11/17 POL158

Final Analytic Paper Submission Deadline

  • The original due date was this Friday.

  • Extended deadline: Sunday to provide students extra time.

  • Instructor is behind on grading the previous paper due to personal circumstances.

Instructor Personal Update

  • New personal milestone: the instructor is now a father to a girl named Nairobi.

  • Excited to share this news and planned to show pictures in the next class.

Class Topic Overview

  • Continuation of the discussion from last week focusing on „institutions" in a more detailed manner.

  • This week’s class will specifically focus on executive democratic systems.

Class Objectives

  1. Identify three types of democratic regimes.

  2. Distinguish between the roles of head of state and head of government.

  3. Evaluate the importance of each role and articulate pros and cons.

  4. If time permits, conduct an activity to research examples of different government types.

Government Institutions Overview

  • Key components of any government, particularly democratic or semi-democratic systems: executive, legislature, judiciary.

  • The executive consists of:

    • Network of leaders

    • Ministers

    • Agencies

    • Civil servants

Core Functions of Executives

  • Provide leadership for the country (policy agenda setting).

  • Coordination with other agencies to implement laws (e.g., Minister of Justice with Minister of the Interior).

  • Enforce laws and budgets passed by the government.

  • The emphasis on implementation as a critical function.

Types of Executive Systems

1. Parliamentary Executives

  • Features of parliamentary systems:

    • Prime Minister is selected by parliament (elected representatives).

    • Prime Minister typically chosen among party members, reflective of the party's majority.

    • Cabinet is comprised of ministers chosen directly from the legislators.

    • No fixed term limits for the Prime Minister or the cabinet; they can face a vote of confidence from the parliament.

  • If parliament is dissatisfied, they can dissolve the government through a vote of no confidence.

2. Presidential Systems

  • Characteristics of a presidential system (e.g., US):

    • President elected separately from the legislature and cabinet.

    • Both roles are appointed independently, giving the president broader authority.

    • Fixed term limits for the President, but cabinet members may shift with administrations.

    • Difficult to remove a President outside of elections, which can lead to increased stability for the executive.

3. Semi-Presidential Executives

  • Combines elements from both parliamentary and presidential systems:

    • President elected by popular vote (head of state).

    • Prime Minister (head of government) selected by parliament.

    • Cabinet selected by parliament, maintaining a dual-executive structure.

  • This system introduces potential challenges as the President and Prime Minister may have different political bases.

Graphical Summary of Executive Systems

  • Dependency on selection methods for different types of governments:

    • Presidential: Elected through popular vote.

    • Parliamentary: Selected by the legislator directly.

    • Semi-Presidential: Also selected by the legislator.

  • Term Limits:

    • Fixed for Presidential systems.

    • Not fixed for Parliamentary and Semi-Presidential systems.

Accountability Dynamics

  • Presidents in semi-presidential systems are generally not accountable to the legislature, unlike prime ministers.

  • The president's separation from the legislature offers greater autonomy but also risks conflicts of interest between the two offices.

Data Insights on Democratic Systems

  • Distribution of global democracies:

    • 36% Parliamentary,

    • 39% Semi-Presidential, and

    • 25% Presidential systems.

  • Student discussion on why fewer countries adopt presidential systems, citing factors such as potential for governmental gridlock and stability in parliamentary systems.

Comparison Discussion Points

  • Parliamentary Systems:

    • Features a fusion of powers with the executive and legislative branches overlapping.

    • The Prime Minister is part of parliament, increases accountability.

  • Presidential Systems:

    • Separation of powers leads to distinct roles; President operates independently.

    • Cabinet independence can lead to more hierarchical decision-making.

    • Veto powers and executive orders are key presidential tools, but easier for subsequent administrations to overturn.

Activities and Engagement

  • The class will conclude with an activity focused on researching different government types and their implementations.