Civilization 6 Governments and Policies list - every Policy requirement, Government bonus, and more

Complete details on Civ 6's Governments and Policies.

Guide by Matthew Reynolds Contributor

Updated on 12 Jan 2021

Civilization 6's Governments and Policies are an entirely new addition to the Civ series, bringing with them a new level of control over the type of civilization you hope to run.

Unlocked by progressing through the all-new Civics Tree, which is done by earning Culture - much the same as Tech Tree advances come from earning Science - Governments each grant a unique Inherent Bonus and Legacy Bonus, a selection of slots for Policy cards, and points towards city-state-wooing Envoys. Policies will comes from the same method of Civic Tree progression, with each one offering various benefits to your yields, units, Production and more.

Careful management of your Government choice and Policy unlocks, then, is crucial for an efficient playthrough, particularly if you have a specific victory condition - such as a Scientific, Military, or Religious Victory - in mind.

A quick note: we've refreshed out Civ 6 guides for the game's launch on Nintendo Switch, but just be aware that they contain information regarding the Rise and Fall DLC as well as the base game, which means some things only apply if you have that DLC! Otherwise... crack on!

Cover image for YouTube video — Civilization 6 Interview - 18 minutes with lead designer, Ed Beach (plus some new gameplay)Watch on YouTube

Civilization 6 Governments list

Civics Tree

As we mentioned above, Governments are unlocked at various stages of the Civics Tree. It's a long one, so there's no easy way to display it, but if you follow this link to our Civics Tree image, it'll open in a new tab for you to zoom in on and scroll around.

Governments

Government	Requirement	Inherent Bonus	Legacy Bonus	Influence Generation
Chiefdom	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Autocracy	Unlock 'Political Philosophy'	Capital receives +1 boost to all yields	Bonus to Wonder Production (10%, plus 1% for every 10 turns on Standard speed	Gain 3 Influence points per Turn. At 100 points, earn 1 Envoy.
Oligarchy	Unlock 'Political Philosophy'	All Land Melee units gain +4 Combat Strength	Bonus combat experience for units (20%, plus 1% for every 5 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 3 Influence points per Turn. At 100 points, earn 1 Envoy.
Classical Republic	Unlock 'Political Philosophy'	All cities with a district receive a +1 Amenity.	Bonus Great People points (15%, plus 1% for every 15 turn on Standard speed)	Gain 3 Influence points per Turn. At 100 points, earn 1 Envoy
Monarchy	Unlock 'Divine Right'	+2 Housing in any city with Medieval Walls	Bonus Influence points towards Envoys (20%, plus 1% for every 10 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 5 Influence points per Turn. At 150 points, earn 2 Envoys
Merchant Republic	Unlock 'Exploration'	+2 Trade Routes	Discount on Gold purchases (15%, plus 1% for every 15 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 5 Influence points per Turn. at 150 points, earn 2 Envoys
Theocracy	Unlock 'Reformed Church'	Can buy land combat units with Faith. All units +5 Religious Strength in theological combat	Discount on Faith purchases (15%, plus 1% for every 15 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 5 Influence points per Turn. At 150 points, earn 2 Envoys
Democracy	Unlock 'Suffrage'	Patronage of Great People costs 50% less Gold	Bonus yields from district projects (30%, plus 1% for every 10 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 7 Influence points per Turn. At 200 points, earn 3 Envoys
Fascism	Unlock 'Totalitarianism'	All combat units gain +4 Combat Strength	Bonus to unit Production (20%, plus 1% for every 10 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 7 Influence points per Turn. At 200 points, earn 3 Envoys)
Communism	Unlock 'Class Struggle'	Land units gain +4 Defense Strength	Bonus to all Production (10%, plus 1% for every 20 turns on Standard speed)	Gain 7 Influence points per Turn. At 200 points, earn 3 Envoys

