Government Formation and Types

Study Notes

Unitary System: Power is held by the central government, which makes decisions for the entire country.
Federal System: Power is divided between a central government and smaller regional governments.
Confederal System: A loose alliance of independent states that cooperate on certain matters.

Monarchy: A king or queen holds significant power, often hereditary.
Republic: Power is held by the people or their elected representatives.
Authoritarian: A single person or group holds complete control, often without free elections.
Totalitarian: A highly centralized and controlled government that seeks to regulate all aspects of citizens' lives.

Presidential System: The president serves as both head of state and head of government.
Parliamentary System: The prime minister serves as head of government, while a separate head of state (e.g., monarch) exists.
Semi-Presidential System: A mix of presidential and parliamentary systems, where the president and prime minister share power.

Factors affecting stability:
- Political culture and history
- Institutional design (e.g., electoral systems)
- Economic conditions
- International relations and pressures

In a Unitary System, the central government possesses all the power and makes decisions for the entire country.
A Federal System divides power between a central government and smaller regional governments, which have some autonomy.
A Confederal System is a loose alliance of independent states that cooperate on certain matters, but each state retains significant power.

A Monarchy is a system where a king or queen holds significant power, often inherited through family.
In a Republic, power is held by the people or their elected representatives, and leaders are usually chosen through elections.
An Authoritarian government is characterized by a single person or group holding complete control, often without free elections.
A Totalitarian government is a highly centralized and controlled system that seeks to regulate all aspects of citizens' lives.

The Legislative branch is responsible for making laws, often comprising a parliament or congress.
The Executive branch is responsible for enforcing laws, headed by a president or prime minister.
The Judicial branch is responsible for interpreting laws, comprising a system of courts.

In a Presidential System, the president serves as both the head of state and head of government.
In a Parliamentary System, the prime minister serves as the head of government, while a separate head of state (e.g., monarch) exists.
A Semi-Presidential System is a mix of presidential and parliamentary systems, where the president and prime minister share power.

A Coalition Government is formed when no single party holds a majority of seats in the legislature.
Parties must negotiate to form a governing coalition, often with policy compromises.

Factors affecting government stability include:
- Political culture and history
- Institutional design (e.g., electoral systems)
- Economic conditions
- International relations and pressures