fatal

Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is a government wherein the
power lies with numerous departments and their
heads. It is a systematic administration characterized
by the specialization of functions. Bureaucracies
are often criticized as an overabundance of government
consisting of too many clearly demarcated
laws and statutes. A bureaucracy is often combined
with other forms of government. For example, a
republic may organize itself into a bureaucracy.
Confederacy
Usually a political balancing act, a confederacy
is a government consisting of many smaller
units that cooperate, yet prefer to remain independent
or distinct. Sometimes these units are called
states. Unfortunately, the units often do not cooperate
and are subject to divisiveness. A confederacy
refers only to the relationship between states. How
each state rules its population is another form of
government.
Communism
A government wherein the state owns all
property and equally distributes wealth is a communist
government. The goal of each citizen is to support
each other as a community or as a state, not as
individuals. It has been advocated that children
should be removed from their parents upon childbirth,
so that no parent knows their child; consequently,
no favoritism will exist 1 . Because the state
owns everything, and therefore has considerable
power, communism easily devolves into an autocracy
or oligarchy. However, because power corrupts,
communism has never been successful.
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Democracy
A government wherein the general populace
rules is a democracy. Each member of the populace
is able to vote directly for policies. Note that
this is different from a republic. Oftentimes, a government
in the form of a republic will declare itself
to be a democracy because it appeals to the people,
though safeguards ensure that each character does
not truly get an equal vote. Many have considered
democracy to be an undesirable form of government
2,3 . In fact, historically, democracy tends to
change into autocracy or oligarchy.
Feudality
A government wherein great landowners or
hereditary overlords exact revenue from the land
and also exercise the functions of government in
their domains is a feudality. Typically, the great landowner
is called the lord, and everyone else is a vassal.
Feudality is associated commonly with monarchy
or a confederacy.
Gerontocracy
This is a government wherein elders or old
men rule. Many times, the government of a tribe is
a gerontocracy. This form of government is primitive,
and is based on the Wisdom that is assumed to
be gathered from age and experience.
Gynarchy
A government wherein women rule is a
gynarchy. Note that a matriarchy is not necessarily
a governmental form, but a social organization such
that descent is traced solely or primarily through
the female line. In a true gynarchy, the most womanly
will rule. A gynarchy may be combined with
other governmental forms.
1. This view comes from Plato’s Republic. It has been argued that this work of Plato’s was the groundwork for communism.
For more information, see the References section at the end of this book.
2. The following have asserted that historically, democracy has been an undesirable form of government: Plato’s Republic,
Aristotle’s Politica, and Bertrand Russell’s Power. For more information, see the References section at the end of this book.
3. In Bertrand Russell’s Power, he asserts that in Classical Greek states, “in every city, the rich favoured oligarchy and the poor
favoured democracy; when the partisans of democracy were victorious, their leader usually succeeded in making himself a
tyrant.” He also claimed that “One of the advantages of democracy, from a governmental point of view, is that it makes the
average citizen easier to deceive” (Russell, 1996, p. 96). Russell also stated that “When all opposing propaganda is forbidden,
rulers are likely to think that they can cause anything to be believed, and so to become over-weening and careless. Lies need
competition if they are to retain their vigour” (Russell, 1996, p. 97). Therefore, democracy is the most successful form of
government with propaganda. For more information, see the References section at the end of this book.
Chapter 6: Sociality