Classification of States: Monarchy, Republic, Democracy, and Federalism

Monarchies and Republics

States can be classified based on the person occupying the position of Head of State:

• Monarchies: The Head of State is a king or queen who accessed the position by heredity or by right of succession.
• Republics: The Head of State is a president who took office by a vote of citizens (i.e., through elections held at regular intervals).

Parliamentary and Presidential Systems

States are classified based on their form of government and the relationship between executive and legislative powers:

Parliamentary Systems

Parliamentary states can be either monarchies or republics. In these systems, the executive power is divided between two institutions:

• Head of State: Can be a king/queen or a president. In both cases, this role typically has limited powers.
• The Prime Minister: Exercises executive power. To rule, the Prime Minister must maintain the confidence of Parliament. Otherwise, they may be removed through a motion of censure. Conversely, the Prime Minister may dissolve Parliament and call new elections.

Presidential Systems

Presidential systems are always republics. They feature a single executive—the President—who acts as both Head of State and Head of Government. The President is elected by the electorate, is only responsible to the electorate, and cannot dissolve Parliament.

Democratic and Authoritarian States

States are classified based on their political regime, specifically how power is obtained and exercised:

The Democratic State

A democratic state is characterized by:

• The power of the state and government actions are regulated by law (Rule of Law).
• Sovereignty (the source of power) resides in the people.
• There is political and ideological pluralism.
• There are free and pluralistic elections.
• The division of state powers is effective.

The Authoritarian State

An authoritarian state is characterized by:

• The power of the state and government actions have no legal limits.
• Sovereignty rests with one person or a small group.
• There is no political or ideological pluralism.
• There are no free elections.
• The division of powers is not respected.

Centralized and Decentralized States

States are classified based on how power is shared between the central government and the territorial administrative divisions:

The Centralized State

The centralized state makes decisions for the entire territory. Territorial divisions are governed by persons designated by the central government and implement decisions taken by the Government.

The Decentralized State

The decentralized state shares decision-making authority among the different territorial divisions. These divisions are governed by their own administration, whose members are elected by the people, and they decide on matters within their specific competence.