Government Design Template
Te Kāwanatanga • How Will Your Society Be Governed?
📝 Basic Information
Society Name:
Population Size:
Founding Principles:
🗳️ Step 1: Choose Your Government Type
Select the foundation of your government system:
👑 Monarchy
A single ruler (king/queen) leads, often with hereditary succession.
Constitutional or Absolute?
🗳️ Democracy
Citizens vote to choose leaders and make decisions.
Direct or Representative?
🤝 Republic
Elected representatives govern on behalf of citizens.
Presidential or Parliamentary?
🌿 Council System
Collective leadership through councils or assemblies.
Similar to Māori rūnanga
🔀 Mixed/Hybrid
Combines elements from multiple systems.
Design your own blend
✨ Something New
Create an entirely original system.
Innovation welcome!
Our chosen government type:
Why we chose this:
🇳🇿 Aotearoa Connection
New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. We have:
- A monarch (currently King Charles III) as head of state, represented by the Governor-General
- An elected Parliament (House of Representatives) that makes laws
- A Prime Minister who leads the government
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a founding document
- MMP (Mixed Member Proportional) voting system
Consider: What works well about NZ's system? What would you change?
🏗️ Step 2: Design Your Structure
Most governments separate powers to prevent any one group having too much control:
📜 Legislative Branch (Makes Laws)
What is this body called?
How many members?
How are they chosen?
How long do they serve?
⚖️ Executive Branch (Runs the Government)
Who leads the government?
How are they chosen?
What powers do they have?
⚖️ Judicial Branch (Interprets Laws)
What is your court system?
How are judges chosen?
🔄 Step 3: Decision Making Process
How does a new law get created in your society?
Idea proposed
____________
____________
Becomes law
Describe your law-making process in detail:
🗳️ Step 4: Citizen Participation
Who can vote?
Voting system:
How else can citizens participate beyond voting?
⚖️ Step 5: Checks and Balances
How will you prevent abuse of power?
| Potential Problem | Your Solution |
|---|---|
| Leader refuses to leave power | |
| Unfair laws are passed | |
| Corruption in government | |
| Minority groups are ignored |
🏘️ Step 6: Local Government
How are local areas/regions governed?
Local government structure:
What decisions are made locally vs. nationally?
📋 Government Summary
In 2-3 sentences, describe how your government works:
What makes your government fair and effective?
What challenges might your government face?