dic·ta·tor·ship
noun
1.
a country,
government, or the form of government in which absolute
power is exercised by a dictator.
2.
absolute, imperious, or overbearing
power or control.
3.
the office or position held by a dictator.
mon·ar·chy
noun,
plural -chies.
1.
a state or nation in which the
supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in a monarch. Compare absolute monarchy, limited monarchy.
2.
supreme power or sovereignty held by
a single person.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English monarchie < Late Latin monarchia < Greek monarchía. See monarch, -y3
1300–50; Middle English monarchie < Late Latin monarchia < Greek monarchía. See monarch, -y3
de·moc·ra·cy
noun, plural -cies.
1.
government by the people; a form of
government in which the supreme power is vested in
the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a
free electoral system.
2.
a state having such a form of
government: The United States and Canada are democracies.
3.
a state of society characterized by
formal equality of rights and privileges.
4.
political or social equality; democratic spirit.
5.
the common people of a community as distinguished from any
privileged class; the common people with respect to their political power.
Origin:
1525–35; < Middle French démocratie < Late Latin dēmocratia < Greek dēmokratía popular government, equivalent to dēmo- demo- + -kratia -cracy
1525–35; < Middle French démocratie < Late Latin dēmocratia < Greek dēmokratía popular government, equivalent to dēmo- demo- + -kratia -cracy
ol·i·gar·chy
noun,
plural -chies.
1.
a form of government in which all
power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government
by the few.
2.
3.
the persons or class so ruling.
re·pub·lic
noun
1.
a state in which the
supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised
by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them.
2.
any body of persons viewed as
a commonwealth.
3.
a state in which the head of
government is not a monarch or other hereditary head of state.
4.
( initial capital letter 
) any of the five periods of republican
government in France. Compare First Republic, Second Republic, Third Republic, Fourth Republic, Fifth Republic.
) any of the five periods of republican
government in France. Compare First Republic, Second Republic, Third Republic, Fourth Republic, Fifth Republic.
5.
( initial capital letter,
italics 
) a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.)
by Plato dealing with the composition and structure of the ideal state.
) a philosophical dialogue (4th century b.c.)
by Plato dealing with the composition and structure of the ideal state.
Origin:
1595–1605; < French république, Middle French < Latin rēs pūblica, equivalent to rēs thing, entity + pūblica public
1595–1605; < French république, Middle French < Latin rēs pūblica, equivalent to rēs thing, entity + pūblica public
the·oc·ra·cy
noun, plural -cies.
1.
a form of government in which God
or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God's or deity's laws
being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.
2.
a system of government by priests
claiming a divine commission.
3.
a commonwealth or state under such a
form or system of government.
an·ar·chy
noun
1.
a state of society without government
or law.
2.
political and social disorder due to
the absence of governmental control: The death of the king was
followed by a year of anarchy.
3.
a theory that regards the absence of
all direct or coercive government as a political ideal and that proposes the
cooperative and voluntary association of individuals and groups as the
principal mode of organized society.
4.
Origin:
1530–40; (< Middle French anarchie or Medieval Latin anarchia ) < Greek, anarchía lawlessness, literally, lack of a leader, equivalent to ánarch ( os ) leaderless ( an- an-1 + arch ( ós ) leader + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -y
1530–40; (< Middle French anarchie or Medieval Latin anarchia ) < Greek, anarchía lawlessness, literally, lack of a leader, equivalent to ánarch ( os ) leaderless ( an- an-1 + arch ( ós ) leader + -os adj. suffix) + -ia -y
so·cial·ism
noun
1.
a theory or system of social organization that advocates the
vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production
and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
2.
procedure or practice in
accordance with this theory.
3.
(in Marxist theory) the stage following
capitalism in the transition of a
society to communism, characterized by the imperfect implementation of
collectivist principles.
cap·i·tal·ism
noun
an economic system in which investment
in and ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange of
wealth is made and maintained by private individuals or corporations,
especially as contrasted to cooperatively or state-owned means of wealth.
1854, "condition of having
capital;" from capital +
-ism. Meaning
"political/economic system which encourages capitalists" is recorded
by 1877.
com·mu·nism
noun
1.
a theory or system of social organization based on the holding of
all property in common, actual ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
2.
( often initial capital letter 
) a system of social organization in which all
economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by
a single and self-perpetuating political party.
) a system of social organization in which all
economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by
a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Name ________________
Forms of Government
Using the above terms and definitions as a guide answer the
following questions.
Which form of government is the most free? How so?
Which form of government is the least free? How so?
Which form of government fosters the greatest equality among
citizens? How so?
Which form of government creates the safest environment for
citizens? How so?
Which form of government creates the least safe environment
for citizens? How so?
Which form of government fosters the greatest inequality
among citizens? How so?
Which form of government would you like to live under the
most, why?
Which form of government would you least like to live under,
why?
