At that time, Colonel Mohammed Khouna Ould Heydallah, the military leadership, enhanced the country’s orientation towards Sharia Law, with the introduction of strict Islamic jurisprudence. Today, we in the west as blessed that we do not live in a Theocracy and that we all live in a secular democracy. Some of human rights are the right to life, right to pursuit of happiness, liberty, freedom of speech, the right … Although the church on occasions does come into our lives—that is if we let it. Even though the constitution of the country mentions the Sharia-derived laws, it also leaves space for a more liberal attitude towards people of other beliefs than Islam. But that does not mean Indonesian democracy is destined to become a theocracy in which government policy is divinely inspired. Saudi Arabia, an Islamic theocratic monarchy, has one of the most tightly controlled governments in the world. Theocracy and Totalitarian democracy. In theocratic societies, democracy is really a debatable issue. Tibet, Israel, and China were all once theocracies. Demystifying Prophethood, Theocracy, Democracy and Dictatorship. The primary idea of the paper is to disclose moral opacities of the issue, conduct stakeholder impact analysis, and speculate on the collision of values of the theocratic governments and people. Democracy is defined as a “form of government in which the common people hold political power.” This means common people can either become country leaders through the electoral process or elect leaders who represent their core values and beliefs. This allows the Government punish those seen to be deviants, as per the dictates of the sharia law, while at the same time protecting itself from allegations of religious intolerance. Theocracy is a form of government in which a deity of some type is recognized as the supreme ruling authority, giving divine guidance to human intermediaries that manage the day-to-day affairs of the government.. Democracy vs Theocracy . A theocracy is a type of government where one or more priests rule in the name of a deity. The main forces in the fight involve the Zaidi Shia rebels (or Houthis) against the loyalists of the displaced President of Yemen, Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi. These nations are: Vatican City Yemen Saudi Arabia Sudan Iran Mauritania Afghanistan There are many other differences too, which will be listed down at the end. NATO, which is America’s propagandistically ‘pro-democracy’ military alliance against Russia and against China, polled the people in 53 countries — some of which are in […] Ancient Egypt, for example, was a theocracy, and the pharaoh was the offspring of the sun-god. The legal system of the country is based on Sharia Law, and most of its national symbols, including the flag, incorporate Islamic symbols. Life in a Theocracy. There are several different types of democracies. Some of the countries that the theocratic government once governed include; Japan, China, ancient Egypt, Tibet, and Israel. Crime within a theocratic society is often viewed as a sin and not as a wrong action. Vatican City, also known as the Holy See, is an example of a Catholic theocracy. The ruling leaders of totalitarian countries do not merely enact laws. Political power lies almost exclusively in the hands of the religious leaders of the regime. A god or goddess is recognized as the supreme ruler, and the laws based on religious law. Although law does not directly forbid other religions to be practiced in the country, the practice of religions other than Islam is abhorred by the Saudis' muslim-majority society. A totalitarian country is ruled by a single dictator or a group that has not been collectively elected. Prior to the formation of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the country was ruled by the Shah (monarch), Muhammad Reza Pahlavi, who was well-known for his secular attitudes. This is also perhaps the only monarchy in the world that is non-hereditary in nature. Theocracy Countries in Asia: China, Isreal, Japan and North Korea Today, that role is held by Ali Khamenei. Theocracy can be defined as A type of government ruled by leaders having religious authority and Totalitarian democracy can be defined as Elected representatives make decisions on behalf of entire country.. Topic: Socio Political Philosophy (Monarchy, Theocracy and Democracy) Monarchy. As the leader of the revolution, Khomeini then became the leader of Iran’s new Islamic State. A democratic country is a state in which both human and political rights are well respected. In Japan, the emperor was the offspring of the sun-goddess. Countries Authoritarian Hybrid regime Flawed democracy Full democracy Average score 1 North America: 2: 0: 0: 1: 1: 8.58 2 Western Europe: 21: 0: 1: 7: 13: 8.29 3 Latin America and the Caribbean: 24: 3: 5: 13: 3: 6.09 4 Asia and Australasia: 28: 7: 6: 10: 5: 5.62 5 Central and Eastern Europe: 28: 7: 8: 13: 0: 5.36 6 Sub-Saharan Africa: 44: 24: 13: 6: 1: 4.16 7 Middle East and North Africa: 20: 16: 2: 2: 0: 3.44 World: … How