Term
| Functions of the Executive |
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Definition
- To provide political leadership
- To implement laws approved by the legislature
- To make rules and regulations
- To administer government departments and other agencies |
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Term
| The 3 Elements of the Executive |
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Definition
1. Symbolic executive – Queen, President – the symbolic head of the executive branch
2. Political executive – Prime Minister (or President) & Cabinet
3. Permanent executive – bureaucrats, civil servants, officials |
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Term
| Differentiate between the Head of State and the Head of Government |
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Definition
Head of State – The official which the constitution places symbolically above all other government officials, and who is often said to represent or symbolize the whole state
Head of government – The official who actually directs the work of the political and permanent elements of the executive |
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Term
| Roles of the Head of State |
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Definition
- To carry out ceremonial duties
- To serve as the non-partisan representative of the state
- To ensure there is a Prime Minister and Cabinet in office
- To act as guardian of the constitution |
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Term
Contrast Parliamentary and Presidential Systems
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Definition
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PARLIAMENTARY
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PRESIDENTIAL
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Separate head of state and head of government
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One official fulfills both functions
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Local elections for PM
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National elections for President
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Flexible terms
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Fixed terms
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PM and Cabinet direct the Parliament’s legislative process
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President negotiates with Congress to implement legislation
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Cabinet members must be in the legislature
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Cabinet cannot be members of the legislature
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PM must maintain the confidence of the legislature
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President can only be removed through impeachment
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Term
| Semi-Presidential Systems |
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Definition
- Hybrids (Ex. France) of Parliamentary and Presidential forms of government
- Direct elections for Head of State, who exercises meaningful political powers
- Prime Minister & Cabinet must maintain confidence of legislature |
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Term
| The Doctrine of Responsible Government |
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Definition
| Found in parliamentary systems and states that the government may hold office only as long as it maintains majority support in legislature. They can be defeated in a vote of confidence. |
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Term
| Advantages and Disadvantages of Parliamentary Systems |
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Definition
ADVANTAGES:
1) A government with a stable parliamentary majority is able to act decisively to implement its legislative program
2) By concentrating political power in the PM and cabinet, parliamentary systems clarify political responsibility
3) Non-confidence votes allow us to remove governments which we no longer support
DISADVANTAGES:
1) They vest too much power in the hands of the government
2) Due to party discipline, MPs are less fee to represent local interests
3) Parliamentary government can be unstable if no party secures majority support |
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Term
| Advantages and Disadvantages of Presidential Systems |
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Definition
ADVANTAGES:
1) They are stable due to fixed terms
2) Presidents have a larger pool of talent from which to make cabinet appointments than do prime ministers in Westminster systems
3) The legislature has a more meaningful role as a lawmaking body as members of Congress can defeat/amend bills sponsored by the president. Legislators enjoy more freedom from party discipline
DISADVANTAGES:
- They are likely to produce deadlock between the two branches of government due to the diffusion of decision making and the many vetoes each branch holds
2) Voters have trouble assigning responsibility for political decisions under a system of dispersed decision-making authority |
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Term
| Principles of Cabinet Government |
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Definition
1) Collective responsibility - All members of government are collectively responsible for government policy/overall performance
2) Cabinet solidarity - Constitutional obligation of all ministers to publicly support the policy of the government
3) Ministerial responsibility - Ministers have political responsibility for the administration of their departments and for the actions of all the officials who work in those departments |
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Term
| Powers of the Prime Minister |
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Definition
- To make appointments to cabinet
- To determine the organization of cabinet and of government departments
- To call a general election
- To make appointments to various posts within the government
- To convene and chair cabinet meetings
- To act as chief spokesperson for the government |
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Term
| 3 Main Functions of Central Agencies |
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Definition
- To prepare strategic plans for government
- To develop and integrate economic and budgetary policies
- To allocate and manage the human and other resources of government |
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Term
| Potential Roles of the Bureaucracy |
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Definition
- To administer and carry out the policies of the government
- To provide professional advice to the political executive by evaluating and initiating new policy proposals
- To act as the direct link between the government and the people |
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Term
| Max Weber's 6 Characteristics of a Well-Ordered Bureaucracy |
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Definition
- Hierarchial organization of public offices
- Specialization of labour
- Decisions based on the application of impersonal rules
- A clear demarcation of legal authority between public offices
- Recruitment to the public service on the basis of technical qualifications
- Promotion based on seniority or achievement (or both) |
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Term
| Deputy Ministers and Their Functions |
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Definition
- Are appointed directly by the Prime Minister
- Highest ranking officials in government departments (the bureaucracy)
- Not to be confused with MINISTERS, who are members of the Cabinet
FUNCTIONS:
- Policy initiation (Advising the political head of the department, the minister, on policy matters. They have expertise)
- Channel for inputs (Serve as a channel for transmitting information and emands from civil society in general to the minister)
- Rule-making
- Management (manage government departments on a day-to0day basis) |
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Term
Contrast Bureaucrats and Ministers |
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Definition
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Bureaucrats
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Ministers
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Expert knowledge
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General knowledge
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Long tenure
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Short tenure
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Anonymity
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Political responsibility
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Term
| Line Officials and Their Functions |
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Definition
Bureaucrats who interact with the public while delivering government services and enforcing rules and regulations
FUNCTIONS:
1) Implementation and enforcement – most public servants are engaged in delivering public programs/services and in enforcing rules/regulations
2) Interpretation and adjudication – in implementing public policies and enforcing regulations, bureaucrats must exercise some discretion and interpretation |
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Term
| Defining Principles of Bureaucracy |
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Definition
- Merit
- Security of Tenure
- Political Neutrality
- Anonymity
- Representative Bureaucracy (Fostering the development of a bureaucracy which reflects the demographic composition of society) |
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Term
| 3 Types of Bureaucratic Structures |
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Definition
- Government departments: Formally headed by a minister, who is responsible for policy and administration. However, ministers rely heavily on their deputy minister to do these things
- Regulatory agencies: Includes many agencies, boards and commissions who all interpret and apply regulations under various statutes
- State-Owned Corporations: AKA Crown Corporations in Canada - established by the government to fulfil many public policy purposes |
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Term
| 4 Ways Governments Have Tried to Enhance Their Political Control of the Bureaucracy |
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Definition
- Turnover of senior officials by a new government
- Use of political staff
- Enhanced role of central agencies
- Election of a party with clear policy aims |
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