Democratic Forms of Governance
Non-democratic forms of governance
Contemporary illustrations. If this chart were to be exemplified using examples relevant to the period c. 2005, then, looking at the above as if it is a clock:
by Prof. Gordon L. Bowen, Ph.D.
The graphic illustration below shows a range of democratic and non-democratic political systems. Its essential points are (1) that dictatorships vary in degree of severity, but that (2) dictatorships of the left (communism) and of the right (fascism) ultimately resemble one another, and that (3) both pure forms of dictatorship are virtually polar opposites of pure democracy. The chart also illustrates that (4) a range exists among democratic political systems.
While these distinctions are applicable at any time, the examples given in the chart reflect the world's governments circa 1980. The source for this graphic is William Ebenstein, et. al., American Democracy in World Perspective fifth edition (NY: Harper and Row, 1980): 620. Below the chart, Prof. Bowen has provided contemporary examples of most points on the "clock of freedom."
Democratic Forms of Governance
Non-democratic forms of governance
Contemporary illustrations. If this chart were to be exemplified using examples relevant to the period c. 2005, then, looking at the above as if it is a clock:
Democratic governance:
At 11:30, an appropriate illustration would be the United Kingdom.
At 10:00 to 11:00, appropriate illustrations would be Spain, Germany, and Sweden.
At 9:30, appropriate illustrations would be the Republic of South Africa and Brazil.
At 9:01, an appropriate illustration would be Venezuela.
At 1:00, appropriate illustrations would include the United States, Italy, and Israel.
Non-democratic governance:
Leftist forms:
At 8:30, an appropriate illustration would be China.
At 8:00, appropriate illustrations would be Egypt, Syria.
At 7:30, appropriate illustrations would be Vietnam, Cuba, and Belarus.
At 6:31, an appropriate illustration would be North Korea.
Rightist forms:
At 3:15, an appropriate illustration would be Russia.
At 4:00, an appropriate illustration would be Iran.
For 5:00 (Mussolini's Italy) to 5:59 (Nazi Germany), historic illustrations best apply.