This document provides an overview of legislatures and legislative systems. It defines legislatures as organized political bodies with the power to make laws. It distinguishes between parliamentary and presidential systems, with the former having a fused executive-legislative branch and the latter separated powers. It also discusses representation models, electoral systems, oversight functions, and comparative legislative characteristics.

1. POL 252-01
Spring 2015

5.  Organized Body
 Power and Authority to Make Laws
 Political Units: Towns, Cities, States, Nation
U.S. Congress British Parliament German Reichstag

6.  Assembly
 Parliament
 Congress

8.  Legislative Body
 Usually the lower chamber of a bicameral
legislature

10.  Found in parliamentary systems
 Executive selected from within legislature
 Executive responsible to legislature
 Legislative vote of no confidence
 Parliaments = Fused-Powers Systems
 Example: United Kingdom

12.  Found in presidential systems
 Central feature is separation of powers
 Legislature independent from executive
 Legislature cannot remove executive (impeachment)
 Congressus: “Friendly meeting” or “hostile takeover”’
 Example: United States

17. Govt.
Legislatures
Citizens

18.  Citizen Desires  Government
 Government Decisions  Citizens
 Dependent on interaction between legislatures
and other actors (e.g. executive)
 Example: Recess in U.S. Congress
 Important in:
 Single-Member Districts (SMD)
 Indirect Election of Executive

20. EDMUND BURKE TYPES OF REPRESENTATION
 Delegate Representation
 Follow Constituents
 Trustee Representation
 Listen to Constituents
 Make Up Own Mind

22.  Foster Compromise
 Participation of Minority Groups
 Impact on larger societal conflict
 Larger problems (e.g. trust in government)

27. PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM
 Large control over
policymaking in govt.
 Removal of Executive
PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEM
 Lesser degree of control
over policymaking
 Political differences due to
independence from exec.
 Divided Government (US)

29.  Development and passage of policy proposals
 Monitoring agencies to ensure implementation
 How does oversight occur?
 QuestionTime
 Inquiries and Hearings
 Investigative Committees
 Reports on Specific Issues

33.  Legislative approval of:
 National Budgets
 Tax Policies
 Denial of funds for domestic programs, wars

37. HOLD
 Prevents bill from being
voted on in U.S. Senate
FILIBUSTER
 Hold the Senate floor by
making speeches so that
no action is taken on bill
 Cloture vote ends
filibuster (3/5 of Senate)

39.  Negative power
 Case Examples:
 Canada
 United States
 Germany

42.  Number andType of Chambers
 Number: Unicameral (1) vs. Bicameral (2)
 Type: Lower Chamber vs. Upper Chamber
 Relationship Between Chambers
▪ Breakdown of legislative power
▪ Equally Shared?
▪ Equally Divided?
▪ Unequally Divided?

43.  Size
 Degree of Legislative Professionalism
 Days of Legislative Session
 Member Pay and Staff
 Turnover Rate
 Stability and Expertise of Body

45.  Independence of Institution as Whole
 Independence of Individual Members

46. FUSED-POWERS SYSTEM
SEPARATION OF
POWERS SYSTEM
Executive
Legislative
Voters
Voters
Legislative Executive

47. PARTY CHARACTERISTICS
 Candidate Selection
 Self-Nomination
 Political Machines
 LeadershipVeto?
 Internal Organization
 Centralized or Decentralized
PARTY SYSTEM
CHARACTERISTICS
 Electoral System
 Party-Centered
 Candidate-Centered
 Party and Campaign Funding
 Rules on State Financing
 Rules on Outside Donations

51. One candidate is elected from
each legislative district.
Political parties may play a
role in this decision.

52. FIRST-PAST-THE-POST (FPTP)
 Candidate w/ most votes wins
 Do NOT have to win majority
of vote, just plurality
 Consequences: Districts
represented by other party!
RUNOFF
 Top two candidates after
first round of voting
compete in additional
elections until majority
 Case Study: France

53.  More than one candidate chosen from area
 What would happen if U.S. adopted this?

55. How are seats allocated?

56. OPEN-LIST PR
 Voters choose candidates
from party list
 Candidates elected
according to popular vote
CLOSED-LIST PR
 Voters vote for party list
 Candidates elected in
order they appear on list
until all seats are filled

58. ALTERNATIVEVOTE (AV)
 Votes tallied
 If NO candidate gets
majority, the last-place
candidate is eliminated
 Votes are reallocated to
voters’ more preferred
candidates
 Continues until one
candidate has majority
SINGLETRANSFERABLEVOTE
(STV)
 Votes tallied
 Votes of winning
candidates reallocated to
voters’ second and third
choices until slate elected

60. SINCEREVOTING
 Voting for candidate who
expresses preferences
STRATEGICVOTING
 Voting for candidate with
best chance of winning

62.  Representation vs. National Issues
 Voters get two votes
 Individual Candidate
▪ Member with most votes from constituency elected (SMD)
 Political Party
▪ Party votes tallied; seats based on party strength (PR)
 Can you see U.S. adopting hybrid system?