See the de facto evolution of the world's governmental systems from the mid-18th century to the present day.
Definition of each category:
Liberal democracy: A democratic system of government where nearly or all adult citizens are able to freely vote in fairly contested elections involving several parties. The country's most powerful position must be directly elected. Civil liberties and rights of citizens are protected constitutionally or by law. Note that all liberal democracies are flawed to an extent and this is not to say that all the liberal democracies shown on the map are equally democratic.
Limited democracy: A somewhat democratic system of government, similar to a hybrid regime or anocracy, where only a portion of adult citizens are able to freely vote, or where elections may be somewhat fairly contested with several parties, or where civil liberties and rights are often violated, or where the military or other figures have undue influence on the functioning of democratic government. It may also include previously authoritarian regimes in the process of transition to liberal democracies.
Other authoritarian regimes: An authoritarian system of government, not including absolute monarchies, one-party states, communist states, or military dictatorships, where citizens are not able to freely vote in unfair elections involving one dominant party with some opposition groups, where civil liberties and rights of citizens are frequently violated such as freedom of the press, assembly, and speech, and often where a single dictator has near total influence on the government. This also includes family dictatorships and constitutional monarchies where the head of government functions like a dictator (ex: Cambodia)
Communist states: An authoritarian system of government governed by a single party under the rule of a single powerful dictator which is influenced by Marxist-Leninist or Communist ideology (where the state owns the means of production to a degree and workers are paid according to their ability and needs).
Non-communist one-party states: An authoritarian system of government governed by a single party under the rule of a single powerful dictator which is influenced by a variety of ideas ranging from the far-right to left-wing ideologies, but excluding Communist regimes.
Military dictatorships: An authoritarian system of government governed by the nation's military under the rule of a single or a group of military officers. Such regimes are often brief and transitional and come to power through coups. This excludes communist states, one-party states, and absolute monarchies.
Absolute/semi-absolute monarchies: An authoritarian system of government governed by a single dynasty under the rule of a single powerful monarch which holds all or most of the constitutional power. It may also include semi-constitutional monarchies so long as the monarch still retains significant autocratic powers. This also excludes one-party states, military dictatorships, and theocracies.
Colonies/Overseas territories/military occupation: Areas under the control of other countries subject to their whim and not granted sovereignty or self-government, or proper representation in the national legislature. May also include territories that are represented and granted self-government, but are still not sovereign and far away from the nation which controls them.
Theocracy: An uncommon type of authoritarian system of government governed by a single ruler following the doctrine of a particular religion to an extreme or fundamentalist extent. Civil liberties and rights of citizens are violated in furtherance of these beliefs and free and fair democratic elections are not held.
Some mistakes:
- The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom should be shown from 1850-1864 as a theocracy.
- Turkey should be shown as a limited democracy from 1987-2003.