Forms of Government
"Who's Making the Rules?"
We know America has a democracy, but what other forms of government exist around the world and throughout history? The song covers several common forms of government, ranging from monarchy to anarchy to dictatorship. Military-run oligarchies and religion-based theocracies are also explored, and we define the difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy.
I know you guys in America have your democracy, and that’s awesome, but in my country, we’ve been through every form of government. Let me tell you about it.
You might not know who is making the rules,
But there is some form of government that’s governing you.
And when people get disillusioned,
That’s when we see a revolution.
In my land, you need to ask who’s running it,
We’ve lived through every single form of government.
It started out, we didn’t have any laws,
People did whatever they wanted just because.
That’s anarchy, no government at all,
People robbed and killed in the free-for-all.
No police, just gangs and bandits,
Until some families joined up and demanded,
A king to rule over the land,
And when the king died, his kids ruled after him,
Which means that we lived in a monarchy,
Where crowns and thrones move through the family.
Until somebody flat out got sick of it,
Led an armed revolution just to go against.
Overthrew the king and kidnapped his kids,
Overnight we lived in a dictatorship.
One single person calling all of the shots,
Power-tripping in his palaces or one of his yachts.
So much propaganda from the state-controlled media,
And harsh punishments if we beefed with the leader, yep.
You might not know who is making the rules,
But there is some form of government that’s governing you.
And when people get disillusioned,
That’s when we see a revolution.
But the dictator died and the army started running it,
A few leaders controlling the whole government,
That’s an oligarchy, and the heads of military,
Ruled by force which was really pretty scary.
With war on their mind we lived through violent times,
And the laws were designed to help the more refined.
Till the church made it a crime to live this way,
Religion should be the law for how we live each day.
With laws built by religious leaders now in charge.
It was a theocracy, laws came from god —
Or one religion’s version. We still couldn’t vote,
Oppressive rule still shaped the country no joke,
It was OK if you agreed,
but anyone who didn’t was probably getting beat.
We wanted a voice, and we wanted to be free,
We organized as a direct democracy,
Where everyone gets to vote on all the laws,
Everyone has a voice, cuz we’re all in charge.
Things got better and you know how it showed?
The population began to explode.
With so many people to be spoken for,
They had to better organize just to ensure,
That we all were represented and this just means,
That we became a representative democracy.
With a lean new team built around a constitution,
And elected officials who upheld and used it.
It’s been long a story, and it never ends,
Cuz another revolution might come again.
You might not know who is making the rules,
But there is some form of government that’s governing you.
And when people get disillusioned,
That’s when we see a revolution.
A revolution is the changing of one form of government to another, or the creation of a new constitution. Revolutions usually occur at breaking points: when people are so fed up with the current form of government that they rebel. But they can also occur when powerful individuals seize power. The American Revolution was a war that changed the form of government from a colony under a constitutional monarch to a representative democracy. The recent revolution in Egypt had the country go from a dictatorship to an oligarchy to a representative democracy in a few months.
Revolutions can be bloody, though not all are.
A revolution is the changing of one form of government to another, or the creation of a new constitution. Revolutions usually occur at breaking points: when people are so fed up with the current form of government that they rebel. But they can also occur when powerful individuals seize power. The American Revolution was a war that changed the form of government from a colony under a constitutional monarch to a representative democracy. The recent revolution in Egypt had the country go from a dictatorship to an oligarchy to a representative democracy in a few months.
Anarchy usually refers to the complete absence of government. This type of anarchy often occurs during revolutions and civil wars. It's associated with lawlessness, riots and often violence. It's not a stable form of government, and so there aren't many examples of anarchy in history. In Europe, many people define anarchy very differently. They think of it as a theoretical system of government that does not use force or violence.
Anarchy rarely lasts long.
Anarchy usually refers to the complete absence of government. This type of anarchy often occurs during revolutions and civil wars. It's associated with lawlessness, riots and often violence. It's not a stable form of government, and so there aren't many examples of anarchy in history. In Europe, many people define anarchy very differently. They think of it as a theoretical system of government that does not use force or violence.
In a monarchy, the government is lead by a monarch. Monarchs can have different titles: King, queen, tsar, pharaoh, emperor, etc. Nearly always, the crown and power is passed down to members of the monarch's family. There are two kinds of monarchies: constitutional and absolute. In a constitutional monarchy, the government has a constitution that limits the monarch’s power. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch’s power is not restricted. He or she calls all the shots. Today, the United Kingdom, Spain and Japan are all constitutional monarchies. In all of these countries, the monarch is primarily ceremonial. Saudi Arabia and some other Islamic countries are absolute monarchies.
King Henry VIII was on a monarch who liked puffy shirts.
