How do others govern themselves?

Understand the differences between various forms of government such as a democracy, monarchy, dictatorship, and theocracy.
Familiarise yourself with a democracy where citizens participate in making decisions, either directly or through elected representatives.
Recognise a monarchy as a form of government where a king or queen serves as the head of state within parameters of a constitution.
Understand a dictatorship as a system where a single person or party holds absolute power, typically acquired and maintained by force.
Delve into the concept of a theocracy, where religious leaders rule in the name of God or gods, and state policy is governed by divine guidance.

Grasp the idea of a constitution, which lays down the fundamental principles and established precedents according to which a state is governed.
Know that some countries have a written constitution such as the United States, while others like the UK have an unwritten constitution.
Understand the role of a constitution in determining the distribution of power in a government, it decides how a country is governed and protects civil rights.

Appreciate that different countries use different electoral systems, including majoritarian, proportional representation, and mixed systems.
Understand a majoritarian system, such as First-Past-the-Post used in the UK, where the candidate with the most votes in a constituency wins.
Recognise a proportional representation system, such as the Single Transferable Vote, where seats are allocated proportionally to the number of votes each party receives.
Become familiar with mixed systems like the Additional Member System, which combine elements of majoritarian and proportional representation systems.

Recognise the roles of various governing bodies, such as Parliament, Congress, or National Assemblies, in making and enforcing laws.
Understand the different structures of these bodies, such as unicameral (single chamber) and bicameral (two chambers) systems.
Appreciate the importance of checks and balances, where different branches of government can limit and control each other’s power.

Understand different nations’ approaches to human rights and freedoms as it is an essential part of how they govern themselves.
Realise that some governments may mandate laws and practices that seem contrary to international human rights standards.
Recognise the importance of various international bodies, such as the United Nations, in promoting and enforcing human rights and freedoms.