Core Issues in Comparative Politics(PO233)

Module Director: Dr. Renske DoorenspleetAssociate Professor in Comparative Politics

director Centre for Studies in DemocratizationDepartment of Politics and International Studies

University of Warwick, UK

www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/staff/doorenspleet/www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/pais/research/csd/

e-mail: renske.doorenspleet@warwick.ac.uk

Types of DemocraciesConsensus versus Majoritarian Systems(Lijphart 1999, see also week 11):

Executive-parties dimension (how easy is it for one party to take control of the government?)

1. concentration of executive power (week 14)2. dominance of executive (week 14)3. two-party vs. multiparty system (week 12)4. majoritarian electoral rules vs. PR (week 13)5. types of interest groups

Federal-unitary dimension

Content Lecture week 14Legislatures and Executives

A. Legislatures (read Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007, Ch. 15)

B. The political executive: parliamentary versus presidential systems (Hague and Harrop 2007, Ch. 16!)

C. Back to Lijphart (read literature week 11) D. Contents of seminar week 15

A. Legislatures

Legislature versus Assembly

Within legislatures:

Parliaments (in parliamentary or ‘fused-power’ systems) versus Congresses (in presidential or ‘separation-of-power’ systems)

A. Legislaturesparliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of

relationship between executive and legislative.

Parliamentary systems are characterized by:- An executive branch selected from within and by the legislature- An executive branch which can be removed from office at any

time- A high degree of mutual dependence between executive and

legislature

Examples: UK, Germany, the Netherlands, etc.

See: Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007: 336 (Figure 16.2)

A. LegislaturesParliamentary systems: UK

A. Legislaturesparliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of

relationship between executive and legislative.

Presidential systems are characterized by:- An independent selection of executive branch and legislature - The absence of the ability to dissolve or remove the other from

office (with the exception of incapacity or serious legal wrong-doing)

Examples: USA, many new democracies in Latin America and Africa

See: Kreppel 2008; Hague and Harrop 2007: 330 (Figure 16.1)

A. LegislaturesPresidential systems: USA (Congress = Senate & House of Representatives)(US Senate, see below)

A. LegislaturesThe activities of legislatures can be put into the following categories:

1) Linkage and representation2) Oversight and control3) Policy-making

Not the categories, but their importance differs between legislatures!

A. LegislaturesAd 1) Linkage and representation

- Linkage of citizens to government, more effective- In single-member constituencies- When the executive is indirectly elected (i.e. in parliamentary systems)

- Representation - Debating

A. LegislaturesAd 2) Oversight and control

- Control of the executive branch- Budget control- Oversight over: budgetary implications, timely and accurate

implementation

Oversight instruments:- Question-time- Hearings / special inquiries- Investigative committees- Reports on special issues

A. LegislaturesAd 3) Policy-making: legislature as legislator

different ways:- Consultation- Delay- Veto- Amendment- Initiation

B. parl. versus pres. systemsparliamentary versus presidential systems: see slides 5 - 8, UK versus USA parliamentary versus presidential systems: differences in type of

relationship between executive and legislative.

But… in some parliamentary systems also presidents (Austria, Germany, India) still parliamentary systems!

See: Hague and Harrop 2007: 344 (box 16.7)

And… existence of semi-presidential systems (France, Finland, some former French colonies

(see for more information: Hague and Harrop 2007: 344- 348)

B. parl. versus pres. systems

Advantages presidential systems (cf Hague and Harrop 2007: 335):

1. Stability in executive2. Popular election3. Independence legislature4. Separation of powers5. National view

B. parl. versus pres. systemsDisadvantages presidential systems (Hague & Harrop 2007: 335):

1. Danger of deadlock2. Fixed terms of office rigid3. Waste of experience4. Winner takes all5. Public appeal is key6. Concentration of power, dependent on one person, unrealistic

expectations7. Less chance of consolidation democracy, likely that presidents

becomes a dictator

B. parl. versus pres. systems

Disadvantages presidential systems

B. parl. versus pres. systems

Disadvantages presidential systems

B. parl. versus pres. systems

Disadvantages presidential systems

C. Back to LijphartLijphart’s executive-parties dimension (how easy is it for one party to take control of the government?): 1st and 2nd element: legislatures and executive power(see also second dimension of federalist-unitary systems)

Lijphart: ‘Parliamentary systems perform best’Country performs better, when executive has not too much power

and is not too dominant compared to legislature.

- Problem of dichotomy, again!- There is no a priori “best-type” of legislature (but differences in

Efficiency, Representativeness, Quality of policy outputs)

D. Contents of Seminar week 15Homework seminar week 15:

1) Read the required literature of week 14

2) Choose your country (see seminar week 13) and discover the strengths and weaknesses of Lijphart’s ideas.Write a report and prepare a presentation (around 5 minutes)

(see handout!)