1. What’s the Relationship?

2. Political units  Cities, counties, states, and countries  Defined by boundaries, called borders at the country level:  Man-made  Natural

3. Government Types of government are defined by:  How much control does the government have?  Where does the power come from?  How is the ruler changed?  How much freedom do the people have?  What about minorities?

4. Democracy “Government by the people”  Government is shaped by the people  Rule by the majority – directly or indirectly  Human rights and individual freedoms are valued, encouraged  Free elections for all people eligible to vote  While democracies tend to protect the rights of individuals in the minority, these are not guaranteed  Switzerland is a democracy

5. Republic “Rule of law”  Government is limited by law  Constitution/laws shape government  Free elections for all those allowed by law to vote  Constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people  Rights of minorities are defined by law  The United States is a republic

6. Monarchy “Divine right of kings”  In traditional monarchies, the monarch holds absolute power; in constitutional monarchies, power is shared with elected officials  The ruler is decided by birth  When a ruler dies, power passes to a member of the monarch’s family  The amount of freedom people enjoy is decided by those in power  Minority rights are defined by those in power  Saudi Arabia is a traditional monarchy; Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy

7. Theocracy “Power of religion”  A religious leader or council has ultimate authority  Power comes from religious belief  Rulers are chosen by the church  People are limited by religious law, as interpreted by the government  Minorities, particularly religious minorities, may be discriminated against  Iran is a theocracy

8. Dictatorship “I am the law”  A single person or small group exercises complete power  Dictators seize power or are placed into a position of authority by a group in society  Dictators hold power until they are overthrown  People have little to no freedom in a dictatorship  Minorities are often discriminated against  North Korea is a dictatorship

9. Totalitarianism “Ultimate control”  Government controls all aspects of their citizens’ lives  Dictatorship with unlimited authority  Rule until death or removal  No freedom, and significant repression (of all, including minorities)  Burma is a totalitarian state

10. Cultural beliefs and government Citizenship practices, public policies, and decision making may be influenced by:  Nationalism  Patriotism  Gender bias  Religion  Tradition