Types of Government and rulership
Anarchy.
Having its roots from the Greek word meaning ‘no rule’, anarchy is a state of absence of law. The theory of anarchism proposes to do away with any kind of existing governments and build a society wherein each person has the freedom to exercise his will, without any controlling authority.
Democracy.
, democracy means ‘rule of the people’.The term today refers to a political system in which the people or their elected representatives govern themselves, rather than being governed, so everyone has an equal say in the decisions affecting their lives.
Monarchy.
It is the type of government having a hereditary chief of state(a king or queen), usually known as a monarch, with life tenure and powers varying from nominal, where the powers of the monarch are regulated by a constitution, to absolute, where the monarch enjoys unlimited powers. Most modern states with monarchic rule are constitutional monarchies, with laws framed to protect the rights of citizens. The era of absolute monarchs almost seems to have vanished now and it is something that we hardly see.
Tyranny.
The roots of this kind of rule from the Latin ‘tyrannia’, meaning the rule of a tyrant (a cruel master). It is the government or authority of an absolute ruler; hence, arbitrary exercise of power over subjects and others not requisite for the purposes of government or approved by law and justice. Such a rule has a negative connotation as it is often characterised by the threat of punishment and violence.
Republic.
Republic is a government whose authority is based on citizen voters, which are represented by elected or nominated officials chosen in free elections, as opposed to a monarchy or a dictatorship where the supreme power lies with the ruler.
Totalitarian.
Easy to decipher from the ‘total’; a totalitarian system is the one in which a single political authority regulates total control over the state that is centralised and dictatorial. It advocates complete subservience to the political authority which controls.
Oligarchy.
The word is from the Greek term for “rule of the few.” It is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a faction of persons or families. The people that form the ruling group are usually a group of distinguished people in terms of wealth or power who pass their influence from one generation to the next.
8. Federation.
It can be defined as political organisation characterised by the union of small states, groups or parties, which are self-governed in internal affairs and are united under a central government. The division of power among the states and the central governing body is typically constitutionally entrenched. A federal government having the constitutional structure that can be considered the opposite of a unitary state system.
Theocracy.
A government of a state by priests ruling in the name of God or gods, or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or consistent with the doctrines and principles of a particular religion or religious community. There is little room for dissent as the divine order is considered unquestionable and absolute.
Communism.
Derived from the French Commun(common), it is a revolutionary socialist movement aimed at creating a classless society that abolishes private ownership. The property is held by the community rather than the individuals and all activity is controlled by the government. As a system of government, communism is often closer to a form of socialism, in which the state owns and operates industry on behalf of the people.
Cabal.
Derived from Kaballah, a philosophy which is an integral part of Judaism; rather than being a form of government, a cabal is a group of people or a plot by a group of people to promote their interests in a community or state, usually sinister ones. The term today has an association with shadowy corners, black rooms or secretive government affairs.
Junta.
Having its origin from Spanish word Junta, which has its roots in Latin jungere (to join). It refers to a group or coalition that takes control of the state after overthrowing a government. Usually, this is done by military groups and the rule established is tightly controlled.
words related to the different types of governments
3. Dictatorship
Originally, a reference to a temporary emergency government established by the Roman Senate, dictatorship today refers to a form of government or social situation where the power rests entirely on one person or a group of persons. This rule could be acquired by inheritance or force and is usually oppressive, with no regulation by constitution, laws or opposition.
4. Authoritarian
Beginning with the Latin word ‘author’, meaning teacher or master, it is more of a description than being an actual form of government. A rule characteristic of a ruler having absolute sovereignty and centralised/highly concentrated power maintained by political repression can be termed as authoritarian. The term can also be used to connote arbitrary law situation such as election rigging or decisions made behind closed doors by a select group of government members.
Regime.
The modern usage of the term regime often gives it a negative connotation, but it essentially refers to a mode or system of a government, or simply a ruling government of the country. The freedoms and restrictions granted to the citizens of a country can vary from regime to regime.
6. Autocracy
the word autocracy refers to a government controlled by absolute power, concentrated in the hands of a single person with minimal restraints on the decisions and lack of any regularised mechanisms of popular control.
7. Fascism
Having taken a different form, fascism has evolved dramatically in various ways over the years. It is a way of ruling that advocates total control of the people and seeks to promote the ancestral and cultural values and eradicate foreign influences that are deemed to cause degeneration to the national and moral values of the people.
8. Plutocracy
plutocracy is a government ruled by the rich or power provided by wealth. It can also be used to describe a wealthy class ruling a government, often from behind the scenes.
9. Technocracy
, technocracy is a form of government where scientists and technical experts are in control of the state. Initially used to designate the application of scientific method to solving social problems, the term now is used for a rule where rulers are selected on the basis of their knowledge and skill rather than wealth or power.
10. Unitary
A unitary state is the one characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is held by one central authority, and the administrative divisions can only exercise those powers that the central authority chooses to delegate. A great number of nations have this form of government.
