WESTERN CLASSIFICATION OF GOVERNMENTBY N.Y

• Political scientists Montesquieu, Rousseau, Blunts!! Marriot and Leacock have classified the government. Of these the classification of Leacock's is accepted as the best. Leacock has classified Government in the following way:

• On the basis of the location of sovereign power, government is divided into two classes ; Dictatorship and Democracy.

• On the basis of the method of acquiring power by the head of the state, the democratic government may be divided into two divisions:

• a) Constitutional Monarchy and -b) The Republic.

• On the basis of the relation between the Executive and the Legislative, the democratic government can be divided into two categories:

• (1) Parliamentary form of Government and (2) Presidential form of Government.

• On the basis of distribution of power between the center and the province, the

government is divided in to two divisions, the Unitary and Federal Government.

T h e c l a s s i fi c a ti o n o f L e a c o c k

• Modern Government: Dictatorship & Democracy • Democracy: Constitutional Republic Monarchy &

Republic • Constitutional Republic Monarchy: Unitary &

Federal Republic Parliamentary form of Government (Unitary + Federal) & Presidential form of Government (Unitary + Federal).

DICTATORSHIP1. the sovereign power of the state is vested in the hands of one

person. This system is called the Dictatorship. 2. The Dictator is the head of all powers of the state. 3. He is the source of supreme power. 4. Nobody can prevent him from exercising his power. 5. The ideal of dictatorship is one country, one nation and one leader.6. All the powers of the state are centered in the hands of the Dictator.7. He is not accountable to anybody for his activities. 8. Everybody is compelled to obey his orders. 9. In administration there is one political party under the dictator. Hitler of Germany, Franco of Spain and Mussolini of Italy were the

Dictators.

MERITS & DEMERITS

A dictatorship is, strictly, a form of rule in which absolute power is vested in one individual

the Dictator can take quick decision. He is not accountable to anybody,

nor does he have to consult anybody. So, it is possible on his part to take quick decision and work.

The Dictator can lead the underdeveloped country to economic and social development and progress.

Under his leadership he can achieve development in art, literature and science.

The whole country is guided in the same way under the Dictator.

As a result the national unity and integrity become strong.

Under Dictatorship the people do not have independence. It is against personal freedom. Nobody can make any criticism. The different opinions are suppressed by force. Dictatorship gives rise to violent nationalism and military power. This system is against internationalism. As the Dictator is not accountable to anybody, he can do anything, he likes. This is an autocratic system. This administrative system is temporary. Because with the death of Dictator his rule ends.

DEMOCRACYThe origins of the term can be traced back to Ancient Greece.Democracy is derived from the Greek word ‘kratos’ meaning power, or rule. Democracy means administration of the people. The administrative system where the sovereign power of the state is vested in