At the start of the game you're a despot, ruling your civilization with an iron fist. As your civilization progresses, you'll learn about new forms of government - Monarchy, Republic, Communism, and so forth. Changing Governments When you first unlock a new form of government, your advisor will ask you if you wish to switch to that form of government immediately. If you choose to do so, the switch is immediate, and there is no penalty. You can switch governments at any other time as well, but doing so causes you to experience one turn of "civil disorder” before your new form of government takes hold. To switch governments, press the Advisor Button, then "Change Governments.” Civil Disorder During civil disorder, your civ produces no food, production or trade. Civil disorder lasts one turn. Production resumes as normal the following turn.

Government Forms

Communism Tech Requirement: Communism Effect: The civ's production is increased. However, the civ's temples and cathedrals stop boosting the city's cultural output. Democracy Tech Requirement: Democracy Effect: Civs under democracy have increased trade output, but they cannot initiate any wars and must accept any peace offers made to them by their opponent. Despotism Tech Requirement: None Effect: The default government. Despots may fire nuclear weapons without any loss to their culture. Fundamentalism Tech Requirement: Religion Effect: All of the civ's ground units receive a +1 to their attack strength. However, libraries and universities cease to provide any boost to science. Monarchy Tech Requirement: Monarchy Effect: A monarchy doubles the palace's cultural output. Republic Tech Requirement: Code of Laws Effect: When constructing a settler, a city under Republic loses only one population rather than two.

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