Definition and features of parliamentary system.
What is the parliamentary system? Write the features of the parliamentary system of government.
Definition and features of parliamentary system.
Concept and Definition of Parliamentary system: -
The three main branches of government are legislative, executive and judiciary. In parliamentary governance, there is a relationship of interdependence between the legislature and the executive. The members of the executive are elected from the legislature and they are accountable to the legislature. The stability of the executive also depends on the legislature.
In this type of governance, power is divided by the constitution between the center and the states. In this system of government, all powers of the central government are vested in a constitutional head, but the actual powers of the government are exercised by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. That is why the parliamentary system of government is also called the system of government run by the cabinet.
Parliamentary or cabinet systems can be observed in India, Great Britain, Japan, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, etc.
Features / Characteristics of Parliamentary System: -
The features of the parliamentary system are -
1. Constitutional Head of State: - In all the countries where parliamentary system of government is prevalent, all powers are theoretically vested in the hands of the constitutional head of state. All the functions and policies of the central government are conducted in his name. In fact, the prime minister and his cabinet enjoy real power. Although the government is run in the name of the head of state, he has no power to run the government and he plays the role of constitutional head of state.
2. Actual Head of Government: Prime Minister: - The Prime Minister is the one who exercises all the powers of running the government in the parliamentary system of government. The formation of the Cabinet, the distribution of portfolios, the formulation and implementation of policies, the conduct of foreign relations, the conduct of monetary policy - all these functions are conducted under the leadership of the Prime Minister. Thus, the real head of the parliamentary system of government is the Prime Minister.
3. It is not possible to fully implement the principle of separation of powers: - According to the principle of separation of powers, the three branches of government - legislature, executive and judiciary will be completely independent of each other. But it is not possible to fully implement the principle of separation of powers in the parliamentary system of government. In this system each department can control each other. For example, members of the executive are elected from the legislature.
4. Close Relationship between legislature and executive - In the parliamentary system of government, the executive is formed from within the legislature and the executive is jointly responsible to the Legislative Assembly. On the one hand the stability of the executive depends on the legislature and on the other hand the executive controls the functions of the legislature to a large extent.
5. Role of the lower house: - The lower house has a major role in the formation of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet in the parliamentary system of government. Although the lower house is constituted for a fixed period, the lower house can be dissolved before the expiry of its term. In India, for example, the President may dissolve the lower house on the advice of the Prime Minister.
6. Dual responsibilities of the cabinet: - Ministers play a dual role in the parliamentary system of government. On the one hand a cabinet minister has to run his office as a minister and on the other hand he has to serve as a member of the legislature.
7. Election of Legislative Assembly: - In the parliamentary system of government, the legislature is elected for a fixed term. For example, the term of office of the Lok Sabha in India is five years, and the House of Commons of Great Britain is elected for five years.
8. Confidence towards the legislature of the Cabinet: - In the system of parliamentary governance, the cabinet has to have confidence in the legislature. If for any reason a minister of a party fails to gain certain confidence, he has to resign. If the Prime Minister could not prove his confidence in the motion of no-confidence brought against the Prime Minister, the entire cabinet would collapse in principle.
9. Effectiveness of the Opposition: - The presence of a strong and effective opposition party can be noticed in the parliamentary system of government. Opposition parties have to play a role in sharply criticizing the anti-people policies of the government, blocking the implementation of anti-people policies of the government through appropriate measures, presenting the demands of the people to the government, and forcing the government to complete the announced programs.
10. Relationship with democracy: - Democracy is considered to be safe in parliamentary system of government. Since power is not concentrated in one hand in this type of system, the risk of the ruler becoming dictatorial is very low. Although the Prime Minister is the supreme in government, he too can be removed by the legislature.
11. Causal relationship with capitalism: - Rajanipam Dutta has criticized the parliamentary system of government for establishing causal relationship with capitalism. According to him, even if the principles of democracy are upheld in the parliamentary system of governance, a system is created in the workplace which establishes the supremacy of capitalism.
12. Multi-party system: - Generally, the presence of multiple parties can be noticed in the parliamentary system of government. In India, for example, the existence of a large number of political parties at the national and regional levels is noticeable. Due to the existence of a multi-party system, there is a tendency to form alliances in many cases during the formation of government. There are many examples of such incidents in Indian parliamentary politics.
In conclusion, the characteristics are variable in terms of country and time. For example, in India and Britain, the parliamentary system of government is prevalent, but the system of government in both countries is not exactly the same. With the change of era, the power of the cabinet and the cabinet has been increasing and the executive and legislature is gradually coming under the complete control of the cabinet.
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