Table 1

Democracy Monarchy Authoritarian Totalitarian Dictatorship

Definition A form of A form of The principle of line The strongest form A form of
government by the government with a submission to of central rule that government where
whole population or monarch as its authority as attempts to control one person or
all eligible members head, the opposed to and direct all political party has
of the state, leadership and individual freedom aspects of all the power to do
typically through control of the of thought and individual life whatever they want
elected government is action. This through oppression and there is only a
representatives. passed down denotes any and coercion. i.e. little or no toleration
through the family political system North Korea (DPRK) for apolitical
of the monarch. which concentrates under the Kim pluralism or
power in the hands dynasty, China independent
of one leader that is under Mao Zedong programs or media.
not responsible to
the body of the
people.

How is Power Power is gained Power is gained Power is gained Power can either be Power can be
Gained? when the citizens through a family or through different gained through the gained through
as a whole form a individual who methods; appointment of a elections or through
governing body manages to gain democratic leader or through terror.
and vote directly on control over the elections, revolution or
each issue. people through exploitation of the military coup.
revolution or previous system,
formation of a new military coup.
state.

How is Power Power is Power is Power is Power can be Power can be

Transferred? transferred from transferred through transferred after transferred after transferred within
citizens to the family of the one leader appoints one leader appoints families (i.e. the Kim
government when monarch. another leader to another leader to family) or within a
citizens elect follow them. The follow them. The political party. It
representatives to next leader has the next leader has the may be transferred
make laws for same traits as the same traits as the through sham
them. Power is previous one. previous one. elections.
transferred from
one democratic
government to
another through
elections.

How is Power Power is lost when Power is lost when Power is lost Power is lost Power is lost
Lost? people lose faith in the monarch is through military through revolution through elections or
their government overthrown by the coups, when an and military coup or other countries or
and protest. Or, people or by other authoritarian leader death. political parties
power is lost states. changes the intervene.
through elections. political ideology.

How is Power Power is legitimized Power is legitimized Power is legitimized Power is legitimized Dictators resort to
Legitimized? when the citizens through hereditary arbitrarily and through oppression force to gain
as a whole vote monarchy which is without regard for and through the despotic political
directly on an issue a form of existing bodies of use of military and power, which they
(like a referendum). government and law. Use of threats, how it is integrated maintain through
Power is generally succession of military, removal of into civilians’ lives the use of
legitimized through power in which the rights of citizens are (all aspects are intimidation, terror
free and fair throne passes from all methods of controlled including and the
elections. one member of a maintaining control education, suppression of
royal family to employment) and basic civil liberties.
another member of there is no freedom They may also
the same family. of speech. employ techniques
of mass
propaganda to
maintain their
support.

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Democracy Monarchy Authoritarian Totalitarian Dictatorship