FORMS OF GOVERNMENT

List of forms of governmet :-

Part of the Politics series

Basic forms of government
Power structure

Separation

Associated state Dominion Chiefdom

Federalism

Federation Confederation Devolution

Integration

Empire Hegemony Unitary state

Administrative division

Democracy
(power of many)

Direct Representative Liberal Socia Demarchy Others

Oligarchy
(power of few)

Anocracy Aristocracy Plutocracy nKleptocracy

Kakistocracy
Kraterocracy Stratocracy Synarchy Timocracy Meritocracy
Technocracy Geniocracy Gerontocracy Noocracy Kritarchy
Particracy Ergatocracy Netocracy Capitalist state Socialist
state
Theocracy

Autocracy
(power of one)

Despotism Dictatorship Military dictatorship Tyranny

Anarchism
(power of none)

Anarchy Free association Stateless

 POWER IDEOLOGY

Monarchy vs. republic

(socio-political ideologies)

Absolute Legalist Constitutional Parliamentary

Directorial Semi-presidential Presidential

Authoritarian vs. libertarian

(socio-economic ideologies)

Tribalism Despotism Feudalism

Colonialism Distributism Socialism Communism
Totalitarianism

Global vs. local

(geo-cultural ideologies)

Commune City-state National government

Intergovernmental organisation World
government

Politics portal

This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorising
them. The systems listed are not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions.

Forms of government by power structure[edit]

Term Definition

A unitary state is a state governed as a single power in which the central government is ultimately supreme and
Unitar
any administrative divisions (sub-national units) exercise only the powers that the central government chooses to
y
delegate. The majority of states in the world have a unitary system of government. Of the 193 UN member states,
State
165 are governed as unitary states.

A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing
states or regions under a central (federal) government. In a federation, the self-governing status of the component
Feder
states, as well as the division of power between them and the central government, is typically constitutionally
ation
entrenched and may not be altered by a unilateral decision of either party, the states or the federal political body.
Alternatively, federation is a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided between a central
authority and a number of constituent regions so that each region retains some degree of control over its internal
 affairs.

A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign states, united for purposes of
common action often in relation to other states. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be
Confe established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with
derati the general government being required to provide support for all its members. Confederalism represents a main
on form of inter-governmentalism, this being defined as ‘any form of interaction between states which takes place on
the basis of sovereign independence or government. Confederation is almost as a Federation with the Federal
Government being as a combination or alliance of all the states.

A society without a publicly enforced government or political authority. [1][2] Sometimes said to be non-governance;
it is a structure which strives for non-hierarchical, voluntary associations among agents. Anarchy is a situation
where there is no state.
Anarc
hy This can be a natural, temporary result of civil war in a country, when an established state has been destroyed and
the region is in a transitional period without definitive leadership.[3] Alternatively, it has been presented as a viable
long term choice by individuals known as anarchists who oppose the state and other forms of coercive hierarchies.
These individuals typically think people should organize in non-hierarchical, voluntary associations where
people voluntarily help each other.[4] There are a variety of forms of anarchy that attempt to avoid the use of
coercion, violence, force and authority, while still producing a productive and desirable society. [5][6]

Forms of government by power source[edit]

Term Description

Democracy, meaning "rule of the people", is a system of government in which the citizens exercise power directly
Demo or elect representatives from among themselves to form a governing body, such as a parliament. Democracy is
cracy sometimes referred to as "rule of the majority". Democracy is a system of processing conflicts in which outcomes
depend on what participants do, but no single force controls what occurs and its outcomes.

Oligarchy, meaning "rule of the few", is a form of power structure in which power rests with a small number of
people. These people might be distinguished by nobility, wealth, family
Oligar
ties, education or corporate, religious or military control. Such states are often controlled by families who typically
chy
pass their influence from one generation to the next, but inheritance is not a necessary condition for the
application of this term.

Autocracy is a system of government in which supreme power (social and political) is concentrated in the hands of
one person or polity, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms
Autoc
of popular control (except perhaps for the implicit threat of a coup d'état or mass insurrection). Absolute
racy
monarchy (such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Brunei and Eswatini) and dictatorships (also
including North Korea) are the main modern day forms of autocracy.

