Political Institutions refer to the organs of government that are responsible for legislating, adjudicating, and executing public policy.
State Structure
The main components of a political system include:
- Legislative Branch: Responsible for making laws and policies of the country.
- Executive Branch: Responsible for executing laws and implementing public policies.
- Judicial Branch: Responsible for adjudicating disputes, interpreting laws, and ensuring justice.
Political systems can vary significantly:
- Legislative Structure: Can be unicameral (one house) or bicameral (two houses).
- Executive Structure: Can be presidential (executive elected separately) or parliamentary (executive derives authority from legislature).
Political Institutions of the UK
The UK is characterized by the following political structures:
- Constitutional Monarchy: Monarch acts within the parameters of a constitution.
- Parliamentary System: Features a bifurcated legislative body consisting of two houses:
- House of Commons: Elected legislative body.
- House of Lords: Appointed and hereditary members, includes life peers, temporal lords, and spiritual lords.
- Privy Council: Advises the monarch.
- Supreme Court: The highest court in the UK.
- Prime Minister: Head of government, who must act in accordance with constitutional convention and the advice of the monarch.
Political Institutions of Russia
Russia exhibits the following political features:
- Semi-presidential System: Executive power is divided between the president and the prime minister.
- Federal System: Power is shared between national and regional authorities.
- Bicameral Legislature: Composed of the State Duma and the Federation Council:
- State Duma: 450 members elected for a 5-year term; candidates require factional support or signatures from 100,000 registered voters.
- Federation Council: Two representatives from each of the 85 regions; consists of one government representative and one from parliament.
- Flawed/Illiberal Democracy: Elections occur, but are marred by manipulation and intimidation, with the president maintaining significant control, including the ability to dissolve the Duma.
- Legislative and Judicial Powers: The Federal Assembly confirms the appointments of the executive government and courts.
Political Institutions of China
The Chinese political structure is characterized as follows:
- Unicameral System: The primary legislative body is the National People's Congress.
- Chinese Communist Party (CCP): Dominates the political environment:
- General Secretary: Heads the CCP; currently Xi Jinping.
- Politburo: Key decision-making committee composed of 24 members.
- Party-Government Relationship: The government operates as an instrument of the CCP, where the Party's directives supersede official governmental decisions.
- State Structure: Involves various levels, including provincial congresses, state councils, and local governments, with an emphasis on party leadership at all levels.
Political Institutions of Iran
Iran's political framework consists of:
- Semi-presidential System: Features both a president elected by the populace and a parliament.
- Unicameral Legislature: The Majlis (Parliament), supported by the Assembly of Experts, which selects the Supreme Leader.
Parliamentary Systems
General Characteristics:
- Two executives: Head of state (ceremonial) and head of government (prime minister).
- The prime minister is typically the leader of the governing party in the lower house.
- Governments can be minority (no majority in lower house) or coalition (parties agree to support each other).
- Vote of No Confidence: Used when a government fails to pass legislation, posing a risk in minority governments.
Presidential Systems
Key Attributes:
- The president acts as both head of state and head of government.
- Elections for the executive and legislative branches occur separately, allowing for legislative oversight.
- Divided Government: Occurs when the president and the legislature belong to different political parties, complicating policy-making.
Semi-Presidential Systems
Key Features:
- Executive power is split between a president (elected by citizens) and a prime minister (appointed).
- The president often holds more power than the prime minister, resulting in shared but potentially ambiguous authority.
Comparisons of Systems of Government
Examine the differences in functionality and structure between parliamentary and presidential systems, including the flow of power and responsibilities.
Executive Powers
Heads of states hold the symbolic representation of the country, while heads of government focus on implementing laws and policies.
- Commander-in-Chief: Military authority rests with the executive branch.
- Treaty Signing: Executives handle foreign policy decisions, including international treaties and agreements.
Term Limits
Define the duration and limits of executive terms:
- Presidential Systems: Typically fixed terms are set (e.g., 4 years in the US).
- Parliamentary Systems: Generally do not impose strict term limits, as elections can be called at varying times.
Removal of the Executive
Parliamentary System: Executives can be removed through votes of no confidence, party replacement, or losing elections.
Presidential System: The process involves impeachment based on legislative assessments of misconduct or failure to meet constitutional criteria.
Bureaucracies
Role of bureaucracies in government includes:
- Ensuring equitable policy implementation and accountability through appointed officials.
- Differences in structure between parliamentary and presidential systems impact how cabinet members are appointed and interact with the legislature.
Judicial Systems
Role of Judiciary: Key aspects include interpretation of laws, deciding cases, and conducting judicial reviews.
- Different legal systems include:
- Common Law: Utilizes precedents established in earlier judgments (e.g., UK).
- Code Law: Focuses on legislative texts, following strict legal codes (e.g., France under Napoleon).