania, Guatemala, South Vietnam, El Salvador and most recently Zimbabwe and Libya under Pre and post Gaddafi. Dictatorship: Form of government where the power rests entirely on one person or a group of persons, this rule could be acquired by inheritance or force and is usually oppressive. Examples of this would be Zimbabwe, North Korea, Nazi Germany. Constitutional Monarchies: In this type of monarchy, the ruler is the head of state, but a constitution limits the power, and others make laws. The United Kingdom, Denmark, Kuwait, Spain, Sweden, Tuvalu, and many more are examples of constitutional monarchies. Commonwealth: A nation, state or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good. There are many examples but most notably, Canada, Namibia, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Confederacy (Confederation): A union by treaty between states, provinces or territories that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government. Emirate: Similar to a Monarchy or Sultanate, a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority. Islamic Republic: Form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.
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