Types of democracy[edit]
In democracies, large proportions of the population are provided the means to either to make decisions or to
choose representatives to make decisions. Usually, though not necessarily (see Demarchy), this means is
voting. Significant in most vote-based democracies are political parties, which are groups of people with
similar ideas about how a country or region should be governed. Different political parties have different
ideas about how the government should handle different problems.
Note: These categories are not exclusive.

Term Definition

Direct Variant of democracy; government in which the people represent themselves and vote directly for new laws
democracy and public policy.

Liquid Variant of democracy; government in which the people represent themselves or choose to temporarily
democracy delegate their vote to another voter to vote for new laws and public policy.

Representati
Variant of democracy; wherein the people or citizens of a country elect representatives to create and
ve
implement public policy in place of active participation by the people.
democracy

Variant of democracy; a form of government in which representative democracy operates under the
principles of liberalism. It is characterised by fair, free, and competitive elections between multiple
distinct political parties, a separation of powers into different branches of government, the rule of law in
everyday life as part of an open society, and the protection of human rights and civil liberties for all persons.
To define the system in practice, liberal democracies often draw upon a constitution, either formally written
Liberal or uncodified, to delineate the powers of government and enshrine the social contract. After a period of
democracy sustained expansion throughout the 20th century, liberal democracy became the predominant political
system in the world. A liberal democracy may take various constitutional forms: it may be a republic, such
as France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, or the United States; or a constitutional monarchy, such
as Japan, Spain, or the United Kingdom. It may have a presidential system (Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, or
the United States), a semi-presidential system (France, or Portugal), or a parliamentary
system (Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland, India, Italy, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom).

Variant of democracy; a form of representative democracy where citizens are able to vote for their
Electocracy government but cannot participate directly in governmental decision making and where the government
does not share any power almost as the government has absolute power

Variant of democracy; a form of electocracy in which lawfully elected representatives maintain the integrity
Totalitarian
of a nation state whose citizens, while granted the right to vote, have little or no participation in the
democracy
decision-making process of the government.

Variant of democracy; social democracy rejects the "either/or" phobiocratic/polarization interpretation of

capitalism versus socialism. It claims that fostering a progressive evolution of capitalism will gradually result
in the evolution of capitalist economy into socialist economy. Social democracy argues that all citizens
should be legally entitled to certain social rights. These are made up of universal access to public services
Social
such as: education, health care, workers' compensation, public transportation, and other services including
democracy
child care and care for the elderly. Social democracy is connected with the trade union labour movement
and supports collective bargaining rights for workers. Contemporary social democracy advocates freedom
from discrimination based on differences of: ability/disability, age, ethnicity, sex, gender, language, race,
religion, sexual orientation, and social class.
 Term Definition

Variant of democracy; government in which the state is governed by randomly selected decision makers
who have been selected by sortition (lot) from a broadly inclusive pool of eligible citizens. These groups,
sometimes termed "policy juries", "citizens' juries", or "consensus conferences", deliberately make
decisions about public policies in much the same way that juries decide criminal cases. Demarchy, in theory,
could overcome some of the functional problems of conventional representative democracy, which is
widely subject to manipulation by special interests and a division between professional policymakers
Demarchy (politicians and lobbyists) vs. a largely passive, uninvolved and often uninformed electorate. According to
Australian philosopher John Burnheim, random selection of policymakers would make it easier for everyday
citizens to meaningfully participate, and harder for special interests to corrupt the process.

More generally, random selection of decision makers from a larger group is known as sortition (from the
Latin base for lottery). The Athenian democracy made much use of sortition, with nearly all government
offices filled by lottery (of full citizens) rather than by election. Candidates were almost always male, Greek,
educated citizens holding a minimum of wealth and status.

Types of oligarchy[edit]
Oligarchies are societies controlled and organised by a small class of privileged people, with no intervention
from the most part of society; this small elite is defined as sharing some common trait.
De jure democratic governments with a de facto oligarchy are ruled by a small group of segregated, powerful
or influential people who usually share similar interests or family relations. These people may spread power
and elect candidates equally or not equally. An oligarchy is different from a true democracy because very
few people are given the chance to change things. An oligarchy does not have to be hereditary or monarchic.
An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler but several rulers.
Some historical examples of oligarchy are the Roman Republic, in which only males of the nobility could run
for office and only wealthy males could vote, and the Athenian democracy, which used sortition to elect
candidates, almost always male, Greek, educated citizens holding a minimum of land, wealth and status.
Some critics of capitalism and/or representative democracy think of the United States and the United Kingdom
as oligarchies.
Note: These categories are not exclusive.

