Political Institutions

executive

chief political power in a state, typically a president or prime minister

bureacracy

a large set of unelected officials who implement laws

legislature

a group of lawmakers that passes laws and represents citizens

judicial

system of courts that interprets the law and applies it to individual cases

typical powers of head of state

face of the country, engage in foreign policy, able to deploy troops

typical powers of head of government

tasked with implementing the nation’s laws and policies

advantage of term limits

prevents executives from consolidating too much power

disadvantage of term limits

prevent populat executives from being reelected, reduce policy continuity

main areas of bureacracy within executive branch

treasury, defense, education, policy

advantage of unicamerial legislature

pass laws quickly

disadvantage of unicameral legislatures

less deliberate consideration

advantage of bicameral legislatures

responsibilties may be split, citizens truly represented by lower house

disadvantage of bicameral legislatures

gridlocks result from party differences, even in crisis

common law

a legal system in which previous rulings and opinions hold weight in future case precedent (rule of law)

code law

follows law written by legislature, and decisions to not serve as precedent (rule by law)

judicial independence

prevents legislature and executives from trampling on minorities or using bribes for political advantages

choices for political systems

overall distribution of power, distribution of power at national level, electoral systems for legislature

versions of power distribution at national level

presidential, parliamentary, semi-presidential

removal of executives in presidential system

impeachment

branches of governement in presidential system

executive, legistlative, judicial

key features of presidential systems

checks and balances, separation of powers, president elected independent of legislature, head of state is head of government

key features of parliamentary system

head of state is not head of government, executive and legislative powers are fused, executive comes out of legislature

removing a prime minister from office

vote of no confidence

key feature of semi-presidential system

dual executive, head of government is not head of state

True or false: the choice for distribution of power at the national level implies the level of democracy.

false; the function of the system determines the level of democracy