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==Types of Government==
 
==Types of Government==
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Basic categories of government include:
 
* [[Aristocracy]]
 
* [[Aristocracy]]
 
* [[Confederacy]]
 
* [[Confederacy]]
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* [[Plutocracy]]
 
* [[Plutocracy]]
 
* [[Socialist State]]
 
* [[Socialist State]]
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* [[Theocracy]]
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According to the [[U.S.]] [[Central Intelligence Agency]], each of the world's governments can be described by one, or a combination of, the following:
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*[[Absolute monarchy]] - a form of government where the monarch rules unhindered, i.e., without any laws, constitution, or legally organized oposition.
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*[[Anarchy]] - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.
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*[[Authoritarian]] - a form of government in which state authority is imposed onto many aspects of citizens' lives.
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*[[Commonwealth]] - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.
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*[[Communist]] - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society).
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*[[Confederacy]] (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government.
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*[[Constitutional]] - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government.
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*[[Constitutional democracy]] - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution.
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*[[Constitutional monarchy]] - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.
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*[[Democracy]] - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.
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*[[Democratic republic]] - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.
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*[[Dictatorship]] - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws).
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*[[Ecclesiastical]] - a government administrated by a church.
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*[[Emirate]] - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.
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*[[Federal]] (Federation) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units.
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*[[Federal republic]] - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.
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*[[Islamic republic]] - a particular form of government adopted by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.
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*[[Maoism]] - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by [[Mao Zedong]] (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people.
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*[[Marxism]] - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society - Communism.
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*[[Marxism-Leninism]] - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries.
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*[[Monarchy]] - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.
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*[[Oligarchy]] - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power.
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*[[Parliamentary democracy]] - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament.
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*[[Parliamentary government]] (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.
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*[[Parliamentary monarchy]] - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament).
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Presidential - a system of government where the executive branch exists separately from a legislature (to which it is generally not accountable).
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*[[Republic]] - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation.
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*[[Socialism]] - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.
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*[[Sultanate]] - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.
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*[[Theocracy]] - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.
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*[[Totalitarian]] - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.
    
==Action of government==
 
==Action of government==
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