Term Definition

Aristocra Rule by the nobility; a system of governance where political power is in the hands of a small class of privileged
cy individuals who claim a higher birth than the rest of society.

Rule by the wealthy; a system wherein governance is indebted to, dependent upon or heavily influenced by the
Plutocrac desires of the rich. Plutocratic influence can alter any form of government. For instance, in a republic, if a
y significant number of elected representative positions are dependent upon financial support from wealthy
sources, it is a plutocratic republic.

Kraterocr Rule by the strong; a system of governance where those who are strong enough to seize power through
acy physical force, social maneuvering or political cunning.

Stratocra Rule by military service; a system of governance composed of military government in which the state and the
Term Definition

cy military are traditionally or constitutionally the same entity. Citizens with mandatory or voluntary active
military service or who have been honorably discharged have the right to govern. (Therefore, stratocracy is not
to be confused with "military junta" or "military dictatorship".) The Spartan city-state is a historical example; its
social system and constitution were completely focused on military training and excellence. Stratocratic
ideology often attaches to the honor-oriented timocracy.

Rule by the honourable; a system of governance ruled by honorable citizens and property
Timocrac owners. Socrates defines a timocracy as a government ruled by people who love honour and are selected
y according to the degree of honour they hold in society. This form of timocracy is very similar to meritocracy, in
the sense that individuals of outstanding character or faculty are placed in the seat of power.

Meritocr Rule by the meritorious; a system of governance where groups are selected on the basis of people's ability,
acy knowledge in a given area, and contributions to society.

Rule by the educated or technical experts; a system of governance where people who are skilled or proficient
govern in their respective areas of expertise in technology would be in control of all decision making. Doctors,
Technocr
engineers, scientists, professionals and technologists who have knowledge, expertise, or skills would compose
acy
the governing body instead of politicians, businessmen and economists.[7] In a technocracy, decision makers
would be selected based upon how knowledgeable and skillful they are in their field.

Geniocra Rule by the intelligent; a system of governance where creativity, innovation, intelligence and wisdom are
cy required for those who wish to govern. Comparable to noocracy.

Rule by the wise; a system of governance in which decision making is in the hands of philosophers. (advocated
Noocracy
by Plato)

Rule by a religious elite; a system of governance composed of religious institutions in which the state and the
Theocrac
church are traditionally or constitutionally the same entity. The Vatican's (see Pope), Iran's (see Supreme
y
Leader), Caliphates and other Islamic states are historically considered theocracies.

Rule by various judges, the kritarchs; a system of governance composed of law enforcement institutions in
which the state and the legal systems are traditionally or constitutionally the same entity. The kritarchs,
magistrates and other adjudicators have the legal power to legislate and administer the enforcement of
Kritarchy
government laws in addition to the interposition of laws and the resolution of disputes. (Not to be confused
with "judiciary" or "judicial system".) Somalia, ruled by judges with the tradition of xeer,[8]as well as the Islamic
Courts Union, is a historical example.[9]

Rule by a dominant political party (or parties).

Particrac
Term Definition

Rule by the proletariat, the workers, or the working class. Examples of ergatocracy include communist
Ergatocra
revolutionaries and rebels which control most of society and create an alternative economy for people and
cy
workers. See Dictatorship of the proletariat.

Rule by social connections; a term invented by the editorial board of the American technology
magazine Wired in the early 1990s. A portmanteau of Internet and aristocracy, netocracy refers to a perceived
Netocrac global upper-class that bases its power on a technological advantage and networking skills, in comparison to
y what is portrayed as a bourgeoisie of a gradually diminishing importance. The netocracy concept has been
compared with Richard Florida's concept of the creative class. Bard and Söderqvist have also defined an under-
class in opposition to the netocracy, which they refer to as the consumitariat.

