The Main Types of Government in the World Today

Main types of governments in the world today listed by the source of power:​

Autocracy​

A form of government in which a single person has unlimited and unquestioned authority. ~ 1,​

Types:
Dictatorship refers to a government where one possesses absolute power, which is mostly obtained through force. ~ 2
Absolute Monarchy refers to a form of government where a queen or a king takes the leadership role of an empire or a region. The region ruled by a monarch is a monarchy. In a monarchy, a leader is in charge for life or up until handing over the role to another, according them absolute sovereignty. ~ 2

Oligarchy ​

Oligarchy is a form of government in which all power is held by members of an elite segment of society. Such elite individuals are members of royalty, the very wealthy, the highly intellectual, and others. Oligarchical rulers come to power as a result of their elite status, being born into a royal family, being born into affluence and fortune, or otherwise claiming high favor. Rulers in oligarchy exercise their authority in their own best interests, not for the interests of the people they govern. Unlike an autocratic ruler, an oligarchical ruler need not be the official ruler of the nation, but may rule from behind the scenes. ~ 1,

Democracy ​

… a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation…~ 3
Types:
Direct Democracy
All members of a society decide policies without electing representatives.
Representative Democracy
Members of a society elect representatives who then decide policies and laws.

Main types of governments in the world today listed by socio-economic control: ​

Capitalism​

A system in which the means of production (machines, tools, factories, etc.) are owned by private individuals, workers then negotiate with those individuals to use those means of production in exchange for a portion of what they produce, usually in the form of capital (money). ~ 4

Communism
A socialist system in which the means of production are commonly owned (either by the people directly, through the commune, or by a communist state or society), and production is undertaken for use, rather than for profit. ~ 4
Socialism ​

A system in which workers, democratically and/or socially own the means of production. ~ 4

Totalitarianism ​

A system in which the land and resources of a nation are controlled by a centralised authoritarian state that holds absolute political power, usually under a dictatorship or single political party. ~ 4

Fascism​

Historian Ian Kershaw once wrote that "trying to define 'fascism' is like trying to nail jelly to the wall."
Historian Stanley G. Payne defines fascism based on three concepts:

1. "Fascist negations" – anti-liberalism, anti-communism, and anti-conservatism.
2. "Fascist goals" – the creation of a nationalist dictatorship to regulate economic structure and to transform social relations within a modern, self-determined culture, and the expansion of the nation into an empire.
3. "Fascist style" – a political aesthetic of romantic symbolism, mass mobilization, a positive view of violence, and promotion of masculinity, youth, and charismatic authoritarian leadership.~ 5