What Is an Absolute Monarchy Or an Oligarchy?
A government is any system or group of individuals governing an entire country, usually a country. Historically, a country can be ruled by a hereditary monarch, the government being based from and elected for by the society. In modern times, however, a government is elected for specific reasons – to serve the will of the community, or to protect citizens from harm. If we look back over the course of history, we see many different examples of what a government is and how it has attempted to serve its communities. In most cases, the government tends to lean toward providing services for its citizens and alleviating them of burdens that they face.
The government in modern times is generally elected through voting and requires the consent of a majority of citizens before it can take hold. However, there are some exceptions. For instance, in many countries, the absolute monarchies of the world still retain power after having been elected through popular vote. Similarly, in some cases, a country may elect a government which has already been established through a revolution, even if a new constitution is preferred.
When we look at governmental systems throughout history, there is one form that stands out in all of them – absolute democracy or autocratic government. In absolute democracy, the leadership is chosen directly by the population, and there is no check and balance on the elected officials. All of them are elected for ‘elections’ that do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the majority of citizens, and their term may be renewable every time they are re-elected. This form of government often lacks fundamental rights and checks and balances, and the lack of these things makes it prone to corruption.
Another form of government is democracy. In a democratic polity, citizens are allowed to elect certain political representatives and can affect change through a popular vote. Unlike in a republic, where the policies of the government are set through a deliberative process, the policies of a democracy are determined by the people through a process of voting. It is not unusual for a democracy to limit the authority of elected officials through a written constitution. For instance, in many countries, the elected legislature must pass a bill approved by a majority of citizens before it can become a law. If the bill is found to be unfair, the constitution can be changed, and if the government does not respect the will of the legislature, then there are likely to be significant consequences.
The three major types of government are monarchy, aristocracy, and democracy. In the United States, the three major political parties are primarily Democratic, Republican, and Independent. The two main parties, Democratic and Republican, have two wings, each holding one half of the seats in both houses of Congress. When either of the two wings of a party hold the majority in the House of Representatives and Senate, a government is considered to be a democracy. When either wing of a party holds a minority in the House and Senate, a country is considered to be an aristocracy.
However, although the United States has been described as a democracy, we still have much room to improve upon our system of government. It is not uncommon for a democracy to succumb to corruption and poor performance by its executive branch and the bureaucracy. This can easily happen in a republic, as there is no checks and balances that prevent a president, vice president, or general to be guilty of graft and corruption. A military dictatorship, which consists of a military junta, has no check on the activities of its officers. It can only be described as a form of tyranny by those who benefit from it.