Civilization 6 Policies list

Military Polices

Policy	Civic required	Description	Made obsolete by
Agoge	Craftmanship	+50% Production toward Ancient and Classical era melee and ranged units	Feudal Contract
Bastions	Defensive Tactics	+6 City Defense Strength, +5 City Ranged Strength	Public Works
Chivalry	Divine Right	+100% Production toward Medieval, Renaissance, and Industrial era heavy and light cavalry units	Lightning Warfare
Conscription	State Workforce	Unit maintenance reduced by 1 Gold per turn, per unit	Levee en Masse
Defense of the Motherland	Class Struggle	No war weariness from combat in your territory	N/A
Discipline	Code of Laws	+5 Unit Combat Strength when fighting Barbarians	Native Conquest
Feudal Contract	Feudalism	+50% Production toward Medieval and Renaissance era melee and ranged units	Grande Armee
Grand Armee	Nationalism	+50% Production toward Industrial and Modern era melee and ranged units	Military First
Integrated Space Cell	Space Race	+15% Production toward Space Race projects if a city has either a Military Academy or a Seaport	N/A
International Waters	Cold War	+100% Production toward Modern, Atomic and Information era Naval units, excluding Carriers	N/A
Levee en Masse	Mobilization	Unit maintenance cost reduced by 2 Gold per turn, per unit	N/A
Lightning Warfare	Totalitarianism	+100 Production for Modern, Atomic, and Information era heavy and light cavalry units	N/A
Limes	Defensive Tactics	+100% Production toward defensive buildings	Public Works
Logistics	Mercantilism	+1 Movement if starting turn in friendly territory	N/A
Maneuver	Military Tradition	+100% Production toward Ancient and Classical era heavy and light cavalry units	Lightning Warfare
Maritime Industries	Foreign Trade	+100% Production toward Ancient and Classical era naval units	International Waters
Martial Law	Totalitarianism	Accumulate 25% less war weariness than usual	N/A
Military First	Rapid Deployment	+50% Production toward Atomic and Information era melee and ranged units	N/A
Miltary Research	Urbanization	Military Academies and Seaports generate +1 Science	Integrated Space Cell
National Identity	Nationalism	Units have 50% less Combat Strength reduction from being injured	N/A
Native Conquest	Exploration	Combat victories over units from earlier eras provide Gold equal to 50% of the Combat Strength of the defeated unit	N/A
Patriotic War	Class Struggle	+100% Production for Modern, Atomic and Information era support units	N/A
Press Gangs	Colonialism	100% Production toward Renaissance and Industrial era naval units	International Waters
Professional Army	Mercenaries	50% discount on all unit upgrades	N/A
Propaganda	Mass Media	Accumulate 25% less war weariness than usual	N/A
Raid	Military Training	Yields gained from pillaging are doubled for pillaging improvements	Total War
Retainers	Civil Service	+1 Amenity for cities with a garrisoned unit	Propaganda
Sack	Mercenaries	Yields gained from pillaging are doubled for pillaging districts	Total War
Strategic Air Force	Golbalization	+50 Production toward Information era air units, and toward all Carriers	N/A
Survey	Code of Laws	Double experience for recon units	Native Conquest
Their Finest Hour	Suffrage	+50% Production toward Modern and Atomic air units	Strategic Air Force
Total War	Scorched Earth	Yields gained from pillaging are doubled	N/A
Veterancy	Military Training	+30% production toward Encampment districts and buildings for that district	N/A
Wars of Religion	Reformed Church	+4 Combat Strength when fighting civilizations that follow other Religions	N/A

Economic Polices

Policy	Civic required	Description	Made obsolete by
Aesthetics	Medieval Faires	+100% Theater Square district adjacency bonuses	Sports Media
Caravanasaries	Foreign Trade	+2 Gold from all Trade Routes	Triangular Trade
Collectivization	Class Struggle	+4 Food from domestic Trade Routes	N/A
Colonial Offices	Exploration	+15% faster growth for cities not on your original Capital's continent	N/A
Colonial Taxes	Colonialism	+25% Gold in cities not on your original Capital's continent	N/A
Colonization	Early Empire	+50% Production toward Settlers	N/A
Corvee	State Workforce	+15% Production toward Ancient and Classical Wonders	Skyscapers
Craftsmen	Guilds	100% Industrial Zone adjacency bonuses	Five-Year Plan
Eccomerce	Globalization	+5 Production and +10 Gold for international Trade Routes	N/A
Economic Union	Suffrage	+100% Commercial Hub and Harbor district adjacency bonuses	N/A
Expropriation	Scorched Earth	Settler cost reduced by 50%, plot purchase cost reduced by 20%	N/A
Five-Year Plan	Class Struggle	+100% Campus and Industrial Zone district adjacency bonuses	N/A
Free Market	The Enlightenment	+100% Gold yield from Commercial Hub district buildings	N/A
God King	Code of Laws	+1 Faith and +1 Gold in the Capital	Scripture
Gothic Architecture	Divine Right	+15% Production toward Medieval and Renaissance wonders	Skyscrapers
Grand Opera	Opera and Ballet	+100% Culture yield from Theatre Square district buildings	Sports Media
Heritage Tourism	Cultural Heritage	+100% Tourism from Great Works for Art and Artifacts	N/A
Ilkum	Craftmansship	+30% Production towards Builders	Serfdom
Insuale	Games and Recreation	+1 Housing in all cities with at least 2 specialty districts	Medina Quarter
Land Surveyors	Early Empire	Reduces the cost of purchasing a tile by 20%	Expropriation
Liberalism	The Enlightenment	+1 Amenity to all cities with at least 2 specialty districts	New Deal
Market Economy	Capitalism	Your international Trade Routes provide +1 Gold per Luxury and Strategic resource improved at the destination, as well as +2 Culture and +2 Science	N/A
Medina Quarter	Medieval Faires	+2 Housing in all cities with at least 3 specialty districts	New Deal
Meritocracy	Civil Service	Each city receives +1 Culture for each specialty district it constructs	N/A
Natural Philosophy	Recorded History	+100 Campus district adjacency bonuses	Five-Year Plan
Naval Infrastructure	Naval Tradition	+100% Harbor district adjacency bonuses	Economic Union
New deal	Suffrage	+4 Housing, +2 Amenities, -8 Gold to all cities with at least 3 specialty districts	Suffrage
Online Communities	Social Media	+50% Tourism output to civilizations to which you have a Trade Route	N/A
Public Transport	Urbanization	Receive 50 Gold per Appeal of tile when replacing a Farm with a Neighborhood district	N/A
Public Works	Civil Engineering	+30% Production toward Builders, and newly trained Builders gain 2 extra build actions	N/A
Rationalism	The Enlightenment	+100% Science from Campus district buildings	N/A
Religious Orders	Reformed Church	All religious units +5 Religious Strength in theological combat	N/A
Resource Management	Conservation	1 copy of a Strategic resource allows you to produce and purchase units requiring it in any city	N/A
Satellite Broadcasts	Space Race	Triples Tourism from Great Works of Music	N/A
Scripture	Theology	+100% Holy Sity adjacency bonuses	N/A
Serfdom	Feudalism	Newly trained Builders gain 2 extra build actions	Public Works
Simultaneum	Reformed Church	Doubles Faith yield from Holy Site district buildings	N/A
Skyscrapers	Civil Engineering	+15% Production toward Industrial era and later wonders	N/A
Sports Media	Professional Sports	+100% Theater Square district adjacency bonuses, and Stadiums generate +1 Amenity	N/A
Third Alternative	Totalitarianism	+4 Gold from each Research Lab, Military Academy, and Power Plant	N/A
Town Charters	Guilds	+100% Commercial Hub district adjacency bonuses	Economic Union
Trade Confederation	Mercenaries	+1 Culture and +1 Science from intentional Trade Routes	Market Economy
Triangular Trade	Mercantilism	+4 Gold and +1 Faith from all Trade Routes	Ecommerce
Urban Planning	Code of Laws	+1 Production of all cities	Colonial Offices