Types of autocracy[edit]
Autocracies are ruled by a single entity with absolute power, whose decisions are subject to neither external legal
restraints nor regular mechanisms of popular control (except perhaps for implicit threat). That entity may be
an individual, as in a dictatorship or it may be a group, as in a one-party state. The word despotism means to "rule
in the fashion of despots" and is often used to describe autocracy.
Historical examples of autocracy include the Roman Empire, Nazi Germany and Soviet Union.

Term Definition

A dictatorship where power resides in the hands of one single person or polity. That person may be, for
example, an absolute monarch or a dictator, but can also be an elected president. The Roman Republic made
Civilian dictators to lead during times of war; but the Roman dictators only held power for a small time. In modern
Dictators times, an autocrat's rule is one that not stopped by any rules of law, constitutions, or other social and political
hip institutions. After World War II, many governments in Latin America, Asia, and Africa were ruled by autocratic
governments. Examples of dictators include: Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Idi Amin, Muammar Gaddafi,
and Gamal Abdul Nasser.

A dictatorship primarily enforced by the military. Military dictators are different from civilian dictators for a
number of reasons: their motivations for seizing power, the institutions through which they organize their rule,
Military and the ways in which they leave power. Often viewing itself as saving the nation from the corrupt or myopic
Dictators civilian politicians, a military dictatorship justifies its position as “neutral” arbiters on the basis of their
hip membership within the armed forces. For example, many juntas adopt titles, such as “National Redemption
Council", “Committee of National Restoration", or “National Liberation Committee". Military leaders often rule
as a junta, selecting one of them as the head.

Pejorative attributes[edit]
Regardless of the form of government, the actual governance may be influenced by sectors with political power
which are not part of the formal government. These are terms that highlight certain actions of the governors, such
as corruption, demagoguery, or fear mongering that may disrupt the intended way of working of the government if
they are widespread enough.
Term Definition

A politically unstable and kleptocratic government that economically depends upon the exports of a limited
resource (fruits, minerals), and usually features a society composed of stratified social classes, such as a great,
impoverished ergatocracy and a ruling plutocracy, composed of the aristocracy of business, politics, and the
military.[10]In political science, the term banana republic denotes a country dependent upon limited primary-
sector productions, which is ruled by a plutocracy who exploit the national economy by means of a politico-
Banana
economic oligarchy.[11] In American literature, the term banana republic originally denoted the
republic
fictional Republic of Anchuria, a servile dictatorship that abetted, or supported for kickbacks, the exploitation of
large-scale plantation agriculture, especially banana cultivation.[11] In U.S. politics, the term banana republic is a
pejorative political descriptor coined by the American writer O. Henry in Cabbages and Kings (1904), a book of
thematically related short stories derived from his 1896–1897 residence in Honduras, where he was hiding
from U.S. law for bank embezzlement.[12]

Rule by banks;[13] a system of governance with excessive power or influence of banks and other financial
Bankocra
authorities on public policy-making. It can also refer to a form of government where financial institutions rule
cy
society.

Rule by corporations; a system of governance where an economic and political system is controlled by
Corporat
corporations or corporate interests.[14] Its use is generally pejorative. Examples include company rule in
ocracy
India and business voters for the City of London Corporation.

Rule by nephews; favouritism granted to relatives regardless of merit; a system of governance in which
Nepotocr importance is given to the relatives of those already in power, like a nephew (where the word comes from). In
acy such governments even if the relatives aren't qualified they are given positions of authority just because they
know someone who already has authority. Pope Alexander VI (Borgia) was accused of this.

Rule by the stupid; a system of governance where the worst or least-qualified citizens govern or dictate
Kakistocr
policies. Due to human nature being inherently flawed, it has been suggested that every government which has
acy
ever existed has been a prime example of kakistocracy.

Rule by thieves; a system of governance where its officials and the ruling class in general pursue personal
wealth and political power at the expense of the wider population. In strict terms kleptocracy is not a form of
Kleptocra
government but a characteristic of a government engaged in such behavior. Examples include Mexico as being
cy
considered a "narcokleptocracy", (narco-state) since its democratic government is perceived to be corrupted by
those who profit from trade in illegal drugs smuggled into the United States.

