Question

Governments and Constitutions

1. Provide a definition of the following types of political systems. Provide the names of two countries for each system and describe why those countries fit the definition.
a. parliamentary democracy
b. authoritarian government
c. totalitarian governments

2. What is the advantage and disadvantage of a written constitution?

Answer 1

1) (a) Parliamentary democracy is a type of democratic government wherein citizens of the nation elect their representative to the parliament giving them the right to make decision and laws for the nation. By this, the leader of the representative government becomes the Prime minister of the country. Examples- UK, Canada, India are the examples. Here the representative are elected by the people of the nation and takes all major decisions for the nation.

(b) Authoritarian government can be explained as the form of government where all power and decisions lies in the hands of a particular group. Leaders are not chosed by the people in this form of government. Examples-   Saudi Arabia, Syria are among the prominent examples of it. Herein all the citizens of the countries are not given the right to choose their representative.

(c) totalitarian government is a form of government system where the person in power gives to right to its citizens relating to any affair. Also this form of government exerts very high control over all affairs of the nation relating to public or private life. Examples- Democratic people's republic of Korea , State of Eritrea. In such countries no other political parties or groups are allowed to set up.

2) Written constitution has several benefits and distadvantage.

Advantage:

• Written constitutions provies clarity of laws and how to deal in every situation and fixing of norms. Thus the more clarity , the better will be in understanding at complex situation. Aslso it will keep away openionistic view.
• Written constitution is a important part of federal government, thus there is a clear view on the powers and accoutibility of the centre as well as the state, thus helps to reduce conflicting issues between state and centre on important subjects.
• Clarity of information helps to stop any arbitrary rule if the person in power wants to exercise as per his/her will. It will firstly need to amend the laws then act, which is why there is no scope to turn a federal government into a one power ruling govenement.

Disadvantage:

• A written constitution often lacks in being adaptable to changes. For a change in law or decision which earlier wasnt acceptable but now is a required , requires votes from all the representative to make the change, which is often a lengthy process and time consuming.
• If a constitution is poorly written , then it can create a lot of havoc in the country as , everything would follow the written constitution, which if itself flawed can have negative repercussions.