Systems of Government
In this system, all power is concentrated in a central government, and regional governments have only the powers granted to them by the central authority.
What is a unitary system?
Romans 13:1 states that governing authorities have been established by this divine source.
What is God (or Who is God)?
This is a government ruled by a king or queen, where power is typically inherited.
What is Monarchy?
What is direct democracy?
In this pure form of democracy, all citizens vote directly on every law and policy.
What is divine right of kings?
This theory claimed that monarchs received their authority directly from God and were accountable only to Him.
What is a federal system (or federalism)?
This is the system used by the United States where power is divided between national and state governments, with each having certain reserved powers.
This biblical doctrine about human nature explains why the Founders believed power must be divided and limited in government
What is the depravity of man (or sin nature)?
What is an oligarchy?
This form of government is ruled by a small group of people, often the wealthy or powerful elite.
This is the form of government where citizens elect representatives to make laws on their behalf.
What is a republic (or representative democracy)?
This is the term for the supreme and independent authority of a government within its territory.
What is sovereignty?
Under the Articles of Confederation, the United States used this weak system where most power remained with the states and the central government could barely function.
What is a confederal system (or confederation)?
According to biblical teaching, government has the responsibility to punish this and maintain order in society.
What is evil (or wrongdoing/crime)?
What is totalitarianism?
In this oppressive system, the government controls nearly every aspect of citizens' lives, including the economy, religion, education, and even private thought.
The Founders feared this potential danger of pure democracy, where 51% of people could oppress the other 49%.
What is tyranny of the majority (or mob rule)?
These are powers specifically granted to the federal government in the U.S. Constitution, such as coining money and declaring war.
What are delegated (or enumerated) powers?
In this system, the executive leader is chosen by and accountable to the legislature, and can be removed through a vote of no confidence.
What is a parliamentary system?
This principle states that ultimate authority belongs to God, not to any human government or ruler.
What is divine sovereignty (or God's sovereignty)?
What is a dictatorship (or autocracy)?
This is rule by one person with absolute power, often maintained through force and without constitutional limits.
This term describes where ultimate political power resides in a democracy.
What is the people (or popular sovereignty)?
The three branches of the US government
Judicial, Executive, Legislative
This term describes a government where the constitution effectively limits the power of government officials and protects individual rights.
What is constitutional government (or constitutionalism)?
This Old Testament passage warns about the dangers of having a king who will take citizens' sons, daughters, and property.
What is 1 Samuel 8?
This less extreme form of dictatorship allows some personal freedoms and does not seek to control all aspects of life, though it still limits political freedom.
What is authoritarianism?
These two ancient civilizations are often cited as early examples of democratic and republican government.
What are Greece and Rome (or Athens and Rome)?
What is separation of powers (or checks and balances)?
This is the constitutional principle that government's power must be distributed among different branches to prevent tyranny.