Rule by the crowd; a system of governance where mob rule is government by mob or a mass of people, or
Ochlocra the intimidation of legitimate authorities. As a pejorative for majoritarianism, it is akin to
cy the Latin phrase mobile vulgus meaning "the fickle crowd", from which the English term "mob" was originally
derived in the 1680s. Ochlocratic governments are often a democracy spoiled by demagoguery, "tyranny of the
majority" and the rule of passion over reason; such governments can be as oppressive as autocratic tyrants.
Term Definition

Ochlocracy is synonymous in meaning and usage to the modern, informal term "mobocracy".

Other attributes[edit]

Term Definition

A regime type where power is not vested in public institutions (as in a normal democracy) but spread amongst
elite groups who are constantly competing with each other for power. Examples of anocracies in Africa include
the warlords of Somalia and the shared governments in Kenya and Zimbabwe. Anocracies are situated midway
between an autocracy and a democracy.[15]

The Polity IV dataset[clarification needed] recognised anocracy as a category. In that dataset, anocracies are exactly in
Anocracy
the middle between autocracies and democracies.
Often the word is defined more broadly. For example, a 2010 International Alert publication defined anocracies
as "countries that are neither autocratic nor democratic, most of which are making the risky transition between
autocracy and democracy".[16] Alert noted that the number of anocracies had increased substantially since the end
of the Cold War. Anocracy is not surprisingly the least resilient political system to short-term shocks: it creates
the promise but not yet the actuality of an inclusive and effective political economy, and threatens members of
the established elite; and is therefore very vulnerable to disruption and armed violence.

Adhocrac Rule by a government based on relatively disorganised principles and institutions as compared to
y a bureaucracy, its exact opposite.

Bureaucr
Rule by a system of governance with many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials
acy

Cybersyn Ruled by a data fed group of secluded individuals that regulates aspects of public and private life using data
acy feeds and technology having no interactivity with the citizens but using "facts only" to decide direction.

Nomocra Rule by a government under the sovereignty of rational laws and civic right as opposed to one under theocratic
cy systems of government. In a nomocracy, ultimate and final authority (sovereignty) exists in the law.

Rule by a government based on small (usually family) unit with a semi-informal hierarchy, with strongest (either
Band
physical strength or strength of character) as leader. Very much like a pack seen in other animals, such as
society
wolves.

Forms of government by power ideology[edit]

Term Definition

A monarchy is a form of government in which a group, generally a family representing a dynasty, embodies the
Monarc country's national identity and its head, the monarch, exercises the role of sovereignty. The actual power of the
hy monarch may vary from purely symbolic (crowned republic), to partial and restricted (constitutional monarchy),
to completely autocratic (absolute monarchy). Traditionally the monarch's post is inherited and lasts until death
or abdication. In contrast, elective monarchies require the monarch to be elected. Both types have further
 variations as there are widely divergent structures and traditions defining monarchy. For example, in
some[which?]elected monarchies only pedigrees are taken into account for eligibility of the next ruler, whereas
many hereditary monarchies impose requirements regarding the religion, age, gender, mental capacity, etc.
Occasionally this might create a situation of rival claimants whose legitimacy is subject to effective election.
There have been cases where the term of a monarch's reign is either fixed in years or continues until certain
goals are achieved: an invasion being repulsed, for instance.

A republic (Latin: res publica) is a form of government in which the country is considered a "public matter", not
the private concern or property of the rulers. The primary positions of power within a republic are not inherited,
but are attained through elections expressing the consent of the governed. Such leadership positions are
Republic therefore expected to fairly represent the citizen body. It is a form of government under which the head of state
is not a monarch. In American English, the definition of a republic can also refer specifically to a government in
which elected individuals represent the citizen body, known elsewhere as a representative
democracy (a democratic republic) and exercise power according to the rule of law (a constitutional republic).

Constitu
tional A constitutional government is a government which powers are limited by a constitution. A constititution is
normally used so the people of that government has civil and ethical rights.
Govern
ment

Types of monarchy[edit]
Countries with monarchy attributes are those where a family or group of families (rarely another type of group), called the
royalty, represents national identity, with power traditionally assigned to one of its individuals, called the monarch, who
mostly rule kingdoms. The actual role of the monarch and other members of royalty varies from purely symbolical
(crowned republic) to partial and restricted (constitutional monarchy) to completely despotic (absolute monarchy). Traditionally
and in most cases, the post of the monarch is inherited, but there are also elective monarchieswhere the monarch is elected.

