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| A government run by a small upper class, often a family. |
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| A government controlled absolutely by a small number of politicians. |
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| A government in which one person possesses unrestrained power. |
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| A Communist state is one run based on the writings of Marx or Lenin, specifically the idea of a classless society with common ownership of all property. |
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| A confederacy is an alliance among states or communities for a common purpose. A famous example is the short-lived Confederate States of America. |
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| A constitutional Republic is a government in which elected representitives must abide by existing constitutional laws, designed to limit the government's power. |
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| Democracy is a form of government in which all citizens have a say in the governmental process, either directly or through elected representitives. |
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| A dictatorship is a form of government in which absolute power is excercised by an individual - a dictator. A dictatorship is a form of autocracy. |
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| In a direct democracy, policies are voted on directly by citizens, as opposed to a representitive democracy, in which elected officials vote on policies. |
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| Fascism is a political ideology motivated by extreme nationalism and promotes nation or race above individuality, and often ruled by an autocratic government or a dictatorship. |
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| A federal government, or federation, is a union of partially self-governing regions united by a larger central government. |
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| An indirect democracy is a form of democracy that is run by elected representatives, as opposed to a direct democracy, in which citizens vote directly on policies. |
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| A military junta is a government run by a small group of military leaders. |
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| A monarchy is a system of government that is ruled actually or nominally by a king or queen. |
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| An oligarchy is a system in which power rests in the hands of a small group of people. |
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| A parliament is a body of representatives that hold supreme power in a state. |
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| A president is the head of state in many republics. |
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| Socialism is a political system that promotes social ownership and cooperation. |
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| A theocratic state is one who's policy making is guided by religious doctrine. |
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| In a totalitarian government, the state attempts to strictly control all aspects of public and private life. |
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| In a unitary government, a central government holds main power, and all local government officials are appointed by the central government. |
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