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*Governments make [[law]]s, rules and regulations, collect [[tax]]es and print [[money]].
*Governments have monopolies on the legal use of force.
*Governments have systems of [[:wikt:justice|justicejudiciary]] that list the acts or activities that are against the law and describe the punishments for breaking the law.
*Governments have a [[police]] force to make sure people follow the laws.
*Governments have [[diplomacy|diplomats]] who communicate with the governments of other [[country|countries]] by having meetings. Diplomats try to solve problems or disagreements between two countries, which can help countries to avoid war, make commercial agreements, and exchange cultural or social experiences and [[knowledge]].
*Governments have a [[military]] force such as an [[army]] that protects the country from enemy countries, terrorists and other major threats that attack or which can be used to attack and invade other countries.
*The [[leaderhead of state]] of a government may have [[advisor]]s and [[Minister (government)|ministers]] for various departments. Together they are called the [[administration]].
 
== Types of governments ==
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=== Democracy ===
The most common type of [[government]] in the Western world is called [[democracy]]. In democracies, people in a country can vote during elections for representatives or political parties that they prefer. The people in democracies can elect representatives who will sit on [[legislature]]s such as the [[Parliament]] or [[Congress]]. [[political party|Political parties]] are organizations 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. Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people.
 
However, many countries have forms of [[democracy]] which limit [[freedom]] of choice by the voters. One of the most common ways is to limit which parties can stand for parliament, or limit the parties' access to mass media such as television. Another way is to rig (unfairly manipulate or interfere with) the voting system by removing votes from opposition voters and substituting votes for the party in power. Few countries are textbook (classic, paradigmatic) [[democracies]], and the differences between them has been much studied.<ref>Hoppe, Hans-Hermann. 2001. ''Democracy: the god that failed''. Rutgers, N.J: Transaction. [http://archive.lewrockwell.com/hoppe/hoppe4.html]</ref><ref> Benoist, Alain de 2011. ''The problem of democracy''. [[Arktos Media]]. </ref><ref>Graham, Gordon 2002. ''The case against the democratic state: an essay in cultural criticism''. Imprint Academic.</ref>
 
=== Monarchy ===
A [[monarchy]] is a government ruled by a [[king]], or a[[Queen regnant|queen]], [[emperor]] or empress who inherits their position from their family, which is often called the "royal family." There are two types of monarchies: absolute monarchies and constitutional monarchies. In an absolute [[absolute monarchy]], the ruler has no limits on their wishes or powers. In a [[constitutional monarchy]] a ruler's powers are limited by a document called a [[constitution]].
 
In modern times, monarchies still exist in Great Britain and the [[Commonwealth of Nations]], the [[Netherlands]], [[Spain]], [[Japan]], [[Saudi Arabia]], and [[Thailand]], along with several other countries. A monarch may have one of several titles: King or Queen, [[Emperor]]Empress or [[Empress]], or [[Emir]].
 
=== Aristocracy ===
An [[aristocracy]] is a government run by the people of a ruling class, usually people who come from [[wealthy]] families, families with a particular set of values, or people who come from a particular place. A person who rules in an [[aristocracy]] is an aristocrat. Aristocracy is different from nobility, in that nobility means that one bloodline would rule, whereas an aristocracy would mean that a few or many bloodlines would rule, or that rulers be chosen in a different manner.{{citation needed|reason=Is this true?}}
 
=== Dictatorship ===
Under a [[dictatorship]], the government is run by one person who has all the power over the people in a country. Originally, theA [[Romandictatorship Republic]]may madealso dictatorsbe tocalled leadone-man duringrule time of war. Theor [[Romanautocracy]]. dictatorsPlato (andcalled Greekit [[tyrantTyrant|tyranny]]s) were not always cruel or unkind, but they did hold on to power all by themselves, rather than sharing power with the people. The Roman dictators only held power for a short period of time.
 
Originally, the [[Roman Republic]] made dictators to lead during time of war. The [[Roman dictator|Roman dictators]] (and Greek [[tyrant]]s) were not always cruel or unkind, but they did hold power all by themselves, rather than sharing power with the people. Roman dictators only held power for a short period of time.
In modern times, a dictator's rule is not stopped by any laws, [[constitutions]], or other [[social]] and [[political]] institutions, and can last many years or even decades. After leaving the [[Spanish Empire]], many countries in [[Latin America]] were dictatorships. World War II was partly a war between dictators, and later new countries in [[Asia]] and [[Africa]] also were ruled by dictators. Examples of dictators include [[Josef Stalin]], [[Adolf Hitler]], Augusto Pinochet, [[Idi Amin]], [[Muammar al-Qaddafi]], and [[Gamal Abdul Nasser]]. These men ruled from when they took power until when they died, because they would not let anyone else take power from them. There is no evidence of a woman serving as a dictator in modern times.▼
 
▲In modern times, a dictator's rule is not stopped by any laws, [[constitutions]], or other [[social]] and [[political]] institutions, and can last many years or even decades. After leaving the [[Spanish Empire]], many countries in [[Latin America]] were dictatorships. World War II was partly a war between dictators, and later new countries in [[Asia]] and [[Africa]] also were ruled by dictators. Examples of dictators include [[Josef Stalin]], [[Adolf Hitler]], Augusto Pinochet, [[Idi Amin]], [[Muammar al-Qaddafi]], and [[Gamal Abdul Nasser]]. These men ruled from when they took power until when they died, because they would not let anyone else take power from them. There is no evidence of a woman serving as a dictator in modern times.
 
{{See also|Dictator}}
 
=== Oligarchy ===
An [[oligarchy]] is a government ruled by a small group of powerful people. These people may spread power equally or not equally. More so a different version of a monarchy, where everyone makes [[decision|decisions]]<nowiki/>s together instead of one person making them all or telling people what to do, such as in a Dictatorship. 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 passed down from father to son.

An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people. Some past examples of oligarchy are the former [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] and [[Apartheid]] [[South Africa]]. A fictional example is the [[dystopia]]n society of ''Oceania'' in the book [[Nineteen Eighty-Four]]. Some critics of [[representative democracy]] think of the [[United States]] as an oligarchy. Robert Michel's Iron Law of Oligarchy says all democratic organizations become oligarchies.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Iron law of oligarchy {{!}} Power Dynamics & Social Hierarchy {{!}} Britannica|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/iron-law-of-oligarchy|access-date=2024-05-27|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref> This view is shared by [[anarchism|anarchists]] and some [[libertarianism|libertarians]]. An oligarchy may have a leader in the ruling group.
 
== The history and the theory of government ==
The simplest idea of government is those who [[rule]] over [[wikt:people|people]] and [[land]]. This may be as small as a community or [[village]] or as big as a [[continent]] (like [[Australia]] and [[India]]).
 
The people who rule can allow others to [[own]] land. It is a [[wikt:deed|deed]] by government that gives this right in the way that [[law]]s describe. Some think they have the right to hold land without government permission. This view is called [[libertarianism]]. Others think they can do without government. This view is called [[anarchism]].
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{{commonscat}}
* [[Constitution]]
* [[Horseshoe Theory]]
* [[Justice system]]
* [[Law]]
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{{reflist}}
 
{{Politics and government}}
 
[[Category:Basic English 850 words]]
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