Create a Collage–Life in a Democracy vs. Life in a Dictatorship
Choose the five characteristics of democracy from the chart below that you believe are the most important to have a
healthy democracy. There are 10 characteristics–scroll down to see the second page.
Explain why you think they are the most important.
Create a half page collage to illustrate how the five characteristics are part of life in a democracy.
On the other half of the page, create a collage illustrating the five opposite characteristics (the characteristic in the same
row on the chart) of life in a dictatorship.
You can create the collage by hand, or use images from the internet on a Powerpoint or Word doc. If you use internet
images, include the source for each image on a source page. Click here to see an example.
DO NOT USE THE PICTURES OR TEXT FROM THE EXAMPLE. DO NOT COPY TEXT FROM THE INTERNET. CREATE YOUR
OWN PROJECT.
Characteristic Democracy Dictatorship
checks and balances a system of separate branches of
government (president, congress, courts)
that ensures political power is divided up
Political power is concentrated in the hands
of few people or just one person
civic participation people take their civic duties seriously,
such as by voting, staying informed and
supporting issues they care about
Citizens are not allowed to protest or make
changes to the government or its leaders
equality all people are treated equally by the law Supporters of the dictator are favored.
Opponents are persecuted, arrested,
tortured, imprisoned, deported, disppeared,
or executed
free and fair elections elections are regularly scheduled, and all
voters have an equal opportunity to
participate and where final results reflect
honest vote totals
Sometimes dictators do allow elections but
they remain in control of the outcome by
controlling who votes and how they can
participate
freedom the right to act, speak and think as one
wants without interference by the
government
If your thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and
activities are not supportive of the dictator
and his actions, you can be punished by the
government
free press news media is not controlled or restricted
by the government
The media (TV, internet, radio, newspapers)
can only publish government-approved
information, so the citizens only know what
the dictator wants them to know.
limited government a constitution that defines and limits the
powers of government
The dictator’s power is unlimited–he can do
whatever he wishes.
Choose the five characteristics of democracy from the chart below that you believe are the most important to have a
healthy democracy. There are 10 characteristics–scroll down to see the second page.
Explain why you think they are the most important.
Create a half page collage to illustrate how the five characteristics are part of life in a democracy.
On the other half of the page, create a collage illustrating the five opposite characteristics (the characteristic in the same
row on the chart) of life in a dictatorship.
You can create the collage by hand, or use images from the internet on a Powerpoint or Word doc. If you use internet
images, include the source for each image on a source page. Click here to see an example.
DO NOT USE THE PICTURES OR TEXT FROM THE EXAMPLE. DO NOT COPY TEXT FROM THE INTERNET. CREATE YOUR
OWN PROJECT.
Characteristic Democracy Dictatorship
checks and balances a system of separate branches of
government (president, congress, courts)
that ensures political power is divided up
Political power is concentrated in the hands
of few people or just one person
civic participation people take their civic duties seriously,
such as by voting, staying informed and
supporting issues they care about
Citizens are not allowed to protest or make
changes to the government or its leaders
equality all people are treated equally by the law Supporters of the dictator are favored.
Opponents are persecuted, arrested,
tortured, imprisoned, deported, disppeared,
or executed
free and fair elections elections are regularly scheduled, and all
voters have an equal opportunity to
participate and where final results reflect
honest vote totals
Sometimes dictators do allow elections but
they remain in control of the outcome by
controlling who votes and how they can
participate
freedom the right to act, speak and think as one
wants without interference by the
government
If your thoughts, beliefs, opinions, and
activities are not supportive of the dictator
and his actions, you can be punished by the
government
free press news media is not controlled or restricted
by the government
The media (TV, internet, radio, newspapers)
can only publish government-approved
information, so the citizens only know what
the dictator wants them to know.
limited government a constitution that defines and limits the
powers of government
The dictator’s power is unlimited–he can do
whatever he wishes.
minimal corruption public trust that most elected leaders and
civil servants (e.g., police officers and
judges) perform their jobs without bribery
or criminality
Bribing elected officials so they will help you
is common. Dictators and their friends steal
the nation’s wealth, so the citizens have less.
multiparty system a political system that includes multiple
parties to represent the varied interests of
the public
There is only one political party–the
dictator’s–and all citizens must belong to that
party.
rule of law no one is above the law, including
government leaders
Dictators encourage citizens to believe the
dictator is perfect (or in some nations,
divine–like a god). The rules that apply to the
citizens do not apply to the dictator and his
friends
