What is a Democratic System?
A democratic system is a political system where the people participate in the governing process, typically through elected representatives. Democratic systems of government offer the population power over their government and the opportunity to hold their elected officials accountable. Democracy is associated with representative government, free elections, and civil liberties.
Choosing Between a Presidential System and a Parliamentary System
Democratic systems of government can be divided into two main categories: presidential systems or parliamentary systems. These two systems have numerous differences and deciding which system is most suitable for a country can be difficult. To choose between a presidential system and a parliamentary system, we must first understand what differentiates the two systems.
Understanding Presidential Systems
A presidential system is characterized by a separate head of state (a president) and a head of government (a prime minister) and legislative branch of government (a congress or a parliament). In this system, the president is elected separately from the legislature and has the ability to exercise the most executive authority in the nation. They are usually elected to a fixed, regular term and are not dependent upon the support of the legislature for their election or re-election. The president will have the power to issue executive orders and veto legislation that is passed by the legislature.
Advantages of Presidential Systems
There are numerous advantages to presidential systems, such as:
•Strong Executive: Since the president is elected independently from the legislature and holds considerable executive power, they are able to check the legislature’s power and make major decisions for the nation.
•Stability and Predictability: By separating the executive branch from the legislature, presidential systems help to ensure the continued stability of the nation as the terms of the leader remain fixed. Additionally, since decisions can only be vetoed or passed by the president, it is easier to predict the outcome of legislation.
•Accountability: Presidential systems ensure citizens elect a leader they want and can hold accountable directly, while also holding the leader accountable to the legislative branch.
Disadvantages of Presidential Systems
Unfortunately, presidential systems come with disadvantages such as:
•Inefficient Legislative Process: Presidential systems tend to make legislative process difficult due to the power held by the president. Decisions cannot pass without the president’s approval, which can slow down the legislative process.
•Polarization: Due to the need for presidential candidates to have widespread support and the president’s largely unchecked power, the general population can become polarized in both legislative and presidential elections.
•Lack of Representation: Since the president is not dependent upon the legislative branch, certain segments of the population may feel like their issues are not adequately addressed.
Understanding Parliamentary Systems
On the other hand, parliamentary systems form a government where the executive and legislature are integrated, and the legislative branch holds the ultimate power in the system. The executive branch is led by a prime minister and is formed by a coalition of party members from the legislative branch. The legislature will vote to decide on the formation of a government by a majority, and the prime minister is the leader of the party or coalition which reforms the government. This party will usually be the majority party in the legislative branch.
Advantages of Parliamentary Systems
Parliamentary systems have several benefits such as:
•Responsive Government: Parliamentary systems are usually much more responsive to the people’s demands, as the executive is proportional to the majority held in the legislature and can be changed quickly instead of waiting for a new president to be elected.
•Greater Representation: Since the executive branch is formed from the legislative branch, it tends to more accurately reflect the interests of the voters.
•More Effective Legislating: Parliamentary systems tend to have better legislative processes than presidential systems, as the executive branch can pass legislation and the legislature is not dependent on the president’s approval.
Disadvantages of Parliamentary Systems
However, parliamentary systems also have several disadvantages such as:
•Political Instability: Parliamentary systems are typically more prone to political instability due to the executive branch’s dependence on a majority in the legislature and the frequent change in government.
•Lack of Certainty: Since the executive branch is often heavily affected by changes in the legislature and can easily change, it can be difficult to predict and plan for the future of the nation.
•Party Political Power: Since the head of the executive branch is elected from the majority legislative party, it can result in that party having too much power in the nation’s government.
Before deciding what type of democratic system would be best for a country, it is important to consider the needs and goals of the nation, as well as the culture and values of the people. Each system offers advantages and disadvantages and choosing the right system is an important decision that can greatly influence the nation’s future.
