The Forms of Government consist of the governance policy adopted in the organization of nations.
It is a complex issue that has changed over the years as States begin to expand regimes and systems in line with social trends.
The first scholar to reflect on the complexity of government was Aristotle (384 BC-322 BC) – Greek philosopher who dedicated himself to Metaphysics, Ethics and the State and in his work “Politics” analyzes political regimes, as well as their forms .
According to Aristotle
Aristotle describes the government with criteria of justice and objectives that aim at the common good. Thus, it classifies the forms of government according to the number and the power given to the ruler (s).
According to Aristotle, the following forms of government were legitimate, pure – because they aimed at the common interest:
- Monarchy – King has supreme power
- Aristocracy – Some nobles hold power
- Democracy or Politeia – People have political control
In turn, the following forms that distorted the philosopher’s conception of government – the so-called legitimate forms mentioned above – were thus illegitimate – thus corrupting their political essence:
- Tyranny – Corruptly obtained supreme power
- Oligarchy – Power held by a group that exercises it unfairly
- Demagogy or Olocracy – Power exercised by popular factions
After Aristotle many other studies approached this subject, resulting in different forms of government, such as those that Machiavelli considered: Republic and Principality.
Monarchy and Republic
Monarchy and Republic are the two forms of government that currently prevail.
In the Monarchy, power is exercised by the king, who is succeeded by descent. In this form of government there is no time limit, so that its ruler – the monarch – holds office until his death or abdication.
Monarchy can be Absolute or Constitutional. In the first, power is unlimited, absolute as its denomination suggests.
As for the Constitutional Monarchy – also called the Parliamentary Monarchy – the government is exercised by the prime minister.
With regard to the Republic, power is exercised by a president – in the case of presidentialism – or prime minister – in the case of parliamentarism – elected through direct (directly by popular vote) or indirect (by representatives chosen by the people, who make up the so-called electoral college). Both the functions of the president and the prime minister are performed for a fixed period.
Presidentialism and Parliamentarism
Presidentialism and Parliamentarism are the main types of democracy .
In Presidentialism, the President has executive powers and holds the positions of Head of State (represents the nation at an international level) and Head of Government (manages the nation internally).
In Parliamentarism , in turn, the Head of Government is called Prime Minister, however the powers are in the hands of Parliamentarians (deputies).
Learn about the characteristics of political powers in: Three Powers .
Around the World
The study and reflection on this matter has made it expand, so that different regimes and political systems are currently adopted by the world. Let’s see:
- Saudi Arabia – Absolute Monarchy – Theocracy
- China – People’s Republic
- United States of America – Presidentialist Republic
- Japan – Constitutional Monarchy
- Libya – Parliamentary Republic
- United Kingdom – Constitutional Monarchy
In Brazil
Between 1882 and 1889 Brazil went through the monarchical period. Subsequently, with the coup of 15 November 1889, the form of government in force is the Presidentialist Republic.
Between 1961 and 1963 the form of government in our country was Parliamentarism.
On the 15th of November, the historic date of the proclamation of the republic in our country is remembered, whose first president was Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca.