Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022).

Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis

International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis

Dr. Shri Parkash
Asso. Prof. Dept. of Political Science MLN College , Yamuna Nagar
[email protected]

Abstract:

More than half of the globe is currently governed by democratic

systems that allow voters to cast votes. Such democratic governments
could be either direct or representative. Today, representational
democracies can be divided into two categories: both presidential and
parliamentary democracies.The birth and continued existence of the
popular branches are the fundamental characteristics that set
parliamentary governance apart from presidential government. In
addition to the parliamentary and presidential systems, a hybrid system
that combines elements of both is also possible.The degree of authority
separation between the legislative, executive, and executive branches is
the main distinction between such systems.A further important difference
between presidential and parliamentary systems is how the executive and
legislative branches interact.Comparing the presidential system to the
parliamentary system, the former is significantly more stable. The Prime
Minister is in charge in a parliamentary system of government. The
parliamentary system in place in India offers representative government,
which is perfect.

Index Terms:

Democracy, Development, political violence, parliament,Presidential v/s parliamentary

democracy, Semi-parliamentary government.

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
178
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Introduction:
Today, democratic governments, which enable citizen engagement through elections, are
present in more than 50% of the world. These democratic regimes can either be direct or
representative. Democratic governments often take one of two forms: presidential or
parliamentary. In a presidential system, the chief executive, who is directly chosen by the
populace and is not subject to the legislature, serves as the nation's head of state. So under
parliamentary form of government, the head of state and the head of government are distinct.The
freedom of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the government is
constitutionally protected. India adopted the parliamentary system from the UK with certain
modifications. The parliamentary system was created in England. In a parliamentary system or
parliamentary democracy, the executive is answerable to the legislative and gets its political
legitimacy from its capacity to command that confidence.

As a distinct arm of government or as the people's representatives, parliaments and MPs

have historically been a part of domestic politics [1].The Indian Constitution establishes
parliamentary rule at the national level and in the states [2].Either democracy survives and
proves to be tenacious in the era that follows, or an autocratic backslide happens [3].Majoritarian
voting systems, like presidential ones, typically lead to more frequent changes in power [4].The
purpose of election debates in parliamentary systems is particularly unclear [5].

Ministers in parliamentary governments hold a very distinct status from secretaries in

presidential governments. By definition, a democracy is a pro-tempore government in which the
people have the power to enforce change and hold the administration to account on a regular
basis [6].Leaders in parliamentary systems should be subject to more constraints than those
coalitions under presidential systems ought to be subjected to even greater restrictions than
single-party governments, according to a number of academics[7].

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
179
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Democracy

Representative Direct

Presidential Parliamentary

Fig.1. Basic structure of the Presidential and Parliamentary system

Literature Review:
Louise Tillin et.al 2017 explained by under more decentralised parliamentary federal
systems citizens are more prone to assign policy responsibility to their regional or subnational
government in countries like India and Canada where there are strong territorialized regional and
ethnic identities.India's federal structure is, in several significant respects, constitutionally
comparatively centralised. Given the vast number of parties, coalitional presidentialism at the
federal level helps to foster cooperation inside Parliament. Even during the Lok Sabha elections,
state-level issues dominate the conversation. Except perhaps the elections that saw the Narendra
Modi-led BJP take office, that felt more like a presidential election[8].

Ganghof et.al 2018 stated bySemi-twin, presidentialism semi-parliamentary government,

is a unique executive-legislative structure. In comparison to the traditional parliamentary and
presidential systems, this one has a lot of benefitsbecause it divides authority among branches
and can strike a balance between majoritarian and proportional views of democracy without
concentrating administrative authority in one individual.Despite retaining several of the
fundamental elements of both pure presidential and parliamentary governments, semi-

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
180
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

parliamentary government might reduce significant faults, thus constitutionalists and democratic
theorists should pay particular attention to it [9].

Anibel et.al 2018 stated by globally, democracy is at a turning point. Unfortunately, one
of most popular way used by the opponents to unseat unpopular presidents has appeared:
presidential impeachment proceedings. The traditional party leaders have drastically lost public
support and legitimacy in advanced industrial democracies, preparing the stage for the rise of a
new conservative right.The very same societal and political factors that resulted in military
takeovers during the Cold War are likely to lead to presidential impeachment procedures in the
current era [10].

Berk Esen et.al 2019 stated by A presidential election was held in 2014, two general
elections were held in 2015, a new administration was chosen in 2017, and presidential and
parliamentary elections were held in 2018.Second, the electoral system has experienced revisions
just a few months prior to the 2018 presidential and legislative elections [11].

Toby S. James et.al 2020 evaluated byregular elections are a crucial component of
democratic procedures. Although one of the most popular fields of research in political science
has been elections. If democracy and election integrity are defined procedurally, the ideas are
determined by whether or not a specific set of institutional norms are followed. The "focusing
events" of the crisis and how the current administration handled them may dominate public
discourse. The democratic process depends on elections [12].

Elena Griglio et.al 2020 explained bybecause of the Covid-19 situation, communication
between the legislative and executive branches of government has been significantly impeded:
whereas executives have taken on a major role in lawmaking, parliaments are becoming
progressively marginalised. Given the situation, a number of elements make legislative control
over the executive an important strategic role for the democratic legitimacy of policymaking.
When it comes to statutory and sub-legislative instruments, parliaments have the authority to
monitor and examine how the government is operating [13].

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
181
 Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Methodology:

The democracy that is practised in India is a Parliamentary Democracy. Although the UK was
the source of this design, there have been some changes:

 The prime minister of India may be elected from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya
Sabha, in contrast to the UK, where that position must be filled by a member of the lower
house.
 The speaker in India must remain unbiased throughout the proceedings even though they
are still a party member. In the UK, a person no longer belongs to their party after being
chosen as the speaker.

Important Governmental Structure: Parliament Governmental Structure: Presidential

The legislative and executive parts of government It is a form of government where the legislative,
are intertwined in this system of governance. Under executive, and judicial branches all have separate
Meaning
this system of government, the people elect the powers. The President is the official head of state
MPs they choose to represent them. and is chosen by popular vote.
Dual executive because state and federal leaders Both the head of state and the head of the
Executive
have diverse roles. government are one executive.

Both members of parliament and members of the

Chosen from outside the legislature, and they are
Ministers ruling party. Typically, no outsider is permitted to
typically professionals in their fields.
train to be a minister.

Accountability Legislative oversight of the executive The executive is not answerable to the legislature
Dissolution of the The lower house may be dissolved by the prime The lower house cannot be dissolved by the
lower house minister. president. .

Parliamentary majorities are required for the Prime

Tenure Minister to serve a full term. It is not fixed as a President's term is set.
result. .
Separation of The separation of powers principle is closely
There is no real separation of powers.
Powers adhered to.

Party Discipline More rigid party rules Comparatively, there is less party discipline.

Autocracy Less authoritarian Greater autocracy

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
182
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Presidential and parliamentary forms of government differ from one another:

Presidential System of Government

Under a presidential system, the executive branch, which is distinct from the legislative branch,
is under the control of the head of state.The head of state and the head of the government in this
instance are the same person. The fact that the executive is not answerable to the legislative is
another important aspect.

Some Features of the Presidential System :

1. The President has the ability to veto legislation that the legislature has passed.

2. A vote of no confidence in Congress cannot end the President's fixed term.

3. Generally speaking, The President has the authority to reduce or eliminate prison terms.

4. The electorate selects the president, either directly or through an electoral college.

Merits of Presidential System

Following are some benefits of the presidential system:

 Separation of the powers: Due to the independence of the three departments of

government, administration efficiency has significantly enhanced.

 Super Expert government: The President can appoint experts in numerous professions
to lead pertinent departments or ministries since the executive branch is not required to
consist of legislators. This will ensure that the government is composed of competent and
skilled people.

 Resilient Stability: This kind of governance can be trusted. Also because president's
term is definite and not dependent on legislative support, he need not be afraid about
losing the government. No sudden collapse of the government exists. The president is not
being pressured politically to make decisions.

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
183
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

 Because since the government's tenure is fixed, political parties do not attempt to topple
it, the party system has less of an impact.

Demerits of Presidential System

The following list of presidential system drawbacks is provided:

 Executive with low responsibility:The executive and the president can become
authoritarian since the legislative has no control over them.

 Deadlocks between the legislative and executive branches:There might be some

frequent conflicts between the two parts of government because the demarcation of
responsibilities is much more properly delineated here, especially if the president's
political party is not the majority in the legislature.Due to time wastage, this may cause
efficiency to decline.

 Strict governance: The rigidity of presidential systems has frequently criticised. It's not
flexible enough.

 System spoils: The arrangement grants the president broad patronage rights. He is free to
pick the executives he wants here. As a result, those connected to the president such as
relatives, associates, and etc. to get jobs in the government. This is known as the spoils
system.

