Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Government
○ Protection
> From other and other nations
○ Provide stability
> Less conflict
○ Provide services
> Infrastructure
○ Organization
Democracy
A system of government in which people rule
Direct Democracy
A government system in which people make decisions directly
Parliamentary Democracy
An indirect democracy in which the head of government is often called a prime minister and must be an elected member of the l egislature
> Based on British system
Republic
A country in which a monarch is not the head of state (may not be democratic)
Monarchy
A government system headed by a king or queen
Constitutional Monarchy
A government system headed by a king or queen whose powers are limited by a constitution
Oligarchy
A government system in which many are ruled by the few (elites). e.g. Hamburg, Florence
Theocracy
A government ruled by or subject to religious authority
Authoritarian
A system in which complete obedience to the will of the ruler is required; no individual freedom is allowed
Totalitarian
An extreme form of authoritarianism in which the government tightly controls social, political, and economic spheres of life (e.g. Fascism and communism)
Introduction
to Democr...
Audio recording started: 5:35 PM January -15-10
Custom- an unwritten rule that governs the behaviour of people in society. e.g. Kissing on both cheeks to greet someone
Authoritarian Democratic
Leaders are self-appointed Leaders are elected by citizens
Leaders cannot usually be replaced Leaders' term in office is limited
Citizens cannot question or speak out against leaders' actions Citizens can question and speak out against leaders' actions
Monarchs believed they were born with the divine right of king, and believed that they were sent to represent god to the peop le. Anyone who questioned the king, was considered to be
questioning god. This is what legitimized their power.
Magna Carta was important to the development of democracy because it limited the monarch's power over subjects, and assured t hey exercised their powers fairly. It also stated that the king had
to respect certain rights and laws of citizens.
> Forcing widows to remarry
> Forcing villagers to build bridges over rivers
There was a civil war in England in 1642 because supports of the king and supporters of parliament fought for their beliefs. The king believed in divine right of king, but
members of parliament did not.
> Oliver Cromwell and his supporters won the war
> King was put on trial, convicted for treason, and beheaded
> Cromwell ruled for 11 years
> England became a republican oligarchy because there was no king; the elite ruled and there was no king
After the death of Cromwell, England became a monarchy again. The new king was Charles II, who was followed by James II
There was another dispute between parliament and the monarch because the monarch wanted to limit the decision -making powers of Parliament. The king wanted to
declare Catholicism; Protestant members of the House of Commons and House of Lords wanted to replace him with a Protestant mo narch
Consent to rule granted by the people - American colonists didn't have the right to vote
- British Parliament doesn't have the consent of the American colonists (can't vote), yet the Parliament is passing taxes
colonists must pay; "No taxation without representation"
Reason for government; protect peoples' - Colonists asked the British king to give them the vote; he refused
rights
If ruler breaks contracts, people have the - Since the ruler broke the contract, he lost the right to rule
right to a revolution ○ Colonists fight the revolution to end the abuse of power
- When they win the war, they write a constitution that limits the power of government and has a Bill of Rights
Locke's contract stated that rulers cannot use force upon the people without authority. If the ruler abuses power, the people have the right to select a new leader by means
of a revolution.
Locke excluded poor people, women, children, and non-Europeans from decision-making because he believed that they did not have time, education, or common sense to
decide how they should be governed.
Value- the beliefs that govern the behaviour and choices of the citizens who belong to society