DEMOCRATIC POLITICAL SYSTEMS

This research paper discusses the similarities and differences between parliamentary democracy in Western Europe and the American political system. Despite many differences, the two systems share basic values, including a common belief in the sovereignty of the popular will exercised directly and through elected representatives, constitutional government and the protection of the rights of minorities.

1. Unitary v. federalist systems. Under the American Constitution, political power is shared among national, state and local governments. All powers not expressly granted to the national government are reserved to the States. Each state, regardless of the size of its population is guaranteed two seats in the co-equal legislative branch, the Senate. Federal courts decide where the boundaries between the federal government and the states lie.

Most European governments are unitary with one national government having the power to make laws and enact executive decrees binding the whole nation. Most legislatures are bicameral, except in Sweden. Typically, the lower house, such as the House of Commons has stronger powers than the upper house.

However, Switzerland has a federalist structure in which 26 regional cantons have substantial autonomy, are consulted on federal legislation and in which a majority of the cantons have a veto power over the passage of constitutional amendments.

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all the West European countries is for the courts, which are guaranteed independence, to exercise their authority to protect individual rights and to ensure procedural fairness. 3. Electoral and cabinet systems. In Western Europe, the popularly elected party appoints the Prime Minister who in turn selects his cabinet. Under the system of cabinet responsibility, the Prime Minister is accountable to the electorate. In the United States, the legislative and executive branches can and often are controlled by different political parties. In the United States, most legislation is initiated by the legislature, in Western Europe, by cabinets. Britain and the United States have winner take all electoral systems in which a candidate winning a plurality of the votes is elected to office. On the Continent, candidates for public office are elected under a pure form of proportional representation such as in the Netherlands, and modified forms of proportional representation in France, Italy and Germany. Most European states split the functions of head of state between a largely ceremonial monarch or president and of the chief executive (the Prime Minister). The French expanded the powers of the presidency in 1958 which are today somewhat
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1213
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)

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