Diplomatic Policies

Policy	Civic required	Description	Made obsolete by
Arsenal of Democracy	Suffrage	Your Trade Routes to an Ally's city provide +2 Food and +2 Production for both cities	N/A
Charismatic Leader	Political Philosophy	+2 Influence points per turn toward earning city-state Envoys	Gunboat Diplomacy
Collective Activism	Social Media	+10% Culture per city-state you are the Suzerain of	N/A
Containment	Cold War	Each Envoy you send to a city-state counts as two, if its Suzerain has a different government than you	N/A
Cryptography	Cold War	Enemy Spy level reduced by 2 in your lands. Your Spy level is increased by 1 for offensive operations	N/A
Diplomatic League	Poltical Philosophy	The first Envoy you send to each city-state counts as two Envoys	N/A
Gunboat Diplomacy	Totalitarianism	Open Borders with all city-states, and a +4 Influence points per turn toward earning Envoys	N/A
International Space Agency	Globalization	+10% Science per city-state you are the Suzerain of	N/A
Machiavellianism	Diplomatic Service	+50% Production toward Spies, Spy operations take 25% less time	N/A
Merchant Confederation	Medieval Faires	+1 Gold from each of your Envoys at city-states	N/A
Nuclear Espionage	Nuclear Program	Spies who steal a tech boost without being detected gain an extra boost	N/A
Police State	Ideology	Enemy Spies level reduced by 2 in your lands. However all cities suffer -1 Amenity	N/A
Raj	Colonialism	+2 Science, Culture, Faith and Gold from each city-state you are Suzerain of	N/A

If your lust for Civilization 6 knowledge is still going strong, expansion owners should take a look at our Civ 6 Rise and Fall guide hub which takes you through the basics of everything new, whilst we have dedicated pages on Governors and Loyalty, along with how to earn Golden Ages, Era Points and Era Score through Historic Moments, and a full list of new Civs in Civ 6 Rise and Fall and other DLC. Otherwise, our Civilization 6 guide, tips and tricks covers the essentials before you master early game, mid-game and late-game strategies. We also have tips on the new Districts feature, a Leaders list with their Traits and Agendas, plus the best ways to get Gold, Science, and Faith, how to win by Religious Victory, and how to earn the elusive Science Victory and Military domination victory. Finally, here's the Culture Victory, Foreign Tourism, and Domestic Tourism explained in depth.

Great Person Policies

Policy	Civic required	Description	Made obsolete by
Frescoes	+2 Great Artist points per turn	Humanism	N/A
Inspiration	Mysticism	+2 Great Scientist points per turn	Nobel Prize
Innovation	Humanism	+2 Great Engineer points per turn	N/A
Laissez-Faire	Capitalism	+4 Great Merchant points per turn	N/A
Literary Tradition	Drama and Poetry	+2 Great Writer points per turn	N/A
Military Organisation	Scorched Earth	+4 Great General points per turn	N/A
Navigation	Naval Navigation	+2 Great Admiral points per turn	N/A
Nobel Prize	Nuclear Program	+4 Great Scientist points per turn	N/A
Revelation	Mysticism	+2 Great Prophet points per turn	N/A
Strategos	Military Tradition	+2 Great General points per turn	Military Organization
Symphonies	Opera and Ballet	+4 Great Musician points per turn	N/A
Traveling Merchants	Guilds	+2 Great Merchant points per turn	Laissez-Faire

Civilization 6 Governments list

Civilization 6 Policies list

Read this next