Forms of Government | World101

Knowing how people elect their leaders and how those leaders govern nations is crucial to understanding how the world works. How countries elect their government and what type of government rules can have serious consequences in a nation’s future. Leaders can be democratic or authoritarian, or in between. Governments can also be democratically elected or manipulate elections, authoritarian systems can be toppled by reforms and revolutions, while democracies can gradually become less free by what we call democratic backsliding. To learn more about governments and how they function--or not, visit our Forms of Government module: Sign up for the CFR Education Newsletter to receive global affairs resources like this straight to your inbox: Subscribe to our channel for more videos that cover the issues, trends, and concepts you need to know to navigate our complicated world: CFR Education is an initiative within the Council on Foreign Relations that aims to make complex foreign policy and international issues accessible for high school and college students through its teaching and learning resources. Visit our website: Follow us on social media: Facebook: Twitter: #teaching #government