The political systems result from the interplay of political forces within the institutional framework defined by the constitution or custom. In addition, other factors, such as history, ideologies and culture, influence the nature of political regimes.
All political regimes are not democratic. Democracies are distinguished by the existence of a plurality of political parties, the freedom of choice given to citizens and the separation of legislative, administrative and judicial powers.
In addition, the various types of democratic regimes can be classified according to whether they favor the collaboration of the different powers (assembly regime, parliamentary regime) or the strict separation of these powers (presidential regime). Some systems are also mixed, being both parliamentary and presidential.
This article will introduce 9 major political systems and forms of government. These notions refer to the configuration of a state to how a country is governed. We will not take an in-depth look into each of the systems presented. Still, this article aims to give the reader some elements of understanding to make him want to deepen his knowledge.
What is Theocracy? A theocracy is a political authority based on the divine, the powers of God or the gods. Theocratic government is legitimized by God or the gods; he is the lieutenant of God on earth. The true ruler is the divine power. His laws are indisputable.
Following this definition, nearly all political powers in the history of humankind have been theocratic because governments based their legitimacy on divine power. We know, for instance, that French absolute monarchs considered themselves “God’s lieutenants on earth”.
Yet, we do not think of this kind of regime in common usage when we speak of theocracy. Indeed, a theocracy commonly designates a regime in which the holders of religious authority, in other words, clerics, directly exercise power.
Following this meaning, there are two genuinely theocratic states today: Vatican City, led by the Pope, head of the Catholic Church, and Iran, where the power is in the hands of the Shiite clergy.