CAS PO 151 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Majority Rule, Mahatma Gandhi, Upper House
10 Aug 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Branches of Government in a Democracy
Executive- president/prime minister, Cabinet
Legislative: elected lawmakers
Unicameral- one chamber
Bicameral- two champers, typically of different size and with different responsibilities
o Most common form of government
Judiciary: appointed judges who interpret laws.
Accountability
In a democracy, executives are held accountable for their actions
Horizontal accountability: checks and balances exercised by other branches of government
Vertical accountability: limits on executive authority by citizens and civil society
o Voting, public opinion
o Mass media
Presidentialism
Separation of powers:
o Executive and legislature elected separately, serve fixed terms
o Cabinet members need not be legislators
Can slow legislative process:
o President may have legislative minority
o Party-line votes not assured even with majority
o Bills subject to extensive debate/amendments
Parliamentarism
It’s popular among former British colonies:
o United Kingdom, India, Germany, and Japan
There’s a tighter connection between the legislature and the executive.
The government is by party or coalition more than by a single individual.
o The government is known for the political party of the time period, not the single leader, unlike
the US president
o The party matters more than the individual
Executive is the Prime Minister or the Chancellor (Germany).
In some cases, there’s a different head of state such as the Queen of England or a President that is
elected, but mostly ceremonial.
Prime Minister is a legislature.
o Divided government is impossible
Typically, a different head of state- monarch or president- largely ceremonial.
Cabinet members are also legislators
PM/Cabinet participate in legislative sessions and defend government policy.
o Ex: Prime minster’s questions in the United Kingdom
Parliament can change the Prime Minister.
o Pressure for resignation
o “No confidence vote” they can forcibly remove the Prime Minister out of the office.
Prime Ministers can change parliament. He can call new elections.
It speeds up the legislative process
o Debate/modification of bills take place in Cabinet
o Party-line votes are common
Semi-Presidentalism
Only seen in Russia or in previously communist countries or prior French colonies
Split executive
o Directly elected president more than a figurative position
o Prime minister chosen by legislative majority
Split responsibilities/powers
Document Summary
Bicameral- two champers, typically of different size and with different responsibilities: most common form of government. In a democracy, executives are held accountable for their actions. Horizontal accountability: checks and balances exercised by other branches of government. Vertical accountability: limits on executive authority by citizens and civil society: voting, public opinion, mass media. Separation of powers: executive and legislature elected separately, serve fixed terms, cabinet members need not be legislators. Can slow legislative process: president may have legislative minority, party-line votes not assured even with majority, bills subject to extensive debate/amendments. Parliamentarism: united kingdom, india, germany, and japan. The government is by party or coalition more than by a single individual. There"s a tighter connection between the legislature and the executive. In some cases, there"s a different head of state such as the queen of england or a president that is. Executive is the prime minister or the chancellor (germany). elected, but mostly ceremonial.
