What is a system of government in which the power to rule is in the hands of a single individual?

Five Types of Government Systems

1. Democracy
   A democracy can be defined as a government system with supreme power placed in the hands of the people. It can be traced back to as early as the fifth century B.C. In fact, the word democracy is Greek for “people power”. While most use the United States as an example of a democratic government system, the United States actually has what is called a representative democracy. The difference lies in the method of civilian participation. In a direct democracy, every citizen is given an equal say in the government. In a representative democracy, citizens elect representatives who make the law. The difference is significant when put into action. Other examples of democratic states include Aruba, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
2. Republic
   In a republic government system, the power also rests with the people, as they are in charge of electing or choosing the country’s leader, instead of the leader being appointed or inheriting power. Broadly defined, a republic is a government system without a monarch. A republic may be governed by a group of nobles, as long as there is not a single monarch. Some examples of countries with a republic government system include Argentina, Bolivia, Czech Republic and France.
3. Monarchy
   In a monarchy, state power is held by a single family that inherits rule from one generation to the next. In a monarchy, an individual from the royal family holds the position of power until they die. Today, the majority of monarchy governments have transitioned to constitutional monarchies, where the monarch is head of state but only performs ceremonial roles and does not have state power. Only a few countries still have systems where the monarch retains control; these include Brunei, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Swaziland.
4. Communism
   A communist government system is usually based on a particular ideology of communism taught by Karl Marx or Vladimir Lenin. A single party or group of people usually runs communist states. In some cases, citizens of a communist state are given certain jobs or life duties in an effort to obtain collective citizenship for the state. Examples of communist states include China, Cuba and Vietnam.
5. Dictatorship
   In a dictatorship, a single person, a dictator, has absolute power over the state. It is not necessarily ruled by a theology or belief. It is an authoritarian form of government where one person is in charge of enforcing and enacting the law. Aspects often include military organizational backing, unfair elections (if any) and various human rights violations. A dictator does not usually inherit their power like a monarch does; they either seize control of the state by force or through (usually unfair) elections. Dictators are not held accountable for their actions and thus are free to do as they please, including limiting citizens’ rights. Burundi, Chad, Equatorial Guinea and North Korea are contemporary examples of countries run by a dictator.

While these types of government systems all vary, they have at least one similarity: the allocation of power. Whether it be the allocation of power to a single person, a group of people, or evenly distributed to everyone, power is the shared theme of all types of government systems.

– Haley Hine
Photo: Flickr

Sharing Power and Checking One Another

The system of separation of powers divides the tasks of the state into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. These tasks are assigned to different institutions in such a way that each of them can check the others. As a result, no one institution can become so powerful in a democracy as to destroy this system.

The Three Powers: Legislature, Executive, Judiciary

Checks and balances (rights of mutual control and influence) make sure that the three powers interact in an equitable and balanced way. The separation of powers is an essential element of the Rule of Law, and is enshrined in the Constitution.

Clear Distinctions

The separation of powers is also reflected in the fact that certain functions must not be exercised by one and the same person. Thus, the Federal President cannot at the same time be a Member of the National Council, or a judge who is appointed Minister or elected to be a Member of the National Council must be temporarily suspended from his/her judicial duties.

The Legislative Power

The first of the three powers has the task of passing laws and supervising their implementation. It is exercised by Parliament – i.e. the National and Federal Councils – and the Provincial Diets.

The implementation of laws is the task of the executive and judicial branches

The Executive Power

The executive branch has the task of implementing laws. It comprises the Federal Government, the Federal President and all federal authorities including the police and the armed forces.

The Judicial Power (Judiciary)

Judges administer justice, viz. they decide disputes independently and impartially. It is their task to ensure that laws are complied with. Judges cannot be deposed and cannot be assigned other positions against their will.

And the Parties?

As in other democratic countries the separation of powers is also in Austria affected by the realities of the Party State. The Members of government are, as a rule, members of those parties which have a majority in Parliament.

New Face of Separation of Powers: The Opposition exercising Control

As a result, one important democratic task is more and more often taken over by the opposition parties: controlling the Government. The classical separation of powers is given a new dimension – the confrontation of the governing majority and the opposition. While this aspect is not enshrined in the written Constitution, it is a fact of political reality.

The Legislature checks the Executive

Parliament exercises control over the executive, it checks the work of the Federal Government and the administrative institutions. The Government has to justify itself to Parliament in respect of everything it does or causes the administration to do.

The Legislature is also Subject to Control

On the other hand, the Executive – in the person of the Federal President acting on a proposal made by the Federal Government – has the right to dissolve the National Council. Laws passed by the National Council can be checked by the Constitutional Court and declared null and void if they are found to be unconstitutional.

The Legislature and the Judiciary

The only influence legislature has on the judiciary is that it passes the laws that the courts have to comply with.

The Executive

The two components of the Executive – the Administration and the Judiciary – are organised upon strictly separate lines, with one exception: the Administration is checked by the courts of public law (the Administrative Court, the Constitutional Court and the Asylum Court).

The Constitution contains strict rules on how tasks are assigned to the Administration or the Judiciary. To give one example: Fines exceeding a certain amount can only be imposed by courts.

What type of government has power in the hands of a single person?

What is the form of government in which the ruling power is in the hands of a small elite usually from the business class?

Is a type of government in which the power is in the hands of an individual or group?

What form of government is one in which the ruling power is in the hands of one person who has seized control through force?