LESSON 1: GOVERNMENT and Democracy GOVERNMENT and Democracy Governance is the system of practices and processes that There are three basic government types: autocracy, a community or group uses to organize themselves and oligarchy and democracy. An autocracy is a type of make decisions. Governance models determine who has government where political power is concentrated in the authority or a voice in making decisions, how decisions are hands of one person who rules without restriction. There made and who is accountable for them. is no rule of law and citizens are not consulted on the decisions and affairs of the country. An autocracy can be a There are several different governance or leadership dictatorship or an absolute monarchy. styles, such as autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire. Autocratic governance, also known as authoritarian In a dictatorship, the dictator or ruling group exercises leadership, is characterized by one person having complete power through control of a mass movement, political party control over all decisions with minimal input from or the military (e.g., North Korea, Zimbabwe). Dictatorships other group members. Democratic governance involves often come to power through a military takeover (also collective decision-making and the sharing of tasks and known as a coup d’état). Power is then maintained without responsibilities, and leadership changes regularly with the consent of the people through a one-party state where participation from many group members.Laissez-faire political opposition is forbidden. Dictatorships generally is the absence of an organized leadership style; there is restrict individual civil and political rights and there is no authority and group members are responsible for all usually a heavy military presence with no independent community goals and decisions. media. The term authoritarianism is sometimes used to describe dictatorships. Authoritarian governments exercise A government is made up of the people and institutions forceful control over the population, with no particular put in place to lead or manage the affairs of a specific concern for their preferences or for public opinion. jurisdiction, such as a country, nation, province or community. The role of government is to create and An oligarchy is a type of government where power rests enforce laws, provide services and make decisions for the with a small number of people, generally individuals who benefit of the people living within its borders. are rich and powerful, often due to family lines, wealth or prominent political or military connections (e.g., China, Various types of government exist in the world and they Venezuela). People living under oligarchic rule usually make rules and decisions for their people in different have some rights and freedoms. Similarly, an aristocracy ways. Governments can be distinguished from one is a form of governing where administration or power is another by their governance model, the number of people in the hands of a special class of people. Aristocrats are who have access to power and the rights and freedoms connected to royal families through blood, whereas an granted to citizens. oligarchy is not. 6 STUDENT VOTE ACTIVITY RESOURCE LESSON 1: GOVERNMENT and Democracy A democracy is a type of government where a majority of the people are included in political decision-making BIG IDEA and citizens elect political representatives to make Governments are made up of the people and institutions decisions on their behalf (e.g., Canada, United States of put in place to manage a country, nation or community America). Citizens are also free to run for political office. and make decisions on behalf of citizens. In democratic countries, citizens have protected civil and political rights such as freedom of speech and religion, freedom of association, and the right to participate in free and fair elections. There are many different types of LEARNING GOALS democracies around the world. Upon completion of the lesson, students will be able to: A monarchy is a form of government where a monarch • Understand the purpose of government; (king or queen) or royal family holds political power that • Identify the different forms of government around the is inherited and usually lasts until death (e.g., Sweden, world; United Kingdom). The power of ruling monarchs can vary; • Explain what democracy is and why it is important; and in an absolute monarchy, a monarch (or dictator) retains • Understand and demonstrate an appreciation of the full political power over a state and its people (e.g., United rights and freedoms we have in Canada. Arab Emirates), whereas in a constitutional monarchy, the role of the monarchy is more symbolic (e.g., Canada). In a constitutional monarchy, the authority of the monarch RESOURCES is severely limited by a constitution, which includes the • Video: Government and Democracy (2:27 min) principles and laws of a nation or state, defines the powers • Slide Deck 1: Government and Democracy and duties of the government and guarantees certain rights • Activity Sheet 1.1: Survivor Island to the people living within it. A constitutional monarchy has a democratically elected government with a government • Activity Sheet 1.2: Government Types leader, and a monarch who remains the head of state and • Activity Sheet 1.3: How Should We Decide? performs ceremonial duties. • Handout 1.4: Highlights from the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms A republic is a sovereign state, country or government • Activity Sheet 1.5: Our Rights and Responsibilities without a monarch where all members of government are elected (including the head of state), and the democratically elected government holds all political power (e.g., United States, France). Similar to a constitutional ACTIVITIES monarchy, the government in a republic exercises power Hook: 15-20 min according to the rule of law and often has a constitution. 1. Ask students to imagine they are stranded as a group on a remote island. Divide students into groups and explain Canada’s system of government is a federal state, that each group will explore the need for leadership, parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy. organization and rules within a community. We elect members to represent us in our federal parliament and our provincial and territorial legislatures, 2. Using Activity Sheet 1.1, have your students answer and the political party with the most representatives, the questions to figure out how they will work together forms government. The Canadian Monarch, Queen to survive. Alternatively, the process can be self-directed Elizabeth II, is our current head of state, represented with each group brainstorming what decisions would by the Governor General. Every act of government is need to be made in order to create a community, and how done in the name of the Queen, but the authority for those decisions would be made. every act comes from the Canadian people through the Constitution. The Constitution of Canada is the highest 3. Bring the class back together and discuss the decisions legal ruling in the country and includes laws, decisions made by each group. How were the decisions made by judges, agreements between federal and provincial (unanimous support, compromise, majority rule, one governments, traditions and our civil and political rights person)? Did everyone agree with the decisions? Were (the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms). decisions made quickly? Why or why not? What were the challenges with the process and how were they overcome? A consensus democracy uses a consensus decision-making model while developing legislation and aims to be more collaborative and inclusive by taking into account a Discussion: 10 min broad range of opinions, as opposed to decisions made Who is responsible for making decisions and rules for by majority rule. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut our community? What would happen if there was no both have consensus governments where a group of government responsible for creating laws and providing individuals without any political party affiliation share support to citizens? political power. STUDENT VOTE ACTIVITY RESOURCE 7 LESSON 1: GOVERNMENT and Democracy Review your school’s code of conduct (this can often be Essential Learning: 20-25 min found on your school or school authority website, or 1. Use Slide Deck 1 and the ‘Government and Democracy’ within student agendas). Connect the specific student video to review these key terms: government, rights and expectations back to the list of rights created by the class, freedoms, autocracy, dictatorship, democracy, monarchy, making additions where necessary. Explain the concept absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy, consensus that rights come with responsibilities (or expectations). and parliamentary democracy and Charter of Rights and Ask students to brainstorm a list of expectations for Freedoms. both students and teachers that could be added to your school’s code of conduct. Encourage students to share 2. In pairs or individually, have students fill in Activity their ideas with your school administration; for example, Sheet 1.2. Share responses as a class and have students the principal and/or vice principal could be invited to add to their activity sheets. visit the class for a discussion on the current rules and expectations and potential changes. Extensions: A. Ask students to imagine they are aliens visiting C. Using Handout 1.4 as a guide, review the Canadian planet Earth for the first time and they are trying to Charter of Rights and Freedoms as a class. Individually, make sense of how society functions by observing the in pairs or as a class, ask students to consider the community surroundings, the behaviour of people and responsibilities that go along with each right using Activity their interactions with one another, and society’s general Sheet 1.5. Students could also use selected sections and order and organization. It might seem strange that cars find a real world example that represents each. drive on the right side of the road (traffic laws), children go into a building each day to work without pay (school) D.