.png)
Meaning
Regime = system of government, including institutions, laws, and political practices. Determines how power is distributed, role of government, and relationship with citizens.
Roy Macridis: “A political regime embodies the set of rules, procedures, and understandings that formulate the relationship between rulers and the ruled.”
Factors Characterizing a Regime
- Type of government: Democratic, Authoritarian, Totalitarian, Monarchical
- Political ideology: Liberal, Conservative, Socialist, Communist
- Economic system: Market, Planned, Mixed
- Rule of law: Enforcement and respect of laws
- Civil liberties: Rights and freedoms of citizens
1. Democratic Regime
- Leaders chosen by free, fair, periodic elections
- Civil & political liberties guaranteed by constitution and courts
- Rule of law, strong and autonomous civil society
- Free participation of citizens in politics
- Independent institutions ensure accountability
Populist Democracy
- Represents “the real people” vs. “corrupt elites”
- Anti-minority, anti-pluralism, majoritarian
- Often uses identity politics (ethnic, religious, cultural nationalism)
- Anti-system, anti-institutional, illiberal
2. Forms of Democratic Government
Presidential
- President = Head of State & Govt, directly elected
- Clear separation of powers: executive ≠ legislature
- Executive accountable to President, not legislature
- Examples: USA, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria
Parliamentary
- Executive emerges from legislature
- PM heads cabinet, accountable to Parliament
- Head of State = nominal (President/Monarch)
- No strict separation of powers
- Examples: UK, India, Canada, Australia
Semi-Presidential
- Dual executive: directly elected president + prime minister
- Prime Minister accountable to legislature
- Feature: Cohabitation – shared executive power
- Examples: France, Russia, Sri Lanka, Congo
3. Authoritarian Regime
- Power concentrated in supreme leader or small elite
- Limited opposition, restricted civil liberties
- Focus: maintaining power, not ideology
- Limited personal/social freedoms tolerated
- Examples: Saudi Arabia, China, Myanmar, Egypt
4. Totalitarian Regime
- Complete control over public & private life
- Driven by ideology (Fascism/Communism)
- Extreme political repression, surveillance, propaganda
- All aspects of life subordinated to state authority
- Term coined by Mussolini: “All within the state, none outside the state, none against the state”
- Examples: Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, North Korea, China under Mao
UGC NET Key Facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Difference between Authoritarian and Totalitarian? | Authoritarian is not ideological; Totalitarian is ideological and controls all aspects of life |
| Which democratic form has strict separation of power? | Presidential |
| Which form has cohabitation? | Semi-Presidential |
| France form of Govt? | Semi-Presidential |
| Country with plural executive? | Switzerland (7-member Federal Council) |
| Best separation of power (Montesquieu)? | USA |
| Author of Democracy in America? | Alexis de Tocqueville |
| Head of state & head of govt same person? | Presidential |
| Head of state nominal only? | Parliamentary |