Executives Flashcards
What is the executive?
Implements and executes law as well as responding to crisis
What roles can the executive take?
Bureaucratic - appointed officials that IMPLEMENT legislation
Political - the elected government of the day that develop new policies, create/draft proposals, pass them through parliament and oversee them
The presidential system
Executive-legislative separation. Headed by a separately elected state agent that is independent and disengaged from parliament.
The parliamentary system
Executive-Legislative Fusion. A parliamentary executive is composed of a prime minister within a cabinet
What is the task of legislators and judiciaries?
Interpret law and are tasked to limit the powerful role of the executive
Semi-presidentialism? An example?
Parliamentary-presidential hybrid. Used in France, prime ministers and presidents serve different functions to avoid conflict.
Explain bureaucratic executives, their jobs
- Makes the law and enacts it
- Can still be political actors
Explain political executives, their job
develops legislative proposals, pushes them through the legislature, and oversees the implementation of legislation.
Head of the state
Symbol of the state and government and political executive
Functions of political executives
ceremonial duties - formal duties such as foreign visits and conferences to strengthen unity and leadership
control of policy-making - direct, initiate and oversee implemented decisions and policies
popular political leadership - popularity and ability to maintain stability and mobilize support
bureaucratic management - policy coordination
crisis response - swift and decisive action
Dimensions of power?
Formal - constitutional roles and responsibilities of executives within the legal framework
Informal - role of personality, political skills and experience and impact of parties and media
External - political, economic and diplomatic context of government and broader pressures
The difference between parliamentary and presidential systems in terms of confidence voting?
Parliamentary must maintain the popular vote issue by issue to stay in office while presidents are conserved by elections unless impeached in highly exceptional circumstances.
The difference between parliamentary and presidential systems in terms of political resources?
The prime minister has much more resources due to his fusion with the cabinet ministers and relatively conflict-free presuming that they’re disciplined.
The president separates his power with the cabinet and runs into a lot of conflict due to division.
What is presidentialism? Is it necessary?
The self focus of prime ministers to improve their own image and influence. Prime ministers are much more powerful than presidents in terms of resource and therefore building the party is more efficient.
