presidential vs parliamentary systems Flashcards
features of a parliamentary system
– head of state and head of government different people
- executive and legislative branches linked.
- assembly elects executive
- survival depends on parliamentary majority.
features of a presidential system
- chief executive elected by popular vote.
- Terms of executive and assembly fixed.
- President names and directs government
- head of government also head of state
4 advantages of a parliamentary system
- government can be removed by vote of no confidence.
- More party cohesion in parliamentary system as the executive can be more efficient, decisive, and stable when a parliamentary majority is achieved.
- Parliamentary systems are more likely to give a representation to a number of political parties, coalitions are considered frequent and stable in parliamentary systems.
- The electoral system used by the parliamentary system allows those equipped with political knowledge to choose the head of government.
4 disadvantages of parliamentary system
- unelected members of government may lack democratic legitimacy as the government is indirectly responsible for the electorate.
- Systems of proportional representation produce coalitions and minority governments.
- Imparts flexibility, uncertainty, and instability to the political process.
- Parliamentary vote for party so leader subject to backstage manoeuvring.
what feature of presidential systems helps to prevent dictatorship
- separation of executive and assembly, requires the executive to negotiate with the legislature
- Fixed terms of legislature and president; each cannot remove each other – limits the power of the president
what could be considered both an advantage and disadvantage of presidential systems
voters can directly elect their executive
how could it be argued that presidential systems are more accountable to the people? does this prove it is more stable?
- Under a presidential system the people are able to elect their own head of government, as well as their legislature
- perhaps direct accountability does not necessarily provide a more stable government as previously argued. Arguably it is incorrect to assume that just because a government is representative, it’s automatically going to be stable
when and why can ‘deadlock’ occur in presidential systems?
- lack a system to resolve conflict between executive and legislative
- Deadlock when legislature and executive disagree and problems of importance cant be addressed.
4 disadvantages of presidential system (bar deadlock situation)
- Rule of ‘winner takes all’ makes politics a zero sum game, examples of Allende of chile in 1970.
- Can be less favourable towards multi-party politics – all or nothing can create instability.
- More likely to suffer democratic breakdown – no vote of confidence to remove government during crisis. presidents increasingly dictatorial.
- Ease of inexperienced political outsiders to run for office; problem exacerbated by the individualistic nature of the presidents authority.
What was Linz’s (1990) argument surrounding presidential systems
- USA is only stable and long-standing presidential system in the world – it is the exception not the norm.
- Stable democracies tend to be parliamentary systems, eg Europe. This is due to the specific consequences of the institutional designs of presidential and parliamentary systems.
- The result is that presidential regimes are more likely to breakdown, eg Latin America, and a worse choice for new democracies
What is Horowitz’s response to Linz
Horowitz challenges Linz by claiming uses a geographically skewed sample by looking at Latin America – Asia or Africa would give opposite conclusion. Presidency is more varied that Linz allows for. Electoral system matters more – this is real villain. Other historical conditions matter, such as the history of military intervention
Examples of in Latin America where there was _____ between assembly and executive, ___ were appointed by the president which led to ___
separation, ministers, instability
