Anyone who studies modern government soon discovers that a variety of different political systes exist in the world today. The United States has a democracy and the Soviet Union follows the tenets of communism. Saudi Arabia has an absolute monarchy, while Great Britain is a limited or constitutional monarchy. No form of government in the world is dominant; each system reflects the history and present needs of the region or the nation. Despite the variety of forms, each government play similar role in each country. The two basic function of any goverment are to preserve internal security and defend its citizens from outside forces. In addition, governments today play an increasingly larger role in the domain of welfare, economics, and education.