Term Definition

Absolut A traditional and historical system where the monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of
e state and head of government. Many nations of Europe during the Middle Ages were absolute monarchies.
monarc Modern examples include mainly Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Brunei and one African
hy country, Eswatini.

Constitu Also called parliamentary monarchy, the monarch's powers are limited by law or by a
tional formal constitution,[17][18] usually assigning them to those of the head of state. Many modern developed
monarc countries, including the United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Spain and Japan, are
hy constitutional monarchy systems.

A form of government where the monarch (and family) is an official ceremonial entity with no political power.
Crowne
The royal family and the monarch are intended to represent the country and may perform speeches or attend
d
an important ceremonial events as a symbolical guide to the people, but hold no actual power in decision-
republic
making, appointments, et cetera.
Term Definition

Elective
A form of government where the monarch is elected, a modern example being the King of Cambodia, who is
monarc
chosen by the Royal Council of the Throne; Vatican City is also often considered a modern elective monarchy.
hy

Types of republic[edit]
Rule by a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over
the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. [19][20] A common simplified
definition of a republic is a government where the head of state is not a monarch.[21][22] Montesquieu included
both democracies, where all the people have a share in rule, and aristocracies or oligarchies, where only
some of the people rule, as republican forms of government.[23]
Note: These categories are not exclusive.

Term Definition

Republics where there is rule by a government whose powers are limited by law or a formal constitution, and
Constitu chosen by a vote amongst at least some sections of the populace (Ancient Sparta was in its own terms a
tional republic, though most inhabitants were disenfranchised). Republics that exclude sections of the populace from
republic participation will typically claim to represent all citizens (by defining people without the vote as "non-citizens").
Examples include the United States, South Africa, India, etc.

Republics where the running of the country is considered a "public matter" (Latin: res publica), not a private
Democr
concern or property of rulers, and where offices of states are subsequently, directly or indirectly, elected or
atic
appointed – rather than inherited – where all eligible citizens have an equal say in the local and national
republic
decisions that affect their lives.

Parliam Republics, like Germany, India or Singapore, with an elected head of state, but where the head of state and head
entary of government are kept separate with the head of government retaining most executive powers, or a head of
republic state akin to a head of government, elected by a parliament.

Presiden
Republics with an elected head of state, where the head of state is also the head of the government. Examples
tial
include United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Republic

Federal Republics that are a federal union of states or provinces Examples include United
republic States, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, Russia, and Switzerland.

People's
Republics that include countries like China and Vietnam that are de jure governed for and by the people, but
republic
with no direct elections. The term People's Republic is used to differentiate themselves from the earlier republic
Term Definition

of their countries before the people's revolution, like the Republic of China.

Islamic Republics governed in accordance with Islamic law. Examples include Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania,
Republic and Pakistan.

Forms of government by socio-political attributes[edit]

By socio-economic attributes
Historically, most political systems originated as socioeconomic ideologies. Experience with those movements in
power and the strong ties they may have to particular forms of government can cause them to be considered
as forms of government in themselves.
Note: These categories are not exclusive.

Term Definition

Tribalis A system based on a small complex society of varying degrees of centralisation that is led by an individual known
m as a chief.

A system in which the government is headed by an agreed upon head of the nobility who is known as
the monarch, usually in the form of a king or emperor (but also less commonly a queen or empress). In most
Monarc
monarchical systems the position of monarch is one inherited from a previous ruler by bloodline or marriage,
hism
but in other cases it may be a position elected by the nobility themselves, as was the case in the ancient Roman
Kingdom and the medieval Holy Roman Empire.

A system in which the laws and governmental policies of the state are considered a "public matter" and decided
Republic
by the citizens of the society, whoever they may be. Most modern nation-states are examples of republics, but
anism
other examples include those of ancient Rome and Athens.

