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Government. Citizen Participation. Citizen Participation. Different governments decide a citizens’ role in government differently The government can share none , little , or most of its power with its citizens. 3 main ways governments determine citizen participation . . .
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Citizen Participation • Different governments decide a citizens’ role in government differently • The government can share none, little, or most of its power with its citizens
3 main ways governments determine citizen participation . . . • autocratic • oligarchic • democratic
AUTOCRATIC rule by one OLIGARCHIC rule by the few DEMOCRATIC rule by all
Citizen’s Role in Government Autocratic (one) Oligarchic (few) Democratic (all) MOST citizen participation LEAST citizen participation
How Governments Determine Citizen Participation High Participation High Participation General Citizens’ Participation Select Citizens’ Participation Citizen Participation Government Power Government Power Citizen Participation Government Power Low or No Participation Low or No Participation Low or No Participation Autocratic Oligarchic Democracy
Autocratic • One person (ex. King, Emperor, Czar) possesses unlimited power • The citizen has limited, if any, role in government
Autocratic cont. • Ruler gets power through inheritance or ruthless use of military & police power • The oldest form of government • One of the most common forms of government
Examples of Autocratic Gov’ts Totalitarianism & Dictatorships • Ideas of a single leader glorified • Gov’t tries to control all parts of social & economic life • People lack the power to limit their rulers • Examples- Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Sudan
Examples of Autocratic Gov’ts Absolute Monarchy • King, queen, or emperor has unlimited power • Position is usually inherited (from parents or other relatives) • People lack the power to limit their rulers • Absolute monarchs are rare today but from the 1400s to the 1700s they ruled most of Western Europe • Example - King of Saudi Arabia
Oligarchy • Government by the few (a few powerful individuals make decisions) • A small group exercises control, especially for corrupt and selfish purposes • The citizen has a very limited role
Oligarchy • The ruling group gets its power from military power, wealth, religion or a combination. • Political disagreement is usually suppressed (sometimes violently)
Examples of OligarchyTheocracy (Iran) • a government run by religious authority • A Deity (god) is recognized as the highest ruler • The Deity's laws are interpreted by religious experts (priests, mullahs, etc.)
Examples of OligarchyCommunism (China) • Gov’t plans & controls the economy • a single party holds power • state controls are forced • NO private ownership of property • All goods are to be equally shared by the people (ex. classless society)
WARNING!Autocracy & Oligarchy • Sometimes claim they rule for the people. • In reality, the people have very little say in both types of government. • Example - may hold elections with only one candidate or control the results of elections • Example - even when these governments have a legislature (branch that makeslaws), they often only approve decisions made by the leaders.
Democracy • Citizens vote on government representatives & on specific issues • People have the most power
2 main forms of democratic governments . . . • Parliamentary: parliament (legislature) elects prime minister • Presidential: citizens elect president
Presidential Democracy • Different branches of government (executive, legislative, judicial) are equal in power • Executive branch independent from the legislature (ex. president elected by citizens not legislature)
Examples of Presidential Democracy Republic (U.S., Kenya, South Africa, India) the people elect representatives to govern and make laws
Parliamentary Democracy • Legislature makes most decisions • Executive (Prime Minister) elected by the legislature instead of by the citizens • Example - Israel
Examples of Parliamentary Democracy Constitutional Monarchy (Japan) • Monarch (king or queen) must follow the laws of the constitution • monarch is usually a figure-head, the real power rests with the legislature (Parliament/Congress)