Governmental Structure: Parliamentary

The main reason India decided on a parliamentary form of government was because the
English system had a big influence on the constitution's writers. The people who drafted our
nation's constitution also understood that the parliamentary system could only serve to
accommodate the many different ethnic and racial groupings that make up our
nation.Furthermore, conflicts between the legislative and executive branches would result from
the presidential system's strict division of powers, something our freshly independent country.

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
184
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

Worldwide, there are more parliamentary governments than presidents. In this system, the
legislative typically has the last word and is held accountable by the executive.

The parliamentary system's characteristics

1. Close collaboration between the legislative and executive branches:Inside this case,
the executive is comprised of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and the
legislative branch is the Parliament.It appears that its legislative branch creates the
executive branch because the prime minister and ministers are picked from among the
MPs.
2. The executive is more responsible to the legislature:The legislature holds the
executive accountable.This is a collective duty, which means that each minister's acts are
held accountable by the Council as a whole.
3. Two executives such as Genuine and Nominal:The real executive is the Prime
Minister, who is the head of government rather than the head of state.
4. Procedure secrecy: This style of administration requires that cabinet meetings be private
and not intended for public disclosure.
5. The Leadership of Prime Minister's: The Prime Minister is in charge of this type of
government. Generally, the prime ministerial positions are filled by the leaders of the
parties that gain a majority in the lower chamber.
6. Limit of No set term:The length of the government's duration depends on whether it has
a majority in the lower chamber. The council of ministers must resign if a motion of no
confidence in the government is unsuccessful.

 The Indian prime minister may be chosen by either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
The British Prime Minister will always be a Commons member, or member of the lower
house.

 In Britain, after being elected, the speaker formally leaves their political party. Even
though the speaker in India is intended to be unbiased during the proceedings, he or she
nonetheless belongs to the party.
© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
185
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

 A shadow cabinet is not a concept that exists in India. In order to look into the policies
and actions of the ruling party, the opposition in Britain creates a shadow cabinet. It also
provides replacement programmes.

Merits of Parliamentary System

The following are some benefits of the parliamentary system:

 Improved communication between the legislature and the executive: It is simpler to

enact laws and implement them because the executive is a component of the legislative
and the majority of lawmakers frequently favour the executive branch of government.

 Prevents authoritarianism: Because the legislature can vote the executive branch of
government out through a motion of no confidence, authoritarianism is avoided.
Furthermore, power is not centralised like it is under the presidential government.

 Responsive government: The legislators have the power to interrogate the executive
branch, address issues of public concern, and exert pressure. The executive's actions are
subject to scrutiny by the parliament.

 Representing various groups: Under this arrangement, the parliament provides various
national groupings with representation. This is particularly significant for a nation like
India.

Demerits of Parliamentary System

The following are some drawbacks of the parliamentary system:

 Process separation: The legislative branch cannot always hold the executive branch
responsible since there is no real separation of powers.Anti-defection rules also prevent
parliamentarians from using their free will to vote in accordance with their convictions
and understanding.

© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
186
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

 Unqualified legislator: This system produces legislators whom sole goal is to join the
executive. They lacking the credentials required to pass laws.

 Instability: If there is no clear winner after the elections, there is instability because
majority in the house is a requirement for administrations to continue. Coalition
governments are frequently short-lived and very unstable.

 Ministers: The ruling party should be represented in the executive. Due to this, recruiting
subject-matter specialists is no longer an option.

 Delay in making a decision: Because the Council of Ministers has no set term, it
frequently delays making significant, long-term policy choices.

 Party politics: Since partisanship motivations have a greater impact on lawmakers than
global issues, party politics are far more obvious under the parliamentary system.

Conclusion:
Whether it is a presidential or parliamentary system, each has advantages and
disadvantages. The system that will work best for a given country is determined by the
government of that country. It is crucial to understand the needs of the nation because every
country is unique in terms of its people, structure, and culture. Whether a country has a
presidential or parliamentary system determines the type of government that exists there. Most of
these tactics have been integrated by some countries. Such regimes can be identified, among
other factors, by their executives, accountability, and separation of powers.

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© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
187
Dr. Shri Parkash (March 2022). Presidential v/s parliamentary democracy: A comparative analysis
International Journal of Economic Perspectives,16(3), 178-188
Retrieved from https://ijeponline.org/index.php/journal

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© 2022 by The Author(s). ISSN: 1307-1637 International journal of economic perspectives is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Corresponding author: Dr. Shri Parkash
Submitted: 27 Dec 2021, Revised: 09 January 2022, Accepted: 18 February 2022, Published: 31 March 2022
188