Many Types Of Bears Are There Living In The World Today? All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, 7 Countries With A Theocratic Government Today, Slavery Today: Countries With the Highest Prevalence of Modern Slaves. A few examples of countries ruled by theocracy include Ancient Egypt, Tibet and China. Today, Egypt’s al-Sisi imposed strict anti-terrorism laws. This country should respect the fundamental rights of its citizens and human beings in general. Theocratic governments still govern counties like Sudan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Vatican City, and Afghanistan. Totalitarian countries are also known as dictatorship countries. It has several types according to the nature and environment of the demography. Democracy with a Theocratic Face. In Sudan, the Muslim population, which sits at about 97% of the total population, is subject to theocratic rule based on Islamic laws. Democracies are considered to be the opposite of theocracies. Due to the many great differences among countries in the Middle East, including language, ethnicity, religion, and nature of leadership, there have been many questions popping up as to whether Iraq will turn towards a Theocracy or a Democracy in the future. The ultimate aim of the country’s fundamentalist regime is to unify the Afghani people under a common religious law. Vatican City. The Pope is the supreme power in the country, and leads the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Vatican government. Human rights are fundamental inalienable rights that you have just by virtue of the fact that you are a human being. Democracy and Theocracy are two forms of government that show differences between them when it comes to their concepts. It is vital to determine the specificities of theocracy and democracy before studying the combination of the two. In terms of the number of democratic countries in the world, as of 2018, there were 99 democracies globally. In 1979, following a revolution, the Shah was overthrown from his position by the Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Yemen, like most of the other mentioned countries, is based on theocratic governance with Islamic sharia law... 2. Theocracy is a religious based government. In practice, due to communication issues, divinely inspired prophets or clergy handle the actual law-making and day-to-day administration.. A theocracy is a government operated under divine rule or the pretense of divine rule. In a theocracy, this is the norm. A democracy is a form of government where the citizens of the nation have the power to vote. 7. Islam is the official religion of the country and the major foundations of the political institutions are based on Islamic Sharia Law. The Holy Quran and the Sunni School of Islam serve as the country’s constitution. These principles and other details can be studied at Theocracy Definition and Democracy Definition. Theocracy Countries List Theocracy has been adopted by a lot of countries in different continents in the past centuries and it is still prevalent. The country is also home to two of Islam’s most holy sites, the cities of Mecca and Medina. 1. Therefore literally monarchy means rule of one person. Yemen, Vatican City, Afghanistan, Iran, Sudan, and Mauritania are all notable examples of varying size that show off this centralized structure in ways that benefit the local population. Herodobus and some ancient great poets define Monarchy as the mile of one person. Main Difference. Develops the concept of a theocratic democracy, arguing that this political structure exists in other countries and that it is able to contain secular-religious cultural conflicts The laws establish special courts and offer additional protection from legal consequences for military and police officers who have used force. Anyone in the country caught in an attempt to insult Islam or promoting any other faith is subjected to strict punishment, which in some cases go as far as the death penalty. The basic differentiating factor between Theocracy and Totalitarian democracy, is their definition. Theocracy has originated in 1st century AD whereas Democracy took roots in 5th century BC. Views: 887. The leader is often viewed as the supreme power, with most (including Vatican City) operating as … Theocracy vs Democracy History: Comparison of Theocracy vs Democracy history tells us how these types of governments have evolved over time. Majority Rule does not apply in Theocracy. He implemented a political system based on traditional Islamic beliefs. These nations are: Countries With A Theocratic Government Today. Instead, the people or person in … Direct Democracy definiton and Theocracy definition from Cambrige Dictionary: Direct Democracy: Direct democracy is a form of government in by general voting all the laws and rules are made. On the other hand, democracy is a government that is elected by the people. Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD, Chief Editor of the Muslim Times. However, secularism was not the case in Italian history up until 1870. Yemen. Compare Theocracy vs Direct Democracy Structure: When you compare Theocracy vs Direct Democracy structure the factors to be considered are majority rule, succession, presence of parliament and constitution. Which Countries Currently Have A Theocracy? Iran is one of the several Islamic states. The origin of the word "theocracy" is from the 17th century from the Greek word theokratia.Theo is Greek for "god," and cracy means "government." A theocracy is a form of government in which the policy is governed by divine intervention or divine guidance. Many countries in the world have moved towards a democratic system while many of the states in the past followed the theocracy system. Theocracy: When religious leaders rule a system then it is called as Theocracy; Merriam-Webster Dictionary Direct Democracy vs Theocracy Definitions: Though all the other discussed countries are ruled in some form by a theocratic Islamic Government, the... 3. NATO and its supporters and member-nations are hiding the fact that the predominant belief in many of these nations is that they’re dictatorships that merely pontificate ‘democracy’ to other nations. Theocratic Democracy The Social Construction of Religious and Secular Extremism Nachman Ben-Yehuda. The Islamic Republic of Iran is a theocractic government. While in Direct Democracy… Mauritania, a small country in the Maghreb region of western North Africa, is an Islamic republic with a theocratic government. Ancient Egypt One of the most well-known theocratic governments was that of Ancient Egypt . It was founded in 1929,... Iran. This means that the constitution denotes that the ruler of the state is best qualified to interpret Islam and to ensure that the people of the state strictly adhere to its principles. Although in its initial days Mauritania had a Western-style governmental structure and a relatively liberal disposition, the political situation of the country changed in the 1980s. A continent wise Theocracy countries list can be given as follows. Polls conducted by Gallup and PEW in Muslim-majority countries indicate that most Muslims see no contradiction between democratic values and religious principles, desiring neither a theocracy, nor a secular democracy, but rather a political model where democratic institutions and values can coexist with the values and principles of Islam. Smith believed that … Often, in a true theocracy, God is the actual head of state. Democracy vs. Theocracy. Though all the other discussed countries are ruled in some form by a theocratic Islamic Government, the Vatican City is the only country in the world with an absolute theocratic elective monarchy that is guided by the principles of a Christian religious school of thought. Today, there aren’t many theocracies globally, but there are a few nations with this type of government. The Imperial cult of ancient Rome identified Roman emperors and some members of their families with the divinely sanctioned authority of the Roman State. Yemen, like most of the other mentioned countries, is based on theocratic governance with Islamic sharia law dictating the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government. August 17, 2015. The ruler of a country is elected through a democratic process while rule is inherited or the ruler appointed, in a theocratic system. Representative democracy is a system where citizens choose government representatives among their citizens. Theodemocracy is a theocratic political system propounded by Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement. Direct democracy is when the citizens form a governing body and vote directly on issues. Others include Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Sudan, and Yemen. Published: 14 Mar, 2020. 7 Countries With A Theocratic Government Today 1. Since 1932, the land has been ruled exclusively by the House of Saud. Crime is Relatively Low within Ideal Theocratic Systems. The word monarchy has been device from the latin word mono and archia’ mono means one and ‘archia’ means rule. What Were the Main Causes of World War II? As Throughout history, there have been many nations and regions with a theocratic government. Recently, Yemen has also been going through a period of intense political turmoil, wherein conflicts between several different political groups have led to a civil war in the country. Democracy is a preferred and famous political mode of governing the society in all over the world. Many non-theocratic countries believe that crime is wrong, but they don’t necessarily view it as a moral religious failure. Vatican City. Afghanistan is one of the world's most notable examples of a theocracy. Smith described it as a system under which God and the people held the power to rule in righteousness. Which Countries Were First To Elect Women Leaders. The 10 Worst Presidents in the History of the United States. According to Smith, a theodemocracy is a fusion of traditional republican democratic principles—under the United States Constitution—along with theocratic rule.