INTRODUCTION
When a term is used to describe a State or her agent (government) in comparison with others, it simply refers to certain features and characteristics they either have in common or differences. It is a terminology used by the political scientist concerning certain selected items from tradition, customs, institutions and the system of laws guiding the administrative system of a society or organization. A government reflects one of the institutional forms depending on the type of specific functions the government and the governed play in the system.OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, you should be able to:
• Explain various classifications of government
• Discuss different types of government
• Differentiate between different governments
MAIN CONTENT
Means of Classifying Governments3.1.1. Aristotle’s Classification
In ancient time, Aristotle classified government based on two principles viz: number of persons in whose hands the authority of state is vested and of purpose of the state on which he postulates that the government is of two types – normal and the perverted forms of government. He further explains the former as one when the ultimate aim of the government is the welfare of the people while the perverted form is one where the government machineries are used in promoting personal or group interest of the functionaries or a select few in the society.
The real purpose of Aristotle’s classification is to justify the excellence of a particular form of rule – mixed government - called ‘polity’. As regards the number of persons holding power, he says that the ruling power may reside in the hands of one, a few, or many persons while the nature of the exercise of their authority may be either good or bad. He makes use of the grounds of quality and quantity of the ruling persons that eventually enables him to justify ‘polity’ as the best form of an attainable or a practicable government (Johari, 2007:408).
3.1.2 Thomas Hobbes
Hobbes was aware of other names of government such as Tyranny, Oligarchy and Anarchy but he refused to consider them as other forms of government. According to him, those who were discontented under Monarchy called it Tyranny; those who were displeased with Aristocracy called it Oligarchy; and those who nursed some grudges against Democracy called it Anarchy (see Leviathan, p. 96-7).
3.1.3 John Locke
John Locke substantially follows Hobbes in his classification, with some differences of detail, he says, ‘according as the power of making laws is placed, such is the form of the commonwealth’. If the majority, in whom the whole power of the community is placed at the dawn of civil society, retains the legislative power in their own hands and executes those laws by officers of their own appointing, the form of the government is a perfect democracy. If they put the power of making laws into the hands of a few select men and their heirs or successors, then it is an oligarchy but if into the hands of one man, then, it is a monarchy either hereditary or elective.
3.1.2 Thomas Hobbes
Hobbes was aware of other names of government such as Tyranny, Oligarchy and Anarchy but he refused to consider them as other forms of government. According to him, those who were discontented under Monarchy called it Tyranny; those who were displeased with Aristocracy called it Oligarchy; and those who nursed some grudges against Democracy called it Anarchy (see Leviathan, p. 96-7).
3.1.3 John Locke
John Locke substantially follows Hobbes in his classification, with some differences of detail, he says, ‘according as the power of making laws is placed, such is the form of the commonwealth’. If the majority, in whom the whole power of the community is placed at the dawn of civil society, retains the legislative power in their own hands and executes those laws by officers of their own appointing, the form of the government is a perfect democracy. If they put the power of making laws into the hands of a few select men and their heirs or successors, then it is an oligarchy but if into the hands of one man, then, it is a monarchy either hereditary or elective.
3.1.4 Montesquieu (1699-1785)
Montesquieu, a French political philosopher, held that States are of three types, the republican, the monarchic and the despotic. If all or part of the people has the sovereign power, the State is a republic, a democratic or an aristocratic one. A monarchy is the rule of a single person according to law; a despotism, the rule of a single person arbitrarily. Montesquieu indicates the various principles animating the various forms of government, the sustaining and driving powers behind them. In a democracy, the citizens’ principle of a republic takes the shape of love of country and desire for equality.
That the members of a ruling class will be moderate towards the people, maintain equality among themselves and enforce the laws against persons of rank - this is the virtue of an aristocracy. The mainspring of monarchy is honour: the confidence or conceit of the individual and of the governing classes concerning their own special importance, a confidence that spurs men to accomplish things quite as much as virtue itself. Despotism requires neither virtue nor honour, but fear that suppresses both courage and ambition among subjects.
States or governments could be classified according to the type of political system in the country, with respect to who exercises the effective or nominal political powers. Aristotle refers to the quality and quantity of the ruling persons, which makes him to conclude that ‘polity’ is the best form of government attainable by a state (Johari, J. C., 207:408). A state or government could be in the hands of one person, usually a Monarch; or in the hands of a few people - an oligarchy; many people, usually in a democracy, could control the state.
Self-Assessment Exercise (SAE) 3.1
Critically examine various views of classification of government.
Montesquieu, a French political philosopher, held that States are of three types, the republican, the monarchic and the despotic. If all or part of the people has the sovereign power, the State is a republic, a democratic or an aristocratic one. A monarchy is the rule of a single person according to law; a despotism, the rule of a single person arbitrarily. Montesquieu indicates the various principles animating the various forms of government, the sustaining and driving powers behind them. In a democracy, the citizens’ principle of a republic takes the shape of love of country and desire for equality.
That the members of a ruling class will be moderate towards the people, maintain equality among themselves and enforce the laws against persons of rank - this is the virtue of an aristocracy. The mainspring of monarchy is honour: the confidence or conceit of the individual and of the governing classes concerning their own special importance, a confidence that spurs men to accomplish things quite as much as virtue itself. Despotism requires neither virtue nor honour, but fear that suppresses both courage and ambition among subjects.
States or governments could be classified according to the type of political system in the country, with respect to who exercises the effective or nominal political powers. Aristotle refers to the quality and quantity of the ruling persons, which makes him to conclude that ‘polity’ is the best form of government attainable by a state (Johari, J. C., 207:408). A state or government could be in the hands of one person, usually a Monarch; or in the hands of a few people - an oligarchy; many people, usually in a democracy, could control the state.
Self-Assessment Exercise (SAE) 3.1
Critically examine various views of classification of government.
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