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Year 11

What is the difference between democratic and non-democratic government?

I can explain what a democratic and non-democratic government is and describe the key differences between them.

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New
New
Year 11

What is the difference between democratic and non-democratic government?

I can explain what a democratic and non-democratic government is and describe the key differences between them.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Democratic governments have free, fair elections and citizen participation.
  2. Non-democratic governments limit political freedom and control powers.
  3. Democratic governments choose their leaders whereas non-democratic governments might not.

Keywords

  • Democracy - a system of government in which citizens vote in regular, fair elections for representatives, who then make laws and decisions on their behalf

  • Government - the group of people with the authority to govern a country; in the UK, the Government is chosen and led by the Prime Minister (PM)

Common misconception

Non-democratic governments do not provide any rights or benefits to their people.

Non-democratic governments might limit political freedom and participation. However, they may still provide rights and benefits to their people.


To help you plan your year 11 citizenship lesson on: What is the difference between democratic and non-democratic government?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Allow pupils to discuss and debate the advantages and disadvantages of democratic and non-democratic systems of government.
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  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
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Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Who is the Head of State in the United Kingdom?
the Prime Minister
the Mayor of London
Correct answer: the monarch
the Home Secretary
Q2.
Fill in the gap: Local democracy gives people the power to make decisions about their .
Correct Answer: community, local area, area, region, constituency
Q3.
Match each political role to its function.
Correct Answer:Member of Parliament (MP),represents a constituency and debates national laws
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represents a constituency and debates national laws

Correct Answer:Councillor,makes decisions on local issues such as housing and transport
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makes decisions on local issues such as housing and transport

Correct Answer:Prime Minister,leads the Government and makes national policies
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leads the Government and makes national policies

Correct Answer:Speaker of the House,ensures debates in Parliament run fairly
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ensures debates in Parliament run fairly

Q4.
Which of these is a strength of the UK's democratic system?
that everyone over 18 is required to vote
the monarch makes all the political decisions
Correct answer: citizens can participate in free and fair elections
Q5.
How can young people act democratically before they turn 18?
by voting in general elections
by running for election as an MP
Correct answer: by signing petitions
by passing laws in Parliament
Q6.
Fill in the gap: In the UK, laws are made in the House of Commons and the .
Correct Answer: House of Lords

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the words to their correct definitions.
Correct Answer:democracy,a system where the human rights of citizens are respected
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a system where the human rights of citizens are respected

Correct Answer:dictatorship,a system where one leader or a small group, without opposition
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a system where one leader or a small group, without opposition

Correct Answer:government,the group responsible for making and enforcing the laws of a country
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the group responsible for making and enforcing the laws of a country

Q2.
Fill in the gap: The distribution of responsibilities among different branches so no one person, or group of people, holds too much control is known as the .
Correct Answer: separation of powers
Q3.
How might a non-democratic government limit political freedom?
Correct answer: by controlling the media and restricting protests
by allowing opposition parties to campaign
by allowing citizens to criticise members of the Government
by encouraging members of the public to gather in public
Q4.
How might elections in democratic and non-democratic countries differ?
Correct answer: Elections in non-democratic countries may be controlled or unfair.
Elections are not held in non-democratic countries.
Voter turnout is always higher in democratic countries.
Elections are always held online in democratic countries.
Q5.
In a democracy, what may happens if the Government becomes unpopular?
The Government remains in power permanently.
Correct answer: A new government is elected.
The media stops reporting on all political stories.
The military automatically takes control.
Q6.
Which of these is not a benefit of a multi-party system?
It gives voters more choice.
Iit helps to hold the Government accountable for their actions.
It stops one party from having too much control.
Correct answer: It always leads to a stable government.