Political Understandings

of Europe
SS6CG4: The student will compare and contrast various forms of
government.
SS6CG5: The student will explain the structure of modern European
governments.
How Citizens Participate in
Government
 Autocratic(Autocracy)
TYPE OF RULE
WHO HOLDS THE POWER
Single Ruler
Unlimited Power for the ruler
(Dictator)

WHO CAN VOTE

WHO CAN BE ELECTED
No citizen
No one – citizens have no choice in
participation- no
selecting a ruler
elections are held

Czarist Russia was an autocratic government.

 Oligarchic (Oligarchy)
TYPE OF RULE
WHO HOLDS THE POWER
Small group of people
(Elite families, military Group only answers to each
officers, religious other
leaders)

WHO CAN VOTE

WHO CAN BE ELECTED
No one outside the ruling group –
the rulers are elected by the group
No citizen participation
- leaders are chosen
from within the ruling
group

Many medieval governments were oligarchic.

 Democratic (Democracy)

TYPE OF RULE WHO HOLDS THE POWER

Citizens of the country The voters

WHO CAN VOTE

WHO CAN BE ELECTED
Any citizen
Any citizen (with some restrictions
(with some restrictions like age, not like age, not in jail,
in jail, etc.) etc.)

France is an example of a democratic country.

 TICKET OUT THE DOOR
Autocracy, Oligarchy, or Democracy
1. In this type of government, the voters make the decisions
and elect who will rule.
2. In this type of government, a small group of people rule and
they only answer to others in the group.
3. In this type of government, there is only one ruler.
4. In this type of government, rulers are selected by the group
no citizen participation.
5. In this type of government, citizens have no choice in
selecting a ruler and no elections are held.
6. In this type of government, citizens can rule and are voted
on by their peers.