11.2 Forms of Government

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Explain the difference between absolute and constitutional monarchies.
  • Distinguish between representative and totalitarian forms of government.
  • Relate social classes and caste systems to political systems.

Political schools of thought from ancient Greece, China, and the Islamic world have influenced governments for centuries. The ideological beliefs of individuals holding power within a government play a large role in the way that government operates. In addition, these ideas may inspire people to reform the structure of their political system. This section looks at some of the most common forms of government and examines their social and ideological roots.

This lesson has no exercises.

The content of this course has been taken from the free Philosophy textbook by Openstax