PLSC Chapter 11 textbook

Chapter Overview

• Focus on institutional variation among democracies.

• Democracies are classified based on their form of government according to Cheibub (2007).

• Three main types of democracy: parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential.

Types of Democracy

Classification Criteria

• Classification depends on the relationship between:

  1. The government

  2. The legislature

  3. The president (if applicable)

Types of Democracies

1. Parliamentary Democracy

   • Government is responsible to the elected legislature.

2. Presidential Democracy

   • Absence of legislative responsibility – the government doesn't depend on the legislative majority.

3. Semi-Presidential Democracy

   • Government is responsible to the elected legislature and has a popularly elected head of state.

Legislative Responsibility and Accountability

• Legislative Responsibility: Situation where a legislative majority can remove the government from office without cause.

  • Governed by voting mechanisms:

  • Vote of No Confidence: Initiated by opposition to determine whether the government should remain.

  • Constructive Vote of No Confidence: Requires opposition to propose an alternative government upon initiating the no-confidence vote.

• Example: Germany's postwar constitution implemented a constructive vote of no confidence to enhance stability.

Vote of Confidence

• Initiated by the government to gain legislative support.

• Used strategically to gauge legislative backing for proposed legislation.

• Risks of misjudgement by the government may backfire if the legislature decides to vote against it.

Classification of Democratic Systems

• The classification questions emphasize the role of the head of state.

• Popularly Elected Head of State: Indicates a semi-presidential system.

• Monarch as Head of State: Automatically indicates a parliamentary democracy.

Current Landscape (2021 Data)

• Out of 194 countries, 122 identified as democracies:

  1. Parliamentary: 52 democracies (42.6%)

  2. Presidential: 38 democracies (31.1%)

  3. Semi-Presidential: 32 democracies (26.2%)

• Historical trends show a decline in parliamentary systems and a rise in semi-presidential systems since 1978.

Geographical Distribution of Democracies

• Presidential democracies: Predominantly in the Americas.

• Parliamentary and Semi-Presidential: Mainly in Europe.

• Africa: Mostly presidential or semi-presidential democracies.

• Asia: Varied types of democracies.

Government in Parliamentary Democracies

Structure

• Comprises a prime minister and a cabinet (e.g., Australian government).

• Roles and titles may vary, with the prime minister as head of government.

Cabinet Composition and Responsibilities

• Cabinet members head various departments and report directly responsible to the prime minister.

• Ministerial Responsibility: Ministers are accountable for their departments and must resign if their department performs poorly.

• Collective Cabinet Responsibility: All ministers must publicly support cabinet decisions.

Government Formation in Parliamentary Democracies

• Formation hinges on the majority support in the legislature.

• Investiture Vote: May be needed to confirm new government.

• Coalition Governments: Frequently emerge in situations without a single-party majority.

Coalition Formation Dynamics

• The battle for executive power often involves compromises from party leaders post-election.

• The most plausible coalition is usually aligned with legislative majorities and ideological compatibilities.

• Minimal Winning Coalitions (MWC): Formed with just enough parties to secure a majority.

Types of Governments in Parliamentary Democracies

Minority and Surplus Governments

1. Minority Government: Lacks a majority in the legislature but survives if opposition parties do not vote against it.

   • These can form based on confidence and supply agreements with outside parties.

2. Surplus Majority Government: Contains more parties than needed for a majority.

   • Often formed during crises or when needing special majorities for specific legislation (e.g., constitutional amendments).

Government in Presidential Democracies

Structure and Process

• Comprises a president who holds both executive and head of state roles.

• Legislative responsibility is absent; presidents appointed ministers without needing majority support.

• Unique characteristics of government formation processes compared to parliamentary systems.

Types of Presidential Cabinets

• Majority Cabinets: Formed when the president's party holds a majority.

• Minority Cabinets: Possible, with or without legislative support; typically occur in systems lacking legislative responsibility.

• Coalition formation in presidential systems is less common due to the president's ability to act unilaterally.

Government in Semi-Presidential Democracies

• Configured as a mixture of parliamentary and presidential features.

• Contains both a prime minister and a popularly elected president.

• Cohabitation can occur when the president and prime minister come from opposing parties, often leading to complex power dynamics.

Principal-Agent Framework

Delegation in Political Contexts

• Delegation allows higher authority (principals) to empower agents to act on behalf of them.

• Agency Loss: The difference between the ideal outcome expected by the principal and the actual outcome achieved by the agent.

• Principal-Agent Problems: Arise due to information asymmetries.

Mechanisms to Mitigate Agency Problems

1. Ex Ante Mechanisms: Screening and selection processes to evaluate potential agents before they are appointed.

2. Ex Post Mechanisms: Monitoring agents after appointment, utilizing either direct surveillance or trusting established fire-alarm systems (like media).

Conclusion

• Discovering how democracies function highlights the importance of institutional structures and interactions.

• Differences between presidentialism and parliamentarism emphasize delegation dynamics in governance and power relations.