Government (form of rule)

A system that organizes political authority and determines how a community makes and enforces collective decisions. Forms of government differ in who holds power and how that power is acquired and constrained.

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State: A political organization with a population, territory, institutions, and authority over public affairs. Forms of government describe how a state organizes and exercises political authority.
Democracy: A system of government in which political authority is ultimately grounded in the people. It is the form most directly associated with popular participation and political equality.
Separation of powers: The division of governmental authority among distinct branches, commonly legislative, executive, and judicial. It distributes power among institutions rather than concentrating it in one governing body.
Plato: An ancient Greek philosopher whose political writings examined justice and competing forms of rule. His Republic offered an influential critique of democracy and account of political decline.
Rule of law: The principle that laws apply publicly and consistently, including to those who govern. It sets a standard for whether government power is constrained by law.
Sovereignty: The supreme authority to govern a political community, internally and in relation to other states. Different forms locate ultimate political authority in different people or institutions.
Monarchy: A system of government headed by a monarch, whose position is usually inherited. It contrasts popular selection with rule attached to a hereditary office.
Federalism: A system that constitutionally divides authority between a central government and regional governments. It determines how governing power is shared across levels of government.
Aristotle: An ancient Greek philosopher who compared constitutions and classified forms of political rule. His Politics established a lasting framework for comparing governments by rulers and purposes.
Civil liberties: Fundamental freedoms that protect individuals from undue interference by government. The form and limits of government affect how securely these freedoms are protected.