1. Lecture #16: Parliamentary Government
Lecture #16: July 26, 2016
Lecture #16: Parliamentary Government

2. Opening Video Clip http://youtu.be/gLoio0Z6jLw
Clip from the West Wing, Season 6, Episode 14

3. Parliamentary Government

4. Parliamentary Government
The United States has a presidential system of government, but many democracies use a parliamentary system.
In Presidential systems, the executive is voted on separate from the legislature. In parliamentary systems they are not.
Parliament gives executive power to a cabinet that it selects.

5. Parliamentary Government
If a parliament passes a bill, there is no separate executive to veto it. It becomes law. Faster and potentially more responsive.
The cabinet retains power only as long as the parliament has confidence in it. Big difference from pres. system.
“governments” therefore rotate or fall more often, though the legislature can be very stable.
Cabinet can also dissolve parliament which leads to new election. In pres. system the election dates are fixed.

6. Parliamentary Government
Parl. Government’s are more “efficient” with less veto points. They therefore tend to move quicker.
Why might this be a good thing?
Why might it be bad?
Parliamentary systems are more unified.
More accountability
Who do you blame when the economy or healthcare is bad in the US? Divided responsibility.
Potentially less compromise
Only a bare majority typically needed to pass a law.
Potentially wider swings in policy

7. PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT Characteristics
Elected parliament (often large)
Sovereign
Executive power in the Cabinet
Cabinet power ONLY as long as retains “confidence” (commands a majority of votes)
Cabinet members remain in parliament
PM can “dissolve” parliament 7

8. Some structural details
Head of State: formal, symbolic position
In our Pres. System, Barack Obama is both head of government and head of state.
In Parl. System, roles are separate.
E.g. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state in the UK
If a single party emerges from an election with a majority of seats, it will identify its leadership as the PM and cabinet; if a coalition is formed to establish a majority, a combination of leaders from various coalition partners will be positioned in the cabinet

9. Cabinet management & control
Policy agenda - Very tight party control in parliamentary systems
Party membership is extremely important for control of government, even more so than in US.
All leadership positions come from the party
Little split between rival powers within a party in different branches
Debates (real or ?)
Prime minister’s questions:
Voting (pre-ordained ?)
Cabinets very rarely lose votes in parliaments. Rare enough event that it can actually precipitate a fall in government.
Policy coherence …
Policy clarity …
Policy boldness …

10. Functions of PARLIAMENT
becomes the forum for public debate
government policies are scrutinized in advance of becoming policies
monitors the administration of policies
insures accountability via question time
enhances transparency by exposing
the policy process
testing ground for leadership

11. Advantages … Disadvantages
“power” (exec & leg power) is united enabling more quick and responsive policy-making
policy-making responsibility CLEAR
majority (coalition) CONTROL;
minority vulnerable/ignored
non-regular turnover … instability possible
added problems with “minority cabinet”

12. Reality
Of course, the reality is more complicated than a simple theory about parliamentary or presidential systems. There are many hybrid forms, as well.