American Government: Roman Republic And The Calvinist Republic

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American Government
Section one
Institutions that can either be legal or political with authority to make decisions on behalf of members of the society to ensure order is maintained are known as Governments. The various types of governments include Communism, Marxist, Socialism, Monarchy, Republic, Dictator, Tyranny, Anarchy and Totalitarianism (Thomas, n.p).
Monarchy
It’s a system of government in which supreme authority is vested on an individual, usually a hereditary figure. Some of the examples throughout history of countries that had monarchies include Sweden with King Charles VII, France with King Louis XIV, Russia with the Czars and most memorable of them all being Ivan the Terrible. Current Monarchs include Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Prince Albert II of Monaco. It is however important to note that monarchies can be categorized into absolute and constitutional monarchs depending on the powers bestowed (Thomas, n.p). The current rule in the UK by Queen Elizabeth is a good example of a constitutional monarch. Absolute monarchs on the other hand had full authority to make decisions and pass judgments on their own as was the case in Russia under the rule of Ivan IV.
Republic
In this type of government the supreme power rests on the citizens who are entitled to vote and the power is exercised by representatives elected by the citizens either directly or indirectly. One of the very first of this type of government was in Carthage, North Africa. Further examples in history include the Roman republic and the Calvinist republic (Thomas, n.p).
Tyranny
Governments ruled by oppressive and cruel leaders who claim absolute power by being brutal and instilling fear on the people. Some examples of this type of government include Genghis Khan of Mongolia, Henry VIII of England, and Rome’s Caligula among others (Thomas, n.p).
Totalitarianism
It was characterized by lack of recognition for individual’s rights to freedom. Adolf Hitler’s reign in Nazi Germany is one vivid example. They usually work on achieving specific set out goals like acquiring new lands through conquering. Others include Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union and Benito Mussolini of Italy (Thomas, n.p).
Communism
Cuba under Fidel Castro, North Korea, China under Mao Zedong are some examples of the communist governments where the property and major industries in transportation and manufacturing are owned by the government which in turn shares the benefits equally to the people (Thomas, n.p).
Marxist
Marxism, named after Karl Marx is identified by maintaining balance between all social classes and basically that there should be no classes in society (Thomas, n.p). For instance, replacing private properties with cooperative ownership.
Socialism
This form of government can be seen in Scandinavian countries of Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. It’s characterized by equal ownership of the factors of production like labor and natural resources by the people in the society. However, the share of production depends on individual contribution (Thomas, n.p). Other countries include Netherlands, New Zealand and Belgium.
Anarchy
This is a society that does not recognize the need for a government or laws. There is no control and there are usually political and social disorders. Somalia in Africa is a very good example of a country that thrived in anarchy (Thomas, n.p).
Section 2: Historical Documents
Declaration of Independence
This is the statement adopted on July 4, 1776 that announced independence of the thirteen American colonies from Great Britain after years of the American revolutionary war. The declaration outlined the need for separation from Great Britain. The document was drafted by Thomas Jefferson with the assistance of a committee of five members that included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. The document contained the grievances the colonies had on the British governance and the importance of a person’s freedom and equality (National Archives, n.p).
Bill of Limits
Otherwise known as the bill of rights was proposed by of Representative James Madison on June 8, 1789 to amend the US constitution. These were debated in both the House of Representatives and the senate before twelve amendments were approved and became the bill of rights on December 15, 1791. They include freedom of speech and assembly, freedom from unwarranted searches, Right of trial by Jury, Freedom from unusual punishments, and Right to public trial for the accused among others (National Archives, n.p). The major role of the bill or rights is to limit the powers of the government and protect the rights of the people.
Constitution
This document came into force in 1789 after the collaborative efforts of great philosophical minds in James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. The document replaced the Articles of Confederation that was in effect since the declaration of Independence in 1776 (National Archives, n.p). The constitution aims to ensure and enforce good governance. In addition, it purports to promote the general welfare of its citizens, ensure a peaceful society, provides a platform for settling disputes fairly, protect the freedom of its citizens among others.
Section three
Federalism is a system of government where the powers are shared between the national government and other units o...