Forms of government

Political Science · Government and institutions. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

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The idea

Governments are classified in three main ways. The first asks how power is shared between the centre and the regions. In a unitary state all authority rests with the central government, and local units hold only the powers it gives them. In a federal state the constitution itself divides power between the centre and the units, and neither can take the other's powers alone.

The second asks how the executive is linked to the legislature. In a parliamentary system the cabinet comes from the legislature and must keep its confidence. In a presidential system the president is elected separately for a fixed term.

The third asks who rules: one person, a few, or the many.

Rules to remember

Unitary examples: United Kingdom, France, Japan. Federal examples: USA, Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Germany, Canada, Australia.
Essentials of a federation: written constitution dividing powers, two levels of government, a court to settle disputes between them.
Parliamentary (UK, India, Pakistan): separate head of state and head of government; cabinet falls on a vote of no confidence.
Presidential (USA): president is both head of state and head of government, has a fixed term, and is not a member of the legislature.
Monarchy: hereditary head of state (absolute, or constitutional where the monarch reigns but does not rule). Republic: head of state is elected, not hereditary.
Oligarchy: rule by a few. Aristocracy: rule of the best (Greek aristos + kratos). Plutocracy: rule by the wealthy. Theocracy: rule by religious leaders in the name of God.
Dictatorship: power held by one person or group without constitutional limits. Totalitarianism: one ideology controls political, economic, social and private life.

Common mistake

Students mix up the two classifications. Unitary or federal is about centre and regions; parliamentary or presidential is about executive and legislature. A state can be unitary and parliamentary (UK) or federal and parliamentary (India).

Worked example

State X has a hereditary king who signs bills on the advice of ministers. The Prime Minister leads the majority in the elected house, and the provinces have powers guaranteed by the constitution. Classify State X.

The king is hereditary but acts on ministers' advice, so it is a constitutional monarchy.
The Prime Minister depends on a majority in the elected house, so it is parliamentary.
The provinces' powers are guaranteed by the constitution, not lent by the centre, so it is federal.

Answer: A federal, parliamentary, constitutional monarchy (Canada and Australia are real examples).

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