Whatever country you reside in, it’s vital to understand how your government operates and the powers of politicians who are elected to represent the people. A thorough understanding of your government aids you in making more informed decisions when you vote. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States, emphasized that each generation of Americans should understand the founding principles of our country to prevent the government from failing. These are the most common forms of government and how they operate.
Democracy
A democracy is a form of government in which the people elect politicians to represent them. Most of our United States presidents and the majority of voters in the United States have referred to our form of government as a democracy. Some people have pushed back on the term since it implies all decisions about the government are made directly by the voters. However, this form of government, in which voters vote directly on each issue, is a direct democracy. The United States is a representative democracy since we elect the government leaders who make policy decisions at the local, state, or national level.
The branches of the United States government include the legislative, executive, and judicial. This form of government was designed to provide a system of checks and balances, preventing one branch from gaining too much power. The president can veto congressional legislation and appoint justices to the courts and heads of government agencies. Congress has the power to confirm or reject presidential nominees. Under extreme conditions, the Congress has the power to remove the president from office. Justices to the Supreme Court have the power to overturn laws that they decide are unconstitutional.
Although leaders in the United States are voted into office, they can use their power to influence bills that are passed into law. Some people refer to the United States as a Constitutional Republic because decisions about the government are bound by the United States Constitution. The country is a democracy and a republic. Whichever term you prefer, the government was instituted to represent all the people.
Monarchy
A monarchy is a government ruled by a single person, usually a king or queen. These are the different types of monarchies:
A Constitutional Monarchy is one in which the monarch can perform ceremonial functions and sign laws but has no political power. The monarch can’t revise or make new laws. An example is the United Kingdom, currently ruled by King Charles.
An Absolute Monarchy is a system under which the monarch has total political power. The monarch may create, amend, or reject laws. The monarch has the power to appoint political leaders and represent their country abroad without consulting any government officials. Examples of absolute monarchies include Vatican City, under Pope Leo XIV, Saudi Arabia, and Eswatini.
Under a Federal Monarchy, the leader is the figurehead of a federation of states, each with its monarchy or government. Examples are Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. Malaysia has a unique government in which, every five years, the leaders of the states choose the monarch to rule. The monarchy is constitutional, so the ruling government body is elected.
A country ruled under a Mixed Monarchy has the authority to divide its powers. A few examples of mixed monarchies include Liechtenstein, Morocco, and Jordan. Liechtenstein is the only country that chooses its rulers by tracing descent to the nearest common ancestor through the male line.
Authoritarian
Under an authoritarian government, the people are expected to submit to the leader who suppresses them with threats or violence. This type of regime doesn’t allow the transfer of power or its citizens the right to vote or express their beliefs. Total power is in the hands of a single leader or a small group of people without regard to the will of the people. The most notable authoritarian regimes of the 20th century were led by charismatic leaders, had secret police forces to keep people in line, and had a massive following. The most famous examples were Adolf Hitler of Germany and Benito Mussolini of Italy. Both leaders rose to power by exploiting an environment in their countries in which the opposition was gaining power. Children were indoctrinated when they were very young, and dissension wasn’t allowed.
Fascism is another form of authoritarian government that relies heavily on the military to keep order and a strict code of nationalism. Fascism is similar to totalitarianism since it relies on a massive party and its devotion to one leader. Under fascism, there’s a social hierarchy, but not an extreme level of control over society. A totalitarian government is one in which the ruler is absolute and controls the political, economic, social, religious, and cultural aspects of life in his country.
Oligarchy
An oligarchy is defined as a small group of powerful people who gain power over the country and its citizens. Oligarchs rise through the ranks in the military, wield control over the people in a religious organization, gain power as a high-ranking leader of a powerful monarchy, or as a member of a wealthy family. Oligarchs are usually people who rise in power to benefit themselves, not the people they represent. Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has described an oligarchy as a government of billionaires, by billionaires, and for billionaires.
In 2025, most countries worldwide are governed under a republic form of government. In countries like the United States, Brazil, and Russia, the head of state is an executive figure. The Russian Federation is technically considered to be a federal, democratic state. However, its leader, Vladimir Putin, has been in power since 2000, holds power over Russia, and has been responsible for taking away democratic rights and committing human rights violations.