Question

What are the differences and similarities between the presidential and parliamentary systems, including the executive and legislative branches. Which system do you feel serves its citizen better? Why?

Answer 1

:- Differences between Parliamentary and Presidential Systems:-

PARLIAMENTARY   PRESIDENTIAL   

FEATURES :-

1) Dual Executive        1). Single Executive

2) Majority Party Rule   2) President and
      legislators elected
   separately for a fixed term

      

3) Collective   3) Non-responsibility. Responsibility.

4) Political Homogeneity. 4) Political homoge-

   -neity may not exist.

5). Double Membership. 5) Single Membership

6) Leadership of PM. 6) Domination of

President.

7) Dissolution of Lower   7) No dissolution of   House. lower house.

8) Fusion of powers. 8) Separation of       
powers.

DEMERITS :-   

1) Harmony between   1) Conflict between legislature and executive.   legislature and executive

2) Responsible govt.     2) Non-responsible   
       Govt.

3) Prevents Despotism.      3) May lead to autocracy

4)  Wide Representation. 4) Narrow representation

MERITS :-

1) Unstable Govt. 1) Stable Govt.

2) No continuity of 2) Definiteness in policies
policies.

3) Against separation of 3) Based on separation
powers. of powers.

4) Govt by amateurs.   4) Govt by experts.

:- Similarities between Parliamentary and Presidential Systems :-

1) Democracies :- The major similarity between the two forms of govt is that they both are fundamentally forms of the liberal democracy type of governments.

2) Three Pillars of Government :-  Both forms of government have three main pillars or branches of government i.e. Judiciary, Executive and Legislative. How they are filled and interact however differs.

3) Judiciary has final say :- In both forms of government, judiciary has the final say as to the ultimate legality of all the laws.

- Parliamentary System of Government serves its citizens better because in presidential system the power is centralised in the hands of one individual unlike the parliamentary one. And since parliamentary system is a responsible govt, the ministers are responsible to the parliament for all their acts of omissions and commissions and the parliament exercises control over the ministers. So, the chances of better treatment of the citizens increase in parliamentary form.