Unit 3 Lesson 1: Governmental Systems

 

 

 

Unit 3

Lesson 1: Governmental Systems

Lesson Objectives:

Students should be able to:

1) identify what a government is

2) differentiate between different governmental systems

 

Anticipatory Set:

1. One of the traditions that women in Saudi Arabia should follow is wearing a black Abaya. This has become a rule. Is this rule applied in all other Arab countries?

2. Do you think people in all Arab countries follow exactly the same rules?

3. What can we name a ruler of a country?

4. Do you think that a ruler rules all by himself, or is there anyone who helps him set the rules and apply them?

 

Procedure:

Explain that each country in the world has its own system of rules and regulations that people living in that country should follow. Some rules are applied in a country but are not applied in another (the example of women wearing black Abayas in Saudi Arabia).

This system is set by the ruler of the country, sometimes with the help of another group of people and sometimes alone depending on the kind of system this country follows.

- When a group of people is ruling a country by using a set of rules, we call this group a “government”. A government helps organize a country by setting a number of rules and laws that people should follow. The government makes sure people are following those rules and regulations to maintain peace and equality among all. A government punishes outcasts (people who do not abide by the law).

- A government has three branches. Each branch has its own political system.

 

- Explain that dictatorships are governed or ruled by one person called the dictator. This dictator has complete power over the people. Dictatorships have a variety of monarchies (governmental systems ruled by a king or a queen):

1) Absolute Monarchy: the king has complete authority over the people

2) Constitutional Monarchy: the king rules with the help of a parliament (a group of representatives selected by the people of the country to help the king)/ Point out to the two pictures on page 57 and explain briefly as noted.

- A democracy is a governmental system that follows a constitution (a written document with different laws that protect and organize relationships between people of a country and set their rights and responsibilities as individuals living in the country). People elect (choose) their own representatives in a democracy. They choose the members to present them. The reason why there are representatives is it’s being impossible for all people to rule over a country. This is why a selected number of people do the job on behalf of all the people living in a country. Point out to the picture on page 58 and mention that Germany is one of the countries that have a full democratic system.

- A republic is ruled by a president who is elected (chosen) for just a period of time. There are two kinds of republics:

1) Full presidential system: depends completely on a president when it comes to taking decisions. (the picture on page 58 shows the Republic of Sudan that has a full presidential system).

2) Semi-presidential system: a system ruled by a president and a parliament.

 

 

3) The picture on page 59 shows the Republic of Lebanon that has a semi- presidential system.

(A parliament is a group of representatives elected by the people of the country. The parliament cannot disrespect the constitution. It has to follow and apply all the laws set by the constitution).

Point out to the map on page 56 and explain briefly about each of the mentioned systems:

 

 

- Parliamentary republic: functions under a parliamentary system of government where a parliament helps the president in taking decisions.

- Parliamentary constitutional republic: a system where the parliament has to apply the laws set by the constitution. It is the same as the parliamentary republic but some prefer such a title to represent the system.

- Single party republic: a single political party forms the government and no other parties are allowed to run candidates (contestants) for election. (Explain that elections are formal organized processes in which people choose from a number of candidates the members of a political system).

 

 

- Presidential republic: a system where people choose their own head of state or country.

- Military dictatorship: a system that is ruled directly by the military.

 

- Point out to the table on page 59, and explain that the Arab countries are divided into different governmental systems as follows:

1) Absolute monarchies: These are the governments in which the king has the complete authority when ruling the country such as Oman and Saudi Arabia.

 

 

2) Constitutional Monarchies: These are the governments in which the king rules with the help of a parliament such as Bahrain, Jordan, Morocco, Kuwait, and Qatar.

3) Republics: a president rules with or without a parliament such as Egypt, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, and Tunisia.

- Read through pages 56 to 59.

Closure:

1) What is a government?

2) What is a monarchy?

3) What is a republic?

4) Can you name some kinds of republics?

5) What is a democracy?

6) What is a dictatorship? Is it a kind of a republic or monarchy?

7) Name the three governmental systems in the Arab countries. Give two examples of each.

8) Solve exercise page 60.

 

 

Exercise 1: Answer the following questions.

1. What is a government, and why is it important for a country?

 

A government is a system formed by people and rules. Such a system helps organize a country by setting the laws.

2. Name the 2 types of monarchies.

a. absolute monarchy

b. constitutional monarchy

 

3. Name 2 main differences between these 3 governmental systems.

 

Dictatorship	Democracy	Republic
1) ruled by one person, the dictator 2) 2 systems: - absolute monarchy - constitutional monarchy	1) follows a constitution and people elect their own representatives 2) only one system (following the constitution)	1) governed by a president 2) 2 systems: - full presidential system - semi-presidential system