Please note that there is often a strong correlation between certain ideologies, political systems and economic systems (for example, consider the meanings of the term communism). Many political systems overlap each other in various areas (for example consider the terms autocracy, despotism, totalitarism and tyranny). There are also various mutually exclusive hierarchical categorizations.
Alphabetical list (etymologist approach)
An etymologist's approach to forms of government: the following is a list of real, possible or imaginary forms of government, all made different by the prefix and suffix combination. All use one of two suffixes: -archy meaning leadership (eg. anarchy - meaning no leadership), and -cracy meaning power (eg. democracy - power of people).
Alphabetical list (major systems with hierarchy)
The following list groups major political systems (recognized by political science) in alphabetical order. The various subtype political systems are listed below the main system of government. Note that many of them are not exclusive and can exist in various combinations (for example, a democracy may be at the same time a hereditary monarchy and socialist republic).
List by autonomy of regions
This list will attempt to list political systems with regard to the autonomy of its regions:
- small autonomy
- wider autonomy
List by political franchise
This list will attempt to show a division based on political franchise (suffrage).
- rule by all
- rule by majority
- rule by minority
- rule by one
Weberian tripartite classification of authority
Max Weber in his tripartite classification of authority distinguished three ideal types of political leadership, domination and authority:
See Also