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Paul’s English oddities: systems of government
Given the political turmoil in Thailand, you might like to brush up on some English terms for different types of government. Some of them you will know already; some are quite obscure. This is not a complete list so, if the one you are looking for is not here, feel free to ask me!
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Part One: Ideas relevant to the political debate in Thailand at the moment.
Democracy: rule by the people, normally via elected representatives.
Absolute monarchy: direct rule by the monarch.
Constitutional monarchy: a system in which the monarch is the head of state but limited by a constitution, normally as part of a democracy.
Autocracy: rule by a single person.
Oligarchy: rule by a small but powerful group, who are often rich.
Plutocracy: rule by the rich.
Kleptocracy: rule by thieves (in other words, rule by a totally corrupt government).
Note: Plutocracy and kleptocracy are quite obscure words; most people don’t know them. But perhaps it’s time they got used more!
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Part Two: Some other systems.
Theocracy: rule by a god or gods (which in practice means rule by religious leaders).
Communism: a system of absolute equality, normally enforced by the state.
A republic: a country with no monarchy.
Anarchism: self-determination with no overall government. Note: The word ‘anarchy’ is also used to describe chaos, but the political idea of anarchy is not the same thing!
Capitalism: an economic system based on private ownership and the pursuit of personal or corporate profit.
Socialism: a political and economic system based on shared ownership and the pursuit of collective benefit.
Social Democracy: the gradual, gentle introduction of socialist values through democratic processes.
Eco-socialism: a form of socialism that links social issues to environmental issues.
Liberalism: belief in liberty and equality, with state intervention kept fairly minimal.
Libertarianism: belief that liberty is the most important thing and that the state should be kept to an absolute minimum.
Fascism: extreme authoritarianism and nationalism, often linked to a belief in racial superiority and generally imposed by violence.
Totalitarianism: complete subjugation of the people by the state. Communism and Fascism have historically tended to be totalitarian.
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Part Three: Right, Left and Centre!
Right-wing: a general belief in hierarchy and competition. Fascism is an extreme form of right-wing thought. Capitalism is also right-wing.
Left-wing: a general belief in equality and cooperation. Communism is an extreme form left-wing thought. Social Democracy is a non-extreme form.
Centrist: neither right-wing nor left-wing. Liberalism is an example of centrism.
Note: Some people find the right-left axis useful to describe politics; others find it too simplistic.
Interesting fact: The terms left-wing and right-wing were first used during the French Revolution, and originally referred to the seating arrangements of the French government.
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If there’s anything you don’t understand, please ask me!
