Forms of Government
Compare democratic, autocratic and other systems of government.
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Governments differ in who holds power and how power is limited.
In this lesson you will:
- Compare democracy and autocracy.
- Distinguish presidential and parliamentary systems.
- Identify features of a unitary and federal system.
Who Holds Power
- Democracy — power is held by the people, usually through elections.
- Autocracy — power is concentrated in one person or a small group.
- Oligarchy — power is held by a small elite.
- Theocracy — religious leaders hold political authority.
How Power Is Organised
- Presidential — the president is both head of state and head of government and is separate from the legislature.
- Parliamentary — the prime minister leads the executive and is accountable to parliament.
- Unitary — one central government holds most power.
- Federal — power is shared between central and regional governments.
Nigeria's system
Nigeria is a federal republic with a presidential system.
Power is shared between the federal government and 36 state governments plus the FCT.
Note No system is perfect. Democracies may be slow, while autocracies may act quickly but without accountability.
Practice
- Compare democracy and autocracy in two sentences.
- State one difference between presidential and parliamentary systems.
- Is Nigeria a unitary or federal state? Explain.
Recap
Governments vary by who holds power and how it is organised. Nigeria is a federal presidential republic.
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Course contents
Basic Concepts of Government
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