Governments

“That government is best which governs least.” – attributed to Thomas Jefferson

Your choice of government shapes the economic and military character of your entire civilisation. Each government type provides different bonuses, imposes different constraints, and supports different strategies. Choosing the right government at the right time – and weathering the anarchy of transition – is a critical strategic decision.

The Four Governments

Despotism

Despotism is the default government all civilisations begin with. It provides a modest +1 gold per city and supports 2 free military units per city before maintenance kicks in. There are no special restrictions.

Despotism is functional but underwhelming. It exists to be replaced. Transition to a more advanced government as soon as you can.

Monarchy

Monarchy provides the same +1 gold as Despotism but increases the free unit allowance to 3 per city. This is a significant military advantage – with 5 cities, Monarchy supports 15 free units compared to Despotism’s 10. The extra free units reduce maintenance costs, freeing gold for building and expansion.

Monarchy is the natural upgrade for military-focused players. The higher free unit count supports larger armies without bankrupting your treasury, and Theology is often on the research path to Education anyway.

Republic

Republic trades the gold bonus of Despotism and Monarchy for +1 research per city. This is the strongest research bonus of any government and makes Republic the go-to choice for science-oriented strategies. With 8 cities, Republic provides +8 research per turn – equivalent to a free University.

The downside is that Republic retains the low 2-unit free allowance of Despotism. Large military operations under Republic require careful gold management to avoid bankruptcy from unit maintenance.

Democracy

Democracy is the most powerful government economically. +2 gold per city is double what Despotism and Monarchy provide, and the 4 free units per city is the highest in the game. With 6 cities, Democracy supports 24 free military units – more than enough for a robust defence.

The critical restriction is that Democracy cannot declare war. If you adopt Democracy, you cannot initiate hostilities with another civilisation. You can still defend yourself if attacked, and you remain at war with any civilisation you were already fighting when you switched. But you cannot start new wars.

This makes Democracy ideal for late-game economic power and defence, but it effectively locks you out of the Domination victory path unless you switch back to another government before launching your final offensive.

Changing Government

To change government:

1. Research the required technology for the target government.
2. Issue the Change Government command.
3. Your civilisation enters anarchy for a period during which no production and no research occur.
4. Once anarchy ends, the new government takes effect.

Anarchy

Anarchy is the cost of political transition. During anarchy:

• No production occurs in any city.
• No research accumulates.
• All other city functions continue normally (food, growth, culture).

Anarchy is painful, and its timing matters enormously. Never change government on the eve of war, in the middle of completing a wonder, or when a critical technology is about to finish. Time your transitions during peaceful lulls when the lost turns hurt least.

Unit Maintenance

Each government provides a number of free military units per city. Military units beyond this limit cost 1 gold per turn each. Civilian units (Settlers and Workers) are exempt from maintenance.

If you have 5 cities under Republic and 14 military units, you are paying 4 gold per turn in maintenance (14 - 10 = 4 excess). Under Monarchy with the same setup, only 1 unit would exceed the limit. Under Democracy, all 14 would be free.

Building Maintenance

Buildings also have gold maintenance costs independent of government. A Library costs 1 gold/turn, a University costs 2, a Factory costs 2, and so on. These costs add up as your cities develop. Monitor your gold income closely – if gold drops to zero, you cannot rush-buy, and a prolonged deficit can force painful choices about which buildings or units to sacrifice.

Strategic Considerations

When to Stay Despotism

Almost never – but if you are planning a very early rush (turns 1–30), spending turns in anarchy to switch governments may not be worth the lost production. Finish your early war first, then transition.

When to Choose Monarchy

• You plan to maintain a large standing army.
• Military conquest is your primary strategy.
• You want the transition from Despotism to be smooth (Theology is often researched early).
• You are fighting on multiple fronts and need the extra free units.

When to Choose Republic

• Science victory is your goal.
• You are in a peaceful position with few military threats.
• You want to tech faster than your rivals.
• You plan to win through technological superiority rather than military force.

When to Choose Democracy

• The late game is approaching and you have a strong economy.
• You have already conquered or neutralised your main rivals.
• You want maximum gold and free units for defence.
• You are pursuing a Science victory and do not need to declare any more wars.
• Do not adopt Democracy if you still need to conquer enemy capitals for Domination.

Government Transitions

A typical game might follow this progression:

1. Start: Despotism (turns 1–40)
2. Mid-game option A: Monarchy (if militarily active) or Republic (if science-focused)
3. Late-game: Democracy (when wars are concluded and economy/science is the priority)

Some players skip Monarchy entirely and go straight from Despotism to Republic, accepting the lower free unit count in exchange for the research advantage. Others go Despotism –> Monarchy for early military campaigns, then switch to Republic or Democracy once expansion is complete.

The key is to time your transitions to minimise the impact of anarchy. Switch during peacetime, between major building projects, and after completing current research.