Comparative Government Notes

Types of Regimes

Liberal Democracy

- Emphasis on freedom of the individual

- This democracy display out liberties, rule of law, neutrality of judiciary, open out society + civilian control of

the military

Illiberal Democracy

- Restrict civil liberties/freedoms but still have regular free + fair elections

- Lack other elements of a liberal democracy

- Retains base structure of democracy but doesn't protect civil liberties

Free + Fair Elections

Parliamentary Government

- System of democratic governance where executive gets it's legitimacy from the ability to command the

confidence of legislature, typically a Parliament is held accountable to that parliament

- No one person who monopolizes power

- Centered around the use of a parliament as a legislative body. Prime Minister + other executive leaders are

members of that body

- Executive + legislative together

- Allows nation to select and remove head of government (Prime Minister and Cabinet)

UK

- National election only for Member of Parliament

- Prime Minister -> selected by House of Commons

- Conservatives won last election

- Minimum of 5 years (between any election) but can be called sooner by a vote of no confidence

Presidential Government

(head of government and state = president)

 Comparative Government Notes

- Cabinet that is most responsible to elected executive (president)

-> legislatures can remove cabinet members through impeachment

- Has separate popular elections for national legislature

- Form of government, head of government (President) leads executive branch which is separate from

legislature branch

Mexico

- (National Action Party) PAN won presidency in 2000 after years of electoral domination by PRI (Institutional

Revolutionary Party)

China

- No direct elections for government

Nigeria

- Muhammadu Buhari defeated the incumbent president in 2015

= Nigeria first transfer of power from one party to a rival party

Iran

- Supreme leader directly + indirectly appoints members of the G.C. (Guardian Council)

Semi-Presidential

- Separate elections for President and for national legislature which allows president to elect/nominate the

Prime Minister (must be approved by legislature)

- Members of cabinet are held accountable by president and national legislature

Russia

- UR (United Russia) won most seats in Parliament

Iran's Government

-> Mix of theocratic and democratic = Theocratic Republic

- Leader is elected and leads executive branch / legislative branch (Majlis) is elected by people

- However real power -> Supreme Leader (Head Religious Leader), they make sure all the governmental
 Comparative Government Notes

laws follow the Islamic laws

Consensus

- People come together to protect themselves and create common rules

- Leadership chosen from among people

- Security through cooperation

Coercion

- People are brought together by a ruler who has authority + monopolizes power

- Security through domination

How government Institution is set up

Unitary

- 1 central government controls weaker states

- Power is centralised

- ex) China, UK, Iran

Confederation

- Group of states that agree to follow central government

- Nations can choose if they want to follow or not

Federal (divide)

- Power is shared/divided between central government, states, provinces etc

- ex) Mexico, Russia, Nigeria

Authoritarian Regimes

-> Don't give people a formal/regular opportunity to replace it with another regime/government

-> Illegal democracies + hybrid regimes may have elections with little competition towards voting party and

tend to restrict/limit civil liberties

Authoritarian System
 Comparative Government Notes

= Citizens have no way to influence Government

- 1 party (China) where rival parties are prohibited from controlling government power

- Theocratic -> religion based, religious leaders rule government

- Dictatorship -> most common form of Authoritarian System

- Totalitarian -> government control all aspects of life

- Military regime -> Military leaders will hold top government positions of authority

Factors that Indicate Degree of Democracy/Authoritarianism of States

-> Degree and practice of free + fair elections

-> Degree of state controlled/state influence on media

-> Degree of transparency of governmental decisions/affairs

-> Degree of political participation by citizens

-> Independence of governmental branches (executive, legislative, judicial)

= separation of power (federalism)

-> State should be governed by Rule of law

Presidential

- President directly elected by people

- President is supreme

- Division of power (= federalism)

- Independent Branches (Executive, Legislature, Judicial)

- Head of state = President

- Head of Government = President

- Individual leadership

- President not accountable to congress

Parliamentary

- Prime Minister is from majority party

- Central legislature is supreme

- Absence of separation of powers because of centralization

- Independent branches with overlapping functions

 Comparative Government Notes

- Head of state = (UK: Monarch / Russia: President)

- Head of government = Prime Minister

- Collective leadership

- Collective + individual responsibility

Checks and Balances

Parliamentary powers

-> Censure (= disapprove) cabinet ministers

-> Refuse to pass executive proposed laws (= legislation)

-> Question cabinet ministers + executive

-> Impose the deadlines on calling elections

Executive term limits

Pros:

- Check executive power, inhibit the emergence of dictators/personality rule

- Helps office holders to focus on governing, rather than winning elections (if term is long)

- Provides the opportunity for new leaders + ideas, policies, goals

Cons:

- Force good leaders to leave office

- Allows insufficient time for office holders to achieve their goals

- Impedes policy continuity

- Weakens accountability

- Creates lame-duck period for office holders from building experience

- Causes poop policy design

Removal of Executives -> Control the abuse of power

UK:

- head of state = king

-> serves until death/ abdication (no removal process)

- head of government = Prime Minister

 Comparative Government Notes

-> Serves until ousted as party leader voted out by vote of no confidence

Rival party takes control of House of Commons through election

Mexico, Nigeria, Russia:

- Impeachment by legislature

Iran:

- Supreme leader -> (In theory) Assembly of experts (the Supreme leader's minions) can dismiss the

Supreme leader / However the process thereof is unclear

- President -> Impeached by Supreme leader / Majlis (legislature)

China:

- China's highest state body = NPC (National People's Congress = presidential party) has the power to

remove the President

Legislative System (=Law)

Legislatures have the potential to reinforce stability + legitimacy by

- responding to public demand

- openly debating policy

- facilitate compromise between factions (= small groups)

- extend civil liberties

- Restrict the power of executives

China

- President = Xi jin ping

- Commander in Chief

- General secretary of communist party

- Chair of military commision

- Head of state + party leader

- Holds defacto power

- Nominates premier = head of state council (Government Cabinet)

 Comparative Government Notes

Iran

- President =

- Supreme leader =

- Supreme leader holds the highest power, sets the political agenda

- President manages day to day governing

- President term = 4 years

- Supreme leader controls military

Mexico

- President = Claudia

- President = head of state, Government, Commander in Chief

- President leads foreign and domestic policies, approves legislation

- President term (Sexenio) = 6 years

Russia

- President = Vladimir Putin

- Commander in Chief

- Head of state

- Nominates Prime Minister (must be approved by Duma)

- Prime Minister = head of government

- President leads foreign policy + national security

- President holds defacto power

- Prime Minister manages domestic policy + economy

UK

- Monarch = King Charles III

- Head of state (ceremonial)

- Prime Minister = Rishi Sunak

- Prime Minister = head of government

- Prime Minister = leader of majority party in House of Commons

- Prime Minister leads domestic + foreign policy

- Prime Minister selects cabinet

 Comparative Government Notes

- Parliament = supreme authority

Nigeria

- President = Bola Ahmed Tinubu

- Commander in Chief

- Head of state + head of government

- President directly elected by people

- President oversees foreign + domestic policy

- President appoints cabinet

- President term = 4 years