A system in which the laws and resources of a nation are controlled by one individual, usually
a monarch or dictator, who holds absolute political power. Examples include the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and
Despotis the Roman emperors.
m
(Often used as a slur by republicans to refer to all monarchical systems, monarchists conversely use the term to
refer to systems in which monarchs have overstepped their boundaries, or to refer to some of the more totalitarian
republican systems)

A system of land ownership and duties common to medieval Europe. Under feudalism, all the land in a kingdom
belonged to the king. However, the king would give some of the land to the lords or nobles who fought for him.
Feudalis These presents of land were called manors. Then the nobles gave some of their land to vassals. The vassals then
m had to do duties for the nobles. The lands of vassals were called fiefs.

A similar system is the Iqta, used by medieval Islamic societies of the middle east and north Africa. This
functioned much like the feudal system but generally had titles that weren't granted to a family dynasty but to
Term Definition

individuals at the behest of the sultan and generally only required a tax from the lower classes, instead of military
service and/or manual labour like in the feudal system.

Coloniali A system in which a native group (or their lands and resources) is subjugated by an external political power for
sm their own economic and/or political benefit.

A system in which the means of production (machines, tools, factories, etc.) are owned by private individuals,
workers then negotiate with those individuals to use those means of production in exchange for a portion of
what they produce, usually in the form of capital (money). The owners of the means of production are entitled
Capitalis to whatever portion of the products of the workers' labor that is agreed upon by the two parties.
m
The capitalist system is usually accompanied by a Welfare state which plays a key role in the protection and
promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens. It is based on the principles of equality of
opportunity, equitable distribution of wealth, and public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves of the
minimal provisions for a good life.

A variant of capitalism which advocates for the State to exist solely to provide a very small number of services. A
Minarch popular model of the State proposed by minarchists is known as the night-watchman state, in which the only
ism governmental functions are to protect citizens from aggression, theft, breach of contract, and fraud as defined
by property laws, limiting it to three institutions: the military, the police, and courts.

A variant of capitalism which views widespread property ownership as fundamental right;[24] the means of
production are spread as widely as possible rather than being centralized under the control of the state (as
Distribut in state socialism), or a few individuals/corporations (as in what proponents of distributism call "crony
ism capitalism")[25] Distributism fundamentally opposes socialism and capitalism,[26][27] which distributists view as
equally flawed and exploitative. In contrast, distributism seeks to subordinate economic activity to human life as
a whole, to our spiritual life, our intellectual life, our family life".[28]

A system in which workers, democratically and/or socially own the means of production.[29] The economic
Socialis framework may be decentralized and self-managed in autonomous economic units, as in libertarian systems,
m or centrally planned, as in authoritarian systems.[30] Public services such as healthcare and education would
be commonly, collectively, and/or state owned.

A system that advocates self-governed societies based on voluntary institutions. These are often described
Anarchis
as stateless societies, although several authors have defined them more specifically as institutions based on non-
m
hierarchical or free associations. Anarchism holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, and/or harmful.

A socialist system in which the means of production are commonly owned (either by the people directly,
Commu through the commune, or by a communist state or society), and production is undertaken for use, rather
nism than for profit.[31][32] Communist society is thus, in theory, stateless, classless, moneyless, and democratic — it is
usually regarded as the "final form" of a socialist or anarchist society.

A system in which the land and resources of a nation are controlled by a centralised authoritarian state that
Totalitar
holds absolute political power, usually under a dictatorship or single political party. Examples include the Soviet
ianism
Union and Nazi Germany.

By geo-cultural attributes[edit]
Governments can also be categorized based on their size and scope of influence:
 Term Definition

From the Medieval Latin communia. An intentional community of people living together, sharing common
Commu
interests, often having common values and beliefs, as well as shared property, possessions, resources, and, in
ne
some communes, work, income or assets.

A sovereign state, also described as a type of small independent country, that usually consists of a single city and
its dependent territories. Historically, this included cities such as Rome, Athens, Carthage, and the Italian city-
City- states during the Renaissance. Today only a handful of sovereign city-states exist, with some disagreement as to
State which are city-states. A great deal of consensus exists that the term properly applies currently
to Singapore, Monaco, and Vatican City. City states are also sometimes called micro-states which however also
includes other configurations of very small countries.

