Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Originating with the ancient Greeks, democracy has taken many forms through the centuries. The beginning of modern democracies is traced to the Magna Carta in 1215, and afterward the increasing rights of individuals in their governments. The Constitution of the United States embraced the idea of democracy, becoming the great experiment that inspired democratic forms of governments through the years and across the world. This insightful volume includes relevant sources, images, and a timeline to trace the history and permutations of democracy as it has been practiced by different countries.

Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Each volume examines the origin and history of one of these diverse forms of government.

Often dismissed as window-dressing, nominally democratic institutions, such as legislatures and political parties, play an important role in non-democratic regimes. In a comprehensive cross-national study of all non-democratic states from 1946 to 2002 that examines the political uses of these institutions by dictators, Gandhi finds that legislative and partisan institutions are an important component in the operation and survival of authoritarian regimes. She examines how and why these institutions are useful to dictatorships in maintaining power, analyzing the way dictators utilize institutions as a forum in which to organize political concessions to potential opposition in an effort to neutralize threats to their power and to solicit cooperation from groups outside of the ruling elite. The use of legislatures and parties to co-opt opposition results in significant institutional effects on policies and outcomes under dictatorship.

"Discusses dictatorships as a political system, and details the history of dictatorships throughout the world" -- Provided by publisher.

A system of government in which citizens share labor and property, Communism has been practiced in a number of different ways through the ages. The ancient Greek and medieval Utopian visions included an ideal society, while twentieth century Communism took a more sinister turn with the regimes of Lenin, Stalin, and Mao Tse-tung. The international scope of the Cold War pitted superpowers against one another in a struggle that could have ended the world. An authoritative guide on Communism's roots and practices, this timely volume investigates the historical context of this form of government, along with party platforms, images, and speeches.