This spectrum of governments describes many different governments, and puts them on the spectrum depending if they are autocratic or democratic.
Enjoy
Theoretical Democracy
This type of democracy is the democracy that we all dream of. It the democracy of imagination – a utopia.
Presidential Democracy
This is the democracy that the U.S. has. It is led by a president, with two houses of legislature. These are the large house of representatives and the smaller senate. There is also a judiciary brach which is the head of all the courts in the country. The citizens are represented equally in the government.
Constitutional Monarchy
This monarchy has a ceremonial monarch, but the leader of the country is the prime minister. There are two branches here, the representative body that the prime minister leads and the ceremonial body that the monarch – or in the Commonwealth, a Governor General – leads. This body is mostly ceremonial, but it does have some power.
Merchant Republic
This republic is leaded by a council of merchants. The main focus of this country is trade, and the country is usually small. There are none of these today, but the most famous past example of a merchant republic is Venice.
Classical Republic
This republic was used in the Classical era, the time of the Romans and Greece. This republic was headed by a council of rich, usually men, representatives and in Rome’s case, there was a senate which had a lot of power. There are none today.
Oligarchy
This government has a few men how hold all the power. It technically representative, but not really close. It was used in the late Classical and Medieval eras. The most famous example was the Holy Roman Empire, which was in modern-day Germany. It was not Roman Catholic, not Roman, and not an empire.
Theocracy
This government had one religious figure and a few church members have all the power. This government is mainly interested in the religion it practices and enforces it strongly. It represents the religion which the country has and was used in the middle and late Classical period and Medieval Periods. The most famous example of this is Vatican City, which is still here today.
Marxist Communism
This government is the idea of a few men, one of which was Karl Marx. He thought up a government that owned all and “loaned” out pieces of property and money to the people for a time. It was a dream, nothing less, nothing more. It was never put into place.
Communist Dictatorship
This government is the real outcome of communism, a people that gave all their money and land to one person. That person became very powerful. There are many examples of this, such as the Soviet Union, China, East Germany, and more. This government was deeply feared by the American people and the American government tried to stop desperately.
Totalitarianism
This government is notorious for being oppressive. One person has ALL the power. He or she can purge anyone in the country whenever they want. They usually have “advisors”, but they are just there to speak what the dictator wants them to speak. This government usually forms out of anarchy, and the most famous example is North Korea.
Theoretical Autocracy
This type of autocracy is the autocracy that we all have nightmares of. It the autocracy of imagination – a dystopia.
