A government is any system in which an authority is exercised over the people. There are several different types of government. A liberal democracy is a style of government where there is more than one political party and the people vote for the party of their choice. A totalitarian government is a one-party state in which the state has total power. An autocracy is a form of government where power is in the hands of one person, or of the army.
In a liberal democracy, there is an election in which the people vote for the candidate of their choice. In France or the United States, people vote directly for the president as well as for members of parliament (MPs). In other countries, such as the United Kingdom, people vote for MPs. The political party with the most MPs forms the government. Under a system known as “proportional representation”, each party draws up a list of candidates and the people vote for a party, not an MP. Parties gain a percentage of seats depending on the number of votes they have.
Some liberal democracies, for example, the UK, Spain and Japan, are also monarchies. While the monarch is head of state, the government is run by elected members of parliament. Countries that do not have monarchs, for example, the USA, France and Russia, are called republics. Their head of state is the president.
The USA is a federal republic of 50 states. Each state has its own elected government that makes decisions on matters such as education and certain laws, while the government is in charge of national and international affairs. The United States government, known as Congress, is divided into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. All congressmen are directly elected by the people. The head of the US state is the president, who is elected independently and is not necessarily a member of the majority party in Congress.
The countries of Europe have their own governments, but some are members of the European Union (EU). They agree to work together more closely, aiming to create a peaceful and prosperous Europe. The EU is run by the Commission, a body that is accountable to the Council of Ministers.
THE UNITED NATIONS
The United Nations (UN) was formed to prevent war and to foster good relations between nations. Set up in October 1945, at the end of World War II, the UN today is a worldwide organization with 185 member countries. Every member has a seat on the General Assembly. A body of selected countries forms the UN Security Council, together with five permanent members, USA, UK, France, Russia and China. This takes decisions at times of crisis. The UN sends troops from different countries to keep the peace between warring groups.
Other international organizations include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Arab League and the Organization of African Unity (OAU). NATO was formed in 1949 to protect the West against possible attack from the then Soviet Union during the Cold War, a period of tension which lasted until 1989. The Arab League was formed in 1945 to promote co-operation between Arab countries. The OAU was founded in 1963. It provides a means for independent African countries to meet to discuss their political and economic problems.
Picture Credit : Google