Our friend, Dawn Kazmierzak, wrote a blog post that defines the many different forms of government. Since we are seeing some of these currently mentioned in the news, we thought it may be a good time to share this information as a reminder of the philosophy behind the various types of government.
“There can be no liberty for a community which lacks the means by which to detect lies.” ~ Walter Lippmann, author of Public Opinion
Ever since Man became a political creature, there have been two opposing views of the relationship between a community and its members:
- a) One that puts the state above the individual and
- b) One that puts the individual above the state.
Community: A body comprised of smaller units, individuals, citizens or cells united around a common creed, interest, locale, identity or purpose.
Polis: literally means “city” in Greek. Polis can also mean citizenship or a body of citizens. A polis was the typical structure of a community in the ancient Greek world i.e. City/states. A polis consisted of an urban centre, often fortified and with a sacred centre built on a natural acropolis or harbor, which controlled the surrounding territory of land.
Broadly a polis is a state or society especially when characterized by a sense of community.
Republicanism, Monarchism, Collectivism, Socialism, Fascism, Nazism, Communism, Anarchy, Tyranny and Liberty under God, exist because the mindset of the people is such that they want it.
Read more here.
