Types of Government

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Types of Governments.

When a lot of people live together, they need a set of rules and a system to take care of their common needs and grievances. This is the basis of formation of a government. A government is a complex of political institution, laws and customs through which a country is governed.
Governments can be of many types. These are:
1. Monarchy: A government headed by a King or a Queen is called a monarchy. The King has complete authority, and exercises this authority through his officials. A Monarchy is an example of absolutism. However, a ‘token’ monarchy is also prevalent, where the King/Queen acts just as a constitutional head of the country, and the real power lies in the power of elected officers. Example, Gulf countries, U.K.
2. Dictatorship: This is another example of absolutism. The power here, lies not with a king, but the dictator, who is usually a military head. E.g. : Cuba, N. Korea.
3. Imperialism: Imperialism occurs when a stronger nation takes over a weaker nation, and starts dominating all economical, political and cultural decisions. E.g. The British rule over India till 1947.
4. Theocracy: This is a system in which religion plays a major role in the government. A religious organization or its officials control the government. E.g. Iran, Saudi Arabia.
5. Communism : Communism , as an idea, was introduced by Karl Marx. In a communist country, all land, factories etc. Are controlled directly by the government. Communists oppose capitalism, where people can own property and goods, supposedly in proportion to their merit. In a communist country, there is no private property and goods are owned and used by all, as needed. E.g. , China.
6. Democracy: The most popular of all political systems today, Democracy is literally, the rule of people. Citizens of a society come together, and decide everything among themselves using majority decisions. Direct democracy works well only in very small groups.
7. Republic: In a larger group of people, representative democracy, or Republic is required. People choose amongst themselves some specific persons as their representatives. These representatives then sit together and take the required decisions. The representatives are accountable to general public and can be changed when they fall out of the favour. Eg., India, USA.
8. Anarchy: It is a situation when there is no Government. This can happen in a country after a civil war, when a number of rival groups are trying to take control of the country. Anarchists are people who think government is a bad thing. E.g. Somalia.

What is a Constitution?
the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it. It is a written instrument embodying the rules of a political or social organization