presidential system

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Presidential System

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Page 1: Presidential System

Presidential System

Page 2: Presidential System

Presidential System

5 features of a presidential system;• Executive barred from legislature• Separation of powers• Co-equal branches• Centralisation & decentralisation (devolution)• Federal system

Page 3: Presidential System

Presidential System

DefinitionA presidential system is one in which there is a strict separation of personnel between the executive and the legislature. The president is both head of state and head of government. The president has a fixed term of office. Although the president can be impeached for misconduct, there is no vote of confidence by which the president can be removed for incompetence or unpopularity.

Page 4: Presidential System

Executive barred from legislature

• By definition, the presidential systems means that the executive (the president) is barred from the legislature.

“When the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person…there can be no liberty.”

– Montesquieu, The Spirit of Laws (1748)

• The president is elected separately and has no role within the legislative branch of government.

Page 5: Presidential System

Separation of Powers

Page 6: Presidential System

Co-equal branches of government

• The Founding Fathers feared tyranny, so ensured that each branch of government was equal.

• Each branch would have checks on its own powers and check the power of the other branches, allowing no one branch of government to become more powerful than the other two.

“ambition counteracting ambition” – James Madison

Page 7: Presidential System

Centralisation & Decentralisation

Define;a) Centralisationb) Decentralisation

Page 8: Presidential System

Centralisation & DecentralisationCentralisationThe act of consolidating power under a central control.

DecentralisationThe spread of power away from the centre to local branches or governments

Page 9: Presidential System

Centralisation & Decentralisation

Advantages of Centralisation• Promotes national unity• Promotes uniformity of

laws, taxation, education etc• Promotes equality e.g.

redistribution of wealth easier

• Single currency and central control of taxation and infrastructure promote prosperity

Advantages of Decentralisation• Provides enhanced

opportunities for democratic participation

• Promotes higher degree of responsiveness (govt ‘closer to the people’) – accountability enhanced

• Legitimacy enhanced• Guards against central govt

tyranny with checks and balances

Page 10: Presidential System

Federal System

• The US has a federal system of government in which political power is divided between a national government and state governments, each having its own area of substantive jurisdiction.

• Federalism is appropriate to a country as large and as diversified in race, culture, language, economy and climate as the USA.

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Federal System

Advantages• Safeguards against over-

strong central govt• Lessen remoteness in

geographically large countries• Maintain national unity

(regional diversity could fracture into different nation states otherwise)

• States as policy incubators and training grounds

Disadvantages• Over-fragmentation can lead

to gridlock e.g. Southern states and civil rights

• Does not overcome centralising tendencies e.g. growth in power of federal govt 1900-1966

• Can breed national divisions and encourage moves towards independence

Page 12: Presidential System

The Presidential System

How will you remember all of the features of a presidential system?

Create your own rhyme or mnemonic to help you…

ESCCF = Every Student Can Cite Features

Page 13: Presidential System

In what ways is the US presidential system different to the UK parliamentary system?

Page 14: Presidential System

Reading/Note taking

• Chapter 1, p14-20- Separation of powers- Checks and balances