Summary
Many forms and types of governments have existed since the formation of civilized societies. The most common forms of government are the presidential and parliamentary systems. The United States operates under the presidential form of government, whereby the people elect the leader of the government, and his functions are independent of those of the legislature and the judiciary. An in-depth analysis of the two systems and their advantages and disadvantages will provide insights into the suitability of the parliamentary system in the United States.
Parliamentary v. Presidential Systems: Advantages and Disadvantages
The parliamentary and presidential systems have their advantages and disadvantages, making them suitable for governance in countries with varying governance ideals. The parliamentary system is more responsible because the executive is accountable to the legislature while the head of state is independent (Chatterjee 1). Therefore, the executive arm of the government cannot act without regard for the legislature, which holds the most power. As a result, the head of state in a parliamentary system does not influence the legislative process, unlike in presidential governance.
The parliamentary system of governance is advantageous because it is flexible. The head of state is different from the head of government, and therefore, the removal of one leader does not affect the operations of the government (Chatterjee 3). The people elect the legislature, while the head of state belongs to a monarch and rises to power through other means other than the popular vote by the people (Yilmaz 9). The head of state and the legislature are independent, making the system flexible. A country ruled under the parliamentary system does not lose its authority when either head loses power.
However, the parliamentary system has been criticized for its disadvantages. For example, there is no separation of power between the executive and the legislature, a feature that affects policy implementation (Yilmaz 7). Another disadvantage of the parliamentary structure is that it is unstable because of the indistinct government tenure. Unlike presidential governance, which clearly outlines the term for each government and the circumstances that can lead to the end of an era, the parliamentary system lacks such provisions, making it unstable (Yilmaz 7). The lack of separation of powers further complicates instability, which threatens the existence of the parliament in the event of disagreement between the executive and legislature.
Could a Parliamentary System work in the United States?
The United States currently operates under the presidential system of governance. However, after analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of each system, it is evident that the parliamentary system can work in the United States. The current form of governance dated back to the nation’s founding and was built on institutional tension between two opposing sides – the Republicans and the Democrats (Manuel & Anne 10). The tension between the two factions has led to the limitation of the development of innovative policies. For example, former President Barack Obama’s regime encountered challenges in passing the Obamacare Act of 2010 (Manuel & Anne 10). The bill was not primarily under contest, but the legislators who were not affiliated with the president’s faction were against it. Competing interests were not necessarily aligned to the wholeness of the bill but rather with the legislators’ longstanding tension. The parliamentary system of governance can help resolve this challenge because such pressure does not exist in the legislature.
The type of government in the United States is too complex and bureaucratic. The American form of governance was designed to avoid the likelihood of tyranny from a single ruler or the majority through a checks and balances type of system (Manuel & Anne 11). To preserve liberty, the designers of the government instituted various checks and balances that require the legislators to be accountable throughout the process of making decisions. The system is designed in such a manner as to encourage the representation of the minority. However, the design complicates the legislation process because the minority can make it difficult for the majority to pass laws. The parliamentary system can resolve this issue through its two legislative houses – the House of Commons and the House of Lords (Manuel & Anne 13). The House of Commons is the majority legislative body that holds the necessary tools to effect legislative matters without the limitations of the minority. Therefore, the parliamentary system would work in the United States by reducing institutional tension between the majority and minority parties.
Works Cited
Chatterjee, Kasturi. Parliamentary System. Salem Press, 2020.
Manuel, Paul Christopher, and Anne Marie Cammisa. Checks and Balances How a Parliamentary System Could Change American Politics. Routledge, 2019.
Yilmaz, Battal. The presidential system in Turkey: Opportunities and obstacles. Springer, 2018.