The government of a nation-state and is a characteristic of a unitary state. This is the same thing as a federal
government which may have distinct powers at various levels authorized or delegated to it by its member states,
though the adjective 'central' is sometimes used to describe it. The structure of central governments varies.
National
Many countries have created autonomous regions by delegating powers from the central government to
Govern
governments at a sub national level, such as a regional, state or local level. Based on a broad definition of a basic
ment
political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and
govern through common institutions with overlapping or shared powers as prescribed by a constitution or other
law.

Also known as international governmental organizations (IGOs): the type of organization most closely associated
Intergov
with the term 'international organization', these are organizations that are made up primarily of sovereign
ernment
states (referred to as member states). Notable examples include the United Nations (UN), Organization for
al
Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Council of Europe (COE), International Labour Organization (ILO)
Organis
and International Police Organization (INTERPOL). The UN has used the term "intergovernmental organization"
ations
instead of "international organization" for clarity.

World The notion of a common political authority for all of humanity, yielding a global government and a
Govern single state that exercises authority over the entire Earth. Such a government could come into existence either
ment through violent and compulsory world domination or through peaceful and voluntary supranational union.

Forms of government by other attributes[edit]

By significant constitutional attributes[edit]
Certain major characteristics are defining of certain types; others are historically associated with certain types of
government.

 Rule according to higher law (unwritten ethical principles) vs. written constitutionalism
 Separation of church and state or free church vs. state religion
 Civilian control of the military vs. stratocracy
 Totalitarianism or authoritarianism vs. libertarianism
 Majority rule or parliamentary sovereignty vs. constitution or bill of rights with separation of
powers and supermajority rules to prevent tyranny of the majority and protect minority rights
By approach to regional autonomy[edit]
This list focuses on differing approaches that political systems take to the distribution of sovereignty, and
the autonomy of regions within the state.

 Sovereignty located exclusively at the centre of political jurisdiction. Empire Unitary state
 Sovereignty located at the centre and in peripheral areas. Hegemony
Federation and federal republic Confederation Federal monarchy
 Diverging degrees of sovereignty .Alliance Asymmetrical federalism Federacy Associated state
Corpus separatum Colony Crown colony Chartered company Dependent territory Occupied
territoryOccupied zone Mandate Exclusive mandate Military Frontier Neutral zone Colonial
dependency Protectorate Vassal state Satellite state Puppet state Thalassocracy
Unrecognized state
States with limited recognition Separatist
movement Government in exile Micronation Provisional government Territorial disputes
Non-self-governing territories League of Nations League Commonwealth
Decentralisation and devolution (powers redistributed from central to regional or local governments)
Theoretical and speculative attributes[edit]
These currently have no citable real-world examples outside of fiction.

Term Definition

Theoretical form of government occasionally hypothesised in works of science fiction, though some historical
nations such as medieval Florence might be said to have been governed as corporate republics. The
colonial megacorporations such as the Dutch East India Company should possibly be considered corporate states,
being semi-sovereign with the power to wage war and establish colonies.

Corpora While retaining some semblance of republican government, a corporate republic would be run primarily like a
business, involving a board of directors and executives. Utilities, including hospitals, schools, the military, and
te
the police force, would be privatised. The social welfare function carried out by the state is instead carried out by
republic corporations in the form of benefits to employees. Although corporate republics do not exist officially in the
modern world, they are often used in works of fiction or political commentary as a warning of the perceived
dangers of unbridled capitalism. In such works, they usually arise when a single, vastly powerful corporation
deposes a weak government, over time or in a coup d'état.
Some political scientists have also considered state socialist nations to be forms of corporate republics, with the
state assuming full control of all economic and political life and establishing a monopoly on everything within
national boundaries – effectively making the state itself amount to a giant corporation.

Cyberoc
Theoretical form of government that rules by the effective use of information
racy

Rule by a government with the highest and main authority being either a magician, sage, sorcerer, wizard, witch,
Magocra
or some other magic user. This is often similar to a theocratic structured regime and is largely portrayed in fiction
cy
and fantasy genre categories.

Ruled by a singularity of all human minds connected via some form of technical or non-technical telepathy acting
as a form of super computer to make decisions based on shared patterned experiences to deliver fair and
Uniocra
accurate decisions to problems as they arrive. Also known as the "Hive Mind" principle, it differs from voting in
cy
that each person would make a decision while in the "hive" the synapses of all minds work together following a
longer path of memories to make "one" decision.