List of forms of government

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Main article: Form of government

This article lists forms of government and political systems, according to a series of different ways of categorising them. The systems listed are of course not mutually exclusive, and often have overlapping definitions (for example autocracy, authoritarianism, despotism, totalitarianism, monarchism and tyranny).

Alphabetical list with hierarchy

The following list groups major political systems (recognized by political science) in alphabetical order. The various subtype political systems are listed below the main system of government.

• Anarchism
  • Anarchist communism
  • Anarcho-capitalism
  • Anarcho-primitivism
  • Libertarian socialism
  • Anarcho-syndicalism
  • Green anarchism
  • Isocracy
  • Ochlocracy
  • Tribalism

• Authoritarianism (Autocracy or Oligarchy)
  • Autocracy
    • Enlightened absolutism
  • Aristocracy
  • Communist state
  • Corporatism
  • Despotism
  • Diarchy
  • Dictatorship
    • Military dictatorship
  • Gerontocracy
  • Kakistocracy
  • Kleptocracy
  • Matriarchy
  • Meritocracy
  • Monarchy
    • Absolute monarchy
    • Constitutional monarchy
    • Feudalism
    • Despotism
    • Duchy
      • Grand Duchy
    • Elective monarchy
    • Emirate
    • Hereditary monarchy
    • Popular monarchy
    • Principality
    • New Monarchs
    • Self-proclaimed monarchy
    • Viceroyalty
  • Patriarchy
  • Plutocracy
    • Timocracy
  • Police state
  • Puppet state
  • Theocracy
    • Caliphate
    • Halachic state
    • Holy See
    • Islamic republic
    • Sultanate
  • Totalitarianism
    • Fascism
  • Tyranny
  • Technocracy (bureaucratic)

• Democracy
  • Deliberative democracy
  • Democratic socialism
  • Direct democracy
  • Participatory democracy
  • Representative democracy
    • Parliamentary system
      • Westminster system
      • Consensus government
    • Presidential system
    • Semi-presidential system
  • Republicanism
    • Parliamentary republic
    • Constitutional republic
  • Totalitarian democracy

By approach to regional autonomy

This list focuses on differing approaches that political systems take to the distribution of sovereignty, and the autonomy of regions within the state.

• Sovereignty located exclusively at the centre
  • Empire
  • Unitary state
• Sovereignty located at the centre and in peripheral areas
  • Federation and Federal republic

By political franchise

This list shows a division based on differences in political franchise (suffrage).

• anarchy - rule by no one
• autocracy - rule by one
• oligarchy - rule by minority
• republic - rule by law
• democracy - rule by majority
• socialism - rule by all

According to Weber's tripartite classification of authority

Max Weber in his tripartite classification of authority distinguished three ideal types of political leadership, domination and authority:

• charismatic domination (familial and religious)
• traditional domination (patriarchs, patrimonalism, feudalism)
• legal domination (modern law and state, bureaucracy)

See also

• Form of government

• Golden Liberty
• List of countries by system of government
• Netocracy
• Separation of powers

External links

• Future of Democracy : types of government
• CBBC Newsround : types of government