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Understanding the concepts of Presidentialism, Parliamentary System, and Dual Executive to comprehend different governance structures. Analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of these systems to determine their effectiveness in maintaining stable democracies. Exploring why some countries prefer a presidential system while others opt for a parliamentary model. Evaluating the rarity of presidentialism and the factors influencing its success in certain nations.
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Presidentialism and Its Alternatives Or, why don’t the Brits have a President?
I. What are the alternatives? • Presidential System • President is both head of state and head of government • Chosen in a national election • Shares some powers with legislature, but also has unique powers and high degree of autonomy. • Serves a fixed term of office
5. The US Model: A President Wears Many Hats • Presidential roles: • Chief executive • Chief of state (symbolic head) • Commander-in-Chief of military • Chief diplomat • Legislative role • Head of political party
B. Parliamentary System • Chief executive is a member of parliament (MP) – leader of majority party. Called prime minister (PM) or premier. • PM governs through Cabinet ministers (also MPs). Ministers typically have real power over agencies. • Not directly elected – chosen by majority party in Parliament. • Terms set by law – but early elections possible (no confidence motion, snap elections). • Fusion of powers instead of separation of powers – legislature is supreme
C. Dual Executive • Hybrid of President/Parliament: Country has both President and PM. • President usually head of state, represents country, often concludes treaties • PM typically runs the ministries and administration, oversees bureaucracy • May be Presidency-dominated (France) or PM-dominated (Chancellorship in Germany)
II. Puzzle: Why is Presidentialism so Rare? • Of 121 electoral democracies in 2004: • 60 Dual Executive • 56 Parliamentary • 5 Presidential
A. Which alternatives work best? • Ignore dual executive for now – pit one “pure form” against the other
1. Advantages and Disadvantages • Preface: Just because there’s something on either side of the scale doesn’t mean they are balanced • Acknowledge +/- of each system, but • Weigh +/- to find better system
2. Evaluating the Dual Executive • Remedies some problems (those in which difference can be split) • Cannot remedy others (timing of elections, personalism) • Creates new one: Co-Habitation
3. Empirical Research: Presidential Systems Fail • Out of 31 countries that have had continuous democracy since 1967, only 4 have presidential systems (Columbia, Costa Rica, United States & Venezuela – and Venezuela is barely democratic) • Only 7 out of 31 ( 22.6%) presidential democracies have endured at least 25 consecutive years, compared with 25 of 44 (56.8%) parliamentary systems.