Presidential vs. Parliamentary

Democracy

Overview

Dimensions for evaluating democratic institutions. Normative Positive

Defining presidential, parliamentary, and mixed democracies

How do they work? Implications of executive-legislative

relations for policies and stability of democracy.

Dimensions for analyzing democratic institutions Protection of liberty

Protection of minorities Decisiveness, especially under stress Credibility of commitments Stability Quality of democracy

Representativeness Accountability Rent-seeking and corruption

Dimensions for analyzing democratic institutions (cont.)

Public versus private goods Broad versus targeted programs and

expenditures The extent of redistribution Budget deficits Size of government as a share of

GDP

What are the features that distinguish parliamentary and presidential regimes?

What are the features that distinguish parliamentary and presidential regimes?

Crucial questions: How is the executive selected? Is the executive dependent on legislative

confidence?

What about France?

French president

French Prime Minister

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Protection of liberty, prevention of

tyranny.

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Protection of liberty, prevention of

tyranny. Some issues: ▪ Madison and Hamilton: Ambition should

counteract ambition▪ But tyranny in parliamentary democracies?▪ Too much power in hands of president?

Russia? Too easy to fall into authoritarianism?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Decisiveness, especially under

stress.

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Decisiveness, especially under

stress. Some issues:▪ Madison and Hamilton again: Good to have

one individual rather than collegial executive▪ Can’t a PM be decisive?▪ What about presidents without legislative

backing?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Credibility of commitments, policy

stability

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Credibility of commitments, policy

stability Some issues:▪ Uncertainty about coalitions▪ Decree authority▪ Gridlock

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Stability of democracy. What did you learn in the readings?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Stability of democracy. What did you learn in the readings? Why do presidential democracies

fail? Gridlock, divided government▪ Why do presidential systems end up with

divided government?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Stability of democracy. What did you learn in the readings? Why do presidential democracies

fail? Gridlock, divided government▪ Why do presidential systems end up with

divided government?▪ Geography▪ Balancing

Why are presidential systems so fragmented? The disciplining role of the no-

confidence procedure What incentives do individual

members of the legislature face?

Presidentialism and gridlock Is there a problem with presidential

democracy, or perhaps a problem with multi-party presidential democracy?

How do presidents get things done? In the United States? In a multi-party presidential system

like Brazil?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Rent-seeking and corruption?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Rent-seeking and corruption?

Some issues:▪ Parliamentarism: Politicians can collude, less

oversight because of lacking division of power▪ But what about the problem of decree

authority under presidentialism?

Dimensions for evaluating institutions Pork versus national collective goods

Dimensions for evaluating institutions The “quality” of democracy What did Bagehot say?

Accountability Responsiveness

Endogenous institutions

What kinds of countries choose presidentialism?

Endogenous institutions

What kinds of countries choose presidentialism? Moments when demands for strong

leadership are overwhelming. Constitutions written by “strongmen”

(De Gaul, Yeltsin). History of military involvement in

politics. Large and diverse countries?