Direct Democracy

Citizens vote on and make laws directly; power stays with people

Representative Democracy

Citizens elect representatives to make laws and decisions; power stays with people through their elected representatives

Absolute Monarchy

Right to rule passed through bloodline; ruler is all powerful

Constitutional Monarchy

Right to rule passed through bloodline; power limited by Constitution and lawmakers

Dictatorship

One strong leader, often military; people have no power; usually rises to power through force

Autocracy

Any form of government where all power is with one individual; people have no power

Oligarchy

A small (usually wealthy) group runs the country; people have no power

Theocracy

Laws are based off religion; can be an autocracy or an oligarchy as well

Communism

Government controls all resources; no private property; people work collectively; government SHOULD disappear; often dictator emerges

Socialism

Government owns some utilities; people still own property; higher taxes pay for government programs

Anarchy

No government; chaos and no laws; no one in control

Unitary

System of government with all the power at the top; national government controls power

Federal

System of government where power is shared between a central, national and state levels; citizens elect representatives

Confederal

System of government where power is located in independent states with little or no power in central government; citizens elect lawmakers

Parliamentary

Systems of government where elected lawmakers control government and leader of country is part of legislature