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Lesson · Grade 6 · Social Studies

Democracy, Monarchy and Dictatorship: Who Holds the Power?

  • Grade 6
  • Social Studies
  • 1 min 9 s
  • British Columbia
  • BC6-SS-09

Three cards side by side compare democracy, monarchy and dictatorship. Each one shows who holds the power over the same row of people, using vote arrows, a crown passed to an heir, a ruling arrow and a crossed-out vote. The video ends on how each gets its power: elected by voters, usually inherited, or often taken by force.

Concept: Forms of government: democracy, monarchy and dictatorship

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In one sentence

The question this lesson answers

Who holds the power in a country, and how do they get it?

Here are three common forms of government: democracy, monarchy and dictatorship.

Transcript

What the lesson says

Who holds the power in a country, and how do they get it?

Here are three common forms of government: democracy, monarchy and dictatorship.

In a democracy, the power belongs to the people.

The people vote in elections to choose their leaders.

At the next election, the people can choose someone new.

In a monarchy, a king or queen is the head of the country.

The crown is usually inherited by an heir in the same family.

Some kings and queens hold real power and rule the country.

But in many monarchies today, the people elect leaders who make the laws.

In a dictatorship, usually one ruler, called a dictator, holds all the power.

A dictator often takes power by force.

The people have no free election to vote a dictator out.

So leaders are elected, monarchs usually inherit the crown, and dictators often take power by force.

Curriculum

Where this fits

British Columbia, Grade 6

Social Studies, Governance: different systems of governmentBC6-SS-09

Previous: Governments, NGOs and Aid Groups: Who Does WhatNext: Parliament or president: two kinds of democracy

The outcomes and strands follow the British Columbia curriculum.

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