Dictatorships

 

Unit Overview

This unity carries on from the previous units on democracy and politics to understand the causes and impact of authoritarian governments. Students watch documentaries, read current events, carry out discussions, research, and develop group presentations to demonstrate their understanding of the effects of dictatorship around the world.

 

Personal Unit Overview: What did I achieve this unit?

Throughout this unit I explored the issues going on in current dictatorships, especially the Central African Republic. I was also able to develop my MC skills.

 

Enduring Understandings

• Why do authoritarian governments exist?

Authoritarian governments exist because governors want to be in complete power of the country. Looking at the big picture, it does not seem like such a bad idea for a government system. But this unit has shown us that all dictatorship cases end up in the same: abuse of power and violence. Authoritarian governments exist because one person wants to be in full control, without realizing how much power that is, and end up obsessed with their position and paranoid of losing it.

• Can dictatorship be a beneficial form of government?

A dictatorship, when in the right hands, can be a beneficial form of government for certain people. A dictatorship is a more conservative type of government, where freedom of speech and liberty are more restricted than in systems such as a democracy. Some people may want to live in a more conservative and traditional society, or want their children to grow up there, and in this case they’d prefer a dictatorship. As long as there is a well-intentioned, self-controlled dictator, a dictatorship can be beneficial for the citizens.

 

Unit Standards

Content:

• Analyze and describe the causes and effects of authoritarian governments

Process:

• Write argumentative and explanatory text focused on course-related content in appropriate tone

• Evaluates multiple sources to synthesize and integrate information

• Publish clear and coherent writing for an intended purpose and audience through the dynamic use of technology

• Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of sources and connect insights

• Interpret central ideas and provide an accurate summary of sources while demonstrating relationship among ideas

 

Area of Strength

My strength was summarizing my information to turn it into a rap song. I checked many articles that had the same news on them, and then typed down what I understood in my own words, turning it into the song we would perform in front of our class.

 

Area of Improvement

My weakness was keeping track of all the articles I checked. In class, I’d open a million tabs with information on it, but was never sure which one had been useful and which one had not. In the end, I managed to cite all the sources I used, but if I had kept track since the beginning it would have been much easier.

 

Evidence