| A | B |
|---|
| unitary government | one central government holds most of the political power |
| confederation | A group of states get together because of a common purpose and set agreed upon rules for governing the group |
| federal government | one big government that oversees or shares power with smaller governments |
| autocracy | one-ruler rule; ruling without limits |
| oligarchy | A small group governs others in corrupt or selfish ways |
| democracy | People elect representatives to rule directly or indirectly; power is held by the people |
| dictatorship | a government ruled by a dictator, a person with absolute power |
| presidential democracy | a system of government in which the president is constitutionally independent of the legislature |
| parliamentary democracy | a system of government having the real executive power vested in a cabinet composed of members of legislature who are individually and collectively responsible to the legislature; may have a Prime Minister elected by the legislature |
| distribution of power | who has the power in government |
| theocracy | a government based on religious teachings |
