Topic 6 - Classification of Government

• “A state is better governed which has few laws, and those laws strictly observed (Descartes, 1637)”.
• Government by one person

  • Monarchy
  • Dictatorship
• Monarchy - The ruler is a monarch who comes from a royal family. In which the supreme and final authority is in the hands of a single person.
• Monarch - Royal title may be king, queen, emperor, empress, tzar or tzarina, or any royal title a monarch ruling state.
• Monarchies are classified into:

  • Absolute monarchy
  • Limited monarchy
• Absolute monarchy - the ruler rules by divine right and exercises absolute powers. The ruler wields executive, legislative, and judicial authority.
• Limited monarchy - the monarch is willing to part with some of his powers and delegates them to some government agencies, thus, the ruler rules in accordance with a constitution.
• Dictatorship - The government is ruled by a person who comes from the military or civilian class.
• Dictatorship - The power and control over government becomes entrenched by a clique of fanatical followers.
• Dictatorship - The dictator usually proclaims himself as the champion and protector of the poor people.
• Dictatorship may be totalitarian when the dictator controls everything such as all means of communication, homes, schools, and churches, the nation’s economy and even the people’s lives. Totalitarianism is the most extreme type of dictatorship.
• Government by the few

  • Aristocracy
  • Oligarchy
• Aristocracy - It is defined from the Greek etymology aristo which means best and kratia or kratos means rule.
• Aristocracy - It is defined from the Greek etymology aristo which means best and kratia or kratos means rule.
• Aristocracy - This is a government by the “best” members of the community.
• Aristocrats are presumably of the highest intelligence and integrity as the elite members of the society.
• Oligarchy - The wealthy few in the government, or the oligarchs, believe that the most important requisites to the claim of power are wealth, good social position, and education.
• The oligarchs are the enemies of the poor, thus, they have no qualms of charity.
• oligarchy and aristocracy are also authoritarian since there are no elections and no referendums in which the citizens participate.
• The authoritarian governments do not allow people to organize in political parties and interest groups.
• Government by the many

  • Democracy
• Democracy - Derived from the Greek term demos which means people, and kratia or kratos which means to rule.
• Democracy - Derived from the Greek term demos which means people, and kratia or kratos which means to rule.
• Democracy - The political power is exercised by a majority of the people.
• Democracy - “a government by the people, of the people, and for the people.”
• Democratic governments are classified into:

  • Direct or pure democracy
  • Indirect, representative, or republican democracy
• Direct or pure democracy - the will of the state is formulated or expressed directly and immediately through the people in a mass meeting or primary assembly rather than through the medium of delegates or representatives.
• Indirect, representative, or republican democracy - the will of the state is formulated and expressed through the agency of a relatively small and select body of persons chosen by the people to act as their representatives.
• The institutional types of government

  • As to the extent of powers exercised by the central or national government:
  • Unitary government
  • Federal government
  • As to relationship between the executive and the legislative branches of the government:
  • Presidential government
  • Parliamentary government
• Unitary government - the control of national and local affairs is exercised by the central or national government.
• Federal government - The powers of government are divided between 2 sets of organs, one for national affairs and the other for local affairs. It is well adapted to large countries populated by people of different races, nationalities, cultures, languages, and religions.
• Presidential government - the executive power is exercised by a single president elected by popular vote. He holds office for a specific period of time as fixed by the constitution of the state.
• Parliamentary government - the executive power belongs to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The leaders of the majority party remain in office as long as they have the confidence and support of the parliamentary majority.
• Purposes and necessity of government

  • Advancement of the public welfare
  • Consequence of absence
• Advancement of the public welfare

  • governments exist for the benefit of the people governed. It is necessary for the protection of society and its members, the security of persons and property, the administration of justice, the preservation of the state from external danger, and advancement of physical, economic, social, and cultural well-being.
• Consequence of absence

  • without an organized structure, anarchy and disorder, and general feeling of fear and insecurity will prevail in society, progress and development will not be possible, rights can never be enjoyed.