Countries of the World by Government Type 2011

Types of Government

• Countries can be classified by their government types, represented by different colors on a map:
  • Blue: Full presidential republics
  • Green/Yellow: Presidential republics with limited presidential power
  • Orange: Parliamentary republics
  • Red/Pink: Parliamentary constitutional monarchies
  • Purple: Absolute monarchies
  • Brown: Single-party republics
  • Green: Suspended governments (e.g., military dictatorships)
  • Grey: Countries not fitting the above categories

Monarchy

• A monarchy is when supreme power is held by an individual, typically known as a monarch, either absolutely or nominally.
• Modern monarchies often take the form of constitutional monarchies, where the monarch has limited political power due to a constitution.
• Hereditary rule is common, though electively chosen monarchs exist (e.g., the Pope).
• As of 2011, 44 nations have monarchs; 16 are Commonwealth realms like Canada and Australia.

Diarchy

• Diarchy refers to a governance structure where two monarchs rule simultaneously.
• Historical examples include Ancient Sparta and 17th century Russia.

Oligarchy

• An oligarchy is characterized by power resting with a small elite group defined by wealth, family ties, or military influence.
• Power dynamics in oligarchies can be:
  • De jure: Legally sanctioned power (e.g., aristocracy)
  • De facto: Power gained through resources regardless of law.
• Contemporary views suggest aspects of oligarchy exist in the U.S. political landscape.
• Nelson Mandela is noted for becoming South Africa's first president elected in a fully representative election in 1994, ending an oligarchic apartheid system.

Dictatorship and Totalitarianism

• Dictatorship: Power concentrated in a single leader or group without consent from the governed.
• Totalitarianism expands this control to all public and private life, enforced through propaganda and state mechanisms.
• Totalitarian states may utilize mass surveillance, censorship, and promote a personality cult around the leadership.

Types of States

• Governments can generally be categorized as:
  • Authoritarian: Power held by unelected individuals; often includes monarchies.
  • Oligarchic: Power rests in a small elite, exemplified by theocracies.
  • Democratic: Sovereignty lies with the citizens, featuring competitive elections and protected freedoms.

Democratic Principles

• Democracies embody equality in accessing power and recognizing individual liberties.
• Derived from fair competitive elections, democracies must also manage the balance between maximizing freedom and protecting rights.
• Separation of powers is crucial to prevent tyranny, ensuring no branch accumulates too much authority.

Electoral Democracies

• The status of electoral democracies varies globally and is often assessed by organizations such as Freedom House, indicating the health and accessibility of democratic practices in different nations.### Forms of Democracy
• Orange countries represent parliamentary republics.
• Green indicates presidential republics with less power; blue shows those with more presidential power.
• Red signifies parliamentary constitutional monarchies where the monarch does not wield personal authority.

New State Spaces

• Distinction exists between states and nations; states can redefine borders beyond national control.
• New state spaces evolve, often not governed solely by national authorities.

Learning Objectives

• Examine the transformation of political boundaries influenced by globalization.

Key Takeaways

• Global cities, like New York and London, serve as key hubs in the global economic and cultural systems.
• These cities are politically distinctive and often more connected to global networks than their surrounding regions.
• The emergence of regions and international governments, such as the European Union, illustrates evolving state power outside national governance.

Key Points

• Borders denote geographical limits of political entities and legal jurisdictions, but they may not always align with national identities.
• Globalization influences changes in political boundaries, creating new state spaces governed by local, regional, or international bodies.
• Global cities are pivotal in economic hierarchies, influencing international relations and events actively.

Key Terms

European Union

• A supranational organization formed in the 1950s to enhance economic and political ties between European nations.
• As of early 2007, 27 member countries included Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Global City

• A city recognized as a critical node in the global economic system, influencing international trade and culture.
• Global cities are evaluated hierarchically, with varying degrees of economic and political impact on global systems.

Political Borders

• Political borders are changing due to globalization, prompting the rise of new state spaces influenced beyond traditional national governments.
• The concept of global cities encourages the understanding of how urban centers interact with global systems rather than strictly adhering to national governance.