In a monarchy, the government is lead by a monarch. Monarchs can have different titles: King, queen, tsar, pharaoh, emperor, etc. Nearly always, the crown and power is passed down to members of the monarch's family. There are two kinds of monarchies: constitutional and absolute. In a constitutional monarchy, the government has a constitution that limits the monarch’s power. In an absolute monarchy, the monarch’s power is not restricted. He or she calls all the shots. Today, the United Kingdom, Spain and Japan are all constitutional monarchies. In all of these countries, the monarch is primarily ceremonial. Saudi Arabia and some other Islamic countries are absolute monarchies.
A dictatorship is a government headed by a dictator, or a single person with total power. There are different ways that a dictator may come into power, but it is often by force. Both absolute monarchy and dictatorship are forms of autocracy, which is rule by a single person. Because some dictators hand their power to their kids, dictatorships can also sometimes be absolute monarchies. This is currently the case in North Korea. In an authoritarian dictatorship, the dictator controls the government, while in a totalitarian dictatorship, the dictator controls not only the government but all of society and the economy.
Muammar Gaddafi was a dictator, though his official title was "Brotherly Leader and Guide of the Revolution of Libya"
A dictatorship is a government headed by a dictator, or a single person with total power. There are different ways that a dictator may come into power, but it is often by force. Both absolute monarchy and dictatorship are forms of autocracy, which is rule by a single person. Because some dictators hand their power to their kids, dictatorships can also sometimes be absolute monarchies. This is currently the case in North Korea. In an authoritarian dictatorship, the dictator controls the government, while in a totalitarian dictatorship, the dictator controls not only the government but all of society and the economy.
An oligarchy is rule by a small group of non-elected people. This is a broad term that can describe many kinds of governments, including plutocracy (rule by wealthy), military junta (rule by military leaders), and aristocracy (rule by the upper class). South Africa could be characterized as an oligarchy until it became a democracy in 1994. Only 20% of the population was white, but they were the only ones who had a say in government. George Orwell's book,1984, features a fictional example of an oligarchy.
Government Junta of Chile in 1973
An oligarchy is rule by a small group of non-elected people. This is a broad term that can describe many kinds of governments, including plutocracy (rule by wealthy), military junta (rule by military leaders), and aristocracy (rule by the upper class). South Africa could be characterized as an oligarchy until it became a democracy in 1994. Only 20% of the population was white, but they were the only ones who had a say in government. George Orwell's book,1984, features a fictional example of an oligarchy.
In a theocracy, all laws are based on the country’s religion. Instead of a separation of church and state, the church is the state. Vatican City is a small city inside Rome, in Italy. It is independent from Italy, and it is governed by Catholicism and headed by the Pope. The laws of Saudi Arabia are all based on Islamic law. The country even has religious police to maintain social compliance on laws like not sending gifts on Valentine's day.
Vatican City
In a theocracy, all laws are based on the country’s religion. Instead of a separation of church and state, the church is the state. Vatican City is a small city inside Rome, in Italy. It is independent from Italy, and it is governed by Catholicism and headed by the Pope. The laws of Saudi Arabia are all based on Islamic law. The country even has religious police to maintain social compliance on laws like not sending gifts on Valentine's day.
Direct democracy means that the people of the country have a direct say in government. The people vote directly on laws and other policies. This contrasts with a representative democracy, where the people don't vote on laws but vote for representatives to vote for them. Ancient Greece was a direct democracy, and many trace the origins of democracy to the Greeks. Today, Switzerland is a direct democracy. The United States is a representative democracy but includes elements of direct democracy on regional and state levels.
Voting in Switzerland.
Direct democracy means that the people of the country have a direct say in government. The people vote directly on laws and other policies. This contrasts with a representative democracy, where the people don't vote on laws but vote for representatives to vote for them. Ancient Greece was a direct democracy, and many trace the origins of democracy to the Greeks. Today, Switzerland is a direct democracy. The United States is a representative democracy but includes elements of direct democracy on regional and state levels.
In a representative democracy, the people do not vote directly in government, but instead elect representatives. The elected people then represent the interests of those who voted for them. The United States features representative democracies on multiple levels: from city councils to state senates to the Congress. The Founding Fathers felt that representatives were necessary or the needs of the minority would never be heard. Canada, Australia, and Germany are a few other representative democracies.
President Obama addresses Congress.
In a representative democracy, the people do not vote directly in government, but instead elect representatives. The elected people then represent the interests of those who voted for them. The United States features representative democracies on multiple levels: from city councils to state senates to the Congress. The Founding Fathers felt that representatives were necessary or the needs of the minority would never be heard. Canada, Australia, and Germany are a few other representative democracies.
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