Types Of States PDF

1) HOW POWER IS EXERCISED (PARLAMENTARISM vs DICTATORSHIP) 1.1) PARLAMENTARIANISM: Different political parties with different ideologies. Laws to guarantee citizen’s rights and liberties. Equality of citizen...

1) HOW POWER IS EXERCISED (PARLAMENTARISM vs DICTATORSHIP) 1.1) PARLAMENTARIANISM: Different political parties with different ideologies. Laws to guarantee citizen’s rights and liberties. Equality of citizens before the law (as claimed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) Laws written in a Constitution. Separation of powers: Each branch of the state (executive, legislative and judicial power) separated and independent in order to prevent abuses of power. Soft repression of dissent (media manipulation etc.) over direct physical repression (only when it is really needed). 1.2) DICTATORSHIP: State power normally concentrated in one leader (the dictator). TYPES OF Political parties are prohibited, or the only legal parties STATES are those who support the dictator. Laws violate citizen’s rights; human rights are abused. Tough, physical repression is used to ban or destroy political opposition. No universal suffrage (right to vote); citizens do not get to choose their representatives. REPRESENTATIVE VS DIRECT DEMOCRACY: Some critical voices (especially after the 15th of May movement in Spain) are beginning to question parliamentarian-representative democracy as a farce that works for the advantage of a few privileged elites. Instead, they propose DIRECT DEMOCRACY, a political system based in local assemblies where the citizens would take part for real in decision making about truly important matters. For them putting a paper in a ballot every four years is not real power for the people (meaning of the word “democracy” in Greek)  2) CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO THE HEAD OF STATE 2.1) Monarchy: The head of state is a queen or a king. a) Constitutional monarchy (e.g. Spain): they have a King but also a parliament. The King has some power but it is mostly shared with the rest of the government. b) Absolute monarchy (e.g. Saudi Arabia): TYPES The King concentrates a lot of power. He OF controls the rest of the government STATES (parliaments, etc.) 2.2) Republic: The head of state is the president. Examples: France, Germany, etc. a) Single Party Republics: A form of dictatorship (e.g. China) b) Liberal democratic republics: Formal democracies with a president, free elections, citizen’s rights, etc…  3) ACCORDING TO THE TERRITORIAL DISTRIBUTION OF POWER 3.1) Centralized states: Important decisions are made by the central government (normally located in the capital city of the country) Regional or local territories and their institutions of government do not enjoy a wide range of political autonomy to decide on their own matters (e.g. France) 3.2) Decentralized states: Regional and local territories (municipalities, regions, and their local governments) have plenty of issues about which TYPES OF they can decide independently from the central government; STATES always within the limitations set by the constitution and by national legislation. (e.g. Autonomous Communities of Spain) 3.3) Federal states: Local territories enjoy the highest possible degree of independence from the central government. They are legally allowed to make decisions about most local affaires. Still there is a national law they must be committed to abide by, and aspects such as strategic economic or political fields (energy, I+D, the army, etc.) remain under the jurisdiction of the central government. (e.g. USA, “Cantons” of Switzerland)  4) ACCORDING TO THEIR ATTITUDE TOWARDS RELIGION 4.1) Lay or SECULAR states: Political power and religion are separated. All religions are tolerated. 4.2) Confessional states: There is not separation between political power and religion. TYPES There is an official religion. OF STATES 4.3) Theocratic states: Religion and political power are not separated from each other. Religious principles control the political power or the state. Legislation is often made in conformity with a sacred book (the Bible, the Koran, etc.) Example: Afghanistan with the Taliban or Saudi Arabia. The law is inspired in the principles of Islam’s sacred book (The holy Koran) and it is called SHARÍA.