The document discusses the presidential form of government. It provides characteristics of the presidential system including separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches, checks and balances, a single executive in the president who is elected to a fixed term, and the pre-eminence of the president over the cabinet. The document also outlines merits such as stability and efficient administration, and demerits like potential for despotism if the president is unconstrained. It compares the presidential system to the parliamentary system and explains key differences in the executive structure and relationship between executive and legislative branches.

1. B Y - D R . G A R I M A S I N G H
U N I T - 1
P O L I T I C A L S C I E N C E
B A . L L B , S E M E S T E R - I I I
S U B J E C T C O D E – 2 0 9
V S L L S , V I P S
Presidential Form Of Government

2. Introduction
 The presidential system is that form of government where the head of
government is also act as the head of states, not only this but he also leads the
executive branch which is separated from legislative branch.
 The United States of America has a presidential system.
 In the Presidential form of government the executive is led by the President.
 In this form of government the President takes up the charge in his own
capacity.
 The President is elected directly by the people.
 The President is also the supreme commander of the Army and also has the
power to carry on the Foreign Policies

3. Characteristics
 Separation of Powers: There is a separation of powers in the
Presidential government. In this system, the executive and legislature
are separate from each other and they have equal status. The President
and his secretaries (cabinet members) are not members of the
Legislature and are not responsible to it. The legislature cannot
remove them through a vote of no-confidence.
 System of checks and balances-Since complete separation of
powers is not possible, the Presidential system follows the principle of
“checks and balances” as well. For instance, through his power of
patronage and veto-power over legislation, the President exercises
control over the legislature. Similarly, the legislature is empowered to
remove the President by impeachment. The Supreme Court can
declare the laws passed by the legislature and the orders of the
President as unconstitutional.

4. Contd….
 Single Executive: In a Presidential government, the President
is the Head of the State as well of the government. The President
is not merely a nominal head, but is the real executive who enjoys
real powers of administration. The President actually exercises all
powers given to him under the constitution and the law.
 Fixed Term of the President: In a Presidential government,
the President is elected for a fixed term and except impeachment
for the violation of the constitution, he cannot be removed from
office before the expiry of his term.
 Pre-eminence of the President: The President occupies a
pre-eminent position in this system of government. The members
of the President’s cabinet, who are designated as secretaries, are
not his colleagues but his subordinates. The secretaries help the
president in the administration and they are appointed by him on
the basis of ability. It depends on the will of the president to
accept or reject their advice.

5. Merits of Presidential form of Government
 It is a stable form of government as the President is elected for a fixed term and the
process of impeachment is rarely adopted. It can follow a continuous and consistent
policy.
 It is argued that the application of separation of powers and “checks and balances” as
the basis of the Presidential system ensures that none of the three organs of the
government can become despotic. It ensures individual liberty.
 The Presidential form of government enables the appointment of experts to head the
various departments of the government without consideration of their party affiliations.
This leads to efficiency in administration.
 A Presidential system is suitable for emergencies. It can face national crisis without
difficulty. As the President need not depend too much on the direction of the cabinet or
legislature, he can afford to take prompt decisions to meet a crisis and also to carry them
out.

6. Demerits of Presidential form of Government
 A Presidential form of government may become despotic as
the President cannot be controlled by the legislature and the
latter has no control over matters of daily administration.
Impeachment is a difficult process and is resorted to only
under exceptional circumstances.
 A Presidential form of government is also very complex.
There are too many commissions and committees under it.
 The Presidential system has been frequently criticized as
being incapable of conducting a vigorous foreign policy. It is
often said that in the US, the President’s dependence on the
Congress in certain foreign policy matters makes US foreign
policy a slow moving and uncertain affair.

7. Comparison of Presidential and Parliamentary
Systems
Basis
 Executive
 Accountability
 Ministers
 Dissolution of lower
house
 Tenure
Parliamentary
 Dual
 Executive
accountable to
legislature
 Only from among
MPs
 PM can dissolve
before the expiry of
the term
 Not fixed
Presidential
 Single
 Executive not
accountable to
legislature
 People outside the
legislature can be
appointed
 President cannot
dissolve
 Fixed

8. Explanatory-
 One of the main differences between the presidential and parliamentary
system is that in presidential system the legislative and executive branches
are separated from each other, that means the president is not responsible
for the government and the government is not responsible for the
president as in USA. In the parliamentary system the executive branch is
led by the PM and his council of ministers. They are all members of the
legislative branch. In the presidential system, there is no such thing as the
PM. The secretaries of the departments are answerable to the president
only.
 The biggest difference is in terms of the powers of the president. In the
parliamentary system , the president acts as a ceremonial figure and the
head of the state who appoints the ministers and the PM, but has no
powers in terms of foreign or domestic policy as in UK. In the presidential
system as in USA, the president is the key actor in foreign and domestic
policy and also a representative of constitutional authority.

9.  In the parliamentary form of government there are two
heads. One is the nominal head, while other is the Real
head. For example, in UK queen is the nominal head and the
prime minister is the real head. The Monarch of UK is the
head of the state where as the prime minister is the head of
the government. But in the presidential form of government,
there is only one head. As in USA, the president is the head
of not only of the states, but also of the government.
 There is no strict separation of powers in the parliamentary
form of government as in UK and India. The ministers are
also the part of the legislature. But presidential form of
government strictly follows the principal of separation of
powers. In the USA, the president and his ministers are not
the part of the congress

10.  The major difference between these two systems is that in a Presidential system,
the President is directly voted upon by the people. He is answerable to the voters
rather than the legislature.
While in a parliamentary system, the legislature holds supreme power. The
prime minister is chosen by members of the legislature and in practice is the leader
of the majority party in the legislature.
 In the parliamentary system of government, the prime minister is fully free to
choose his ministers among the members of the parliament. But in Presidential
form of government, the president enjoys much more freedom in selecting his
ministers. He selects them from much wider field taking into account there
experience and expertise.
 In the Presidential form of government , both houses of the legislature – i.e. the
Senate and the House of Representatives in USA- are directly elected. In the
parliamentary form of government , one of the house is directly elected and the
second house is nominated i.e. the House of Commons is directly elected and the
House of Lords is largely appointed as in UK.

11. Thank you