Politics

UK Queen Elizabeth II

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Historic handshakes at the Kim-Trump summit

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

shakes hands with US President Donald
Trump three times before their meeting
at the Capella Hotel on Sentosa Island in
Singapore on June 12.

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3 Governments, Systems and Regimes

That government is best which governs not at all.

——Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience

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In its broadest sense, to govern means to rule or

control others.
Government: make law (legislation), implement law
(execution) and interpret law (adjudication).
In some cases, the political executive alone is referred
to as ‘the government’, making it equivalent to ‘ the
administration’ in presidential systems.

Central People's Government

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3.1 Traditional systems of classification

• 3.1.1 Why classify political systems?

• First, classification is an essential aid to understanding
of politics and governments.
• Second, classification is to facilitate evaluation rather
than analysis.

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3.1.2 Classical typologies

• Aristotle’s six forms of government

Who rules
One person The few The many

Who Rulers Tyranny Oligarchy Democracy

benefits All Monarchy Aristocracy Polity

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3.1.3 The ‘three worlds’ typology

• A capitalist ‘first world’
• A communist ‘second world’
• A developing ‘third world’

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3.2 Regimes of the modern world

• Western polyarchies
• New democracies
• Islamic regimes
• Military regimes

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3.2.1 Western polyarchies

• 3.2.1.1 Polyarchy
• Government is in the hands of elected officials
• Elections are free and fair
• Practically all adults have the right to vote
• The right to run for office is unrestricted
• There is free expression and a right to criticize and protest
• Citizens have access to alternative sources of information
• Groups and associations enjoy at least relative independence from
government.

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3.2.1.2 Westminster model

• Single-party government
• A lack of separation of powers between the executive and
the assembly
• An assembly that either unicameral or weakly bicameral
• A two-party system
• A single-member plurality or first-past-the-post electoral
system
• Unitary and centralized government
• An uncodified constitution and a sovereign assembly

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3.2.1.3 Consociational democracy

• Coalition government
• A separation of powers between the executive and
assembly
• An effective bicameral system
• A multiparty system
• Proportional representation
• Federalism or devolution
• A codified constitution and a bill of rights

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3.2.2 New democracies

• Communism
 Marxism-Leninism is the ‘official’ ideology.
 A communist party that is organized on the principles of
‘democratic centralism’ enjoys a monopoly of political power.
 The communist party ‘rules’ in the sense that dominates the state
machine, creating a fused state-party apparatus.
 The communist party plays a ‘leading and guiding role’ in
society, controlling all institutions, including the economic,
educational, cultural and recreational institutions.
 Economic life is based on state collectivization, and it is
organized through a central planning system.

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3.2.3 East Asian regimes

• Asian values are distinct from
western ones
 First, they are orientated more around
economic goals than around political ones.
 Second, there is a broad support for
‘strong’ government.
 Third, by a general disposition to respect
leaders because of the Confucian stress on
loyalty, discipline and duty.
 Finally, great emphasis is placed on
community and social cohesion, embodied
in the central role accorded to the family.

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• Asian Values: Values that supposedly reflect the history,

culture and religious backgrounds of Asian societies;
examples include social harmony, respect for authority
and a belief in the family.
Family Portrait
Four Generations Under One Roof

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3.2.4 Islamic regimes

• Islam is not, and never has been, simply a religion.
Rather, it is a complete way of life, defining
correct moral, political and economic behaviour
for individuals and nations alike.

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3.2.5 Military regimes

• The leading position is the government are filled on
the basis of the person’s position within the military
chain of command.

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