Forms of Government

In Journeyman class in October we're going to play a game with the following vocabulary words.  If you review them throughout the month you'll remember them really easily - or you can cram at the last minute if you prefer.  ;)  The reason we're learning these is so that as we study different societies we can identify which form of government they were/are operating under.

ANARCHY - A state of society without government or law. 

ARISTOCRACY - A government or state ruled by the elite, or privileged, upper class (i.e. wealthy rule, inherited name or title, or high educational status. Family names mean a lot.)

CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC - a state in which the head of state and other officials are representatives of the people. They must govern to an existing constitution.  (The United states was set up this way originally, but it is now functioning more like a republic - or an Oligarchy - depending on who you ask!)

DEMOCRACY - Government by the people; power vested in people and exercised directly by them or their elected agents.  (majority wins, even when slight; works well when people are righteous.) 

DICTATORSHIP - Absolute, overbearing power or control exercised by a dictator.

DESPOTISM - The exercise of absolute authority; absolute power or tyranny; authority unlimited and uncontrolled by men, constitution or laws, depending alone on the will of the 'prince'. 

MOB RULE - Control or government by a gang, often of violent criminals. 

MONARCHY - Supreme power or sovereignty held by a single person.  (Rule by one; i.e. emperor, czar, king, etc.

OLIGARCHY - All power is vested in a few persons; rule by the few (a small percentage of the whole).

  

PLUTOCRACY - Rule or power by the wealthy.

REPUBLIC - Supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them; rule by law (doesn't matter who is in charge, the laws govern).

TYRANNY - A state ruled by a tyrant or absolute ruler.  (Someone rules over everyone else; same as dictatorship.) 

THEOCRACY- Religious leaders who seek to rule in the name of God (someone claiming divine commission, acting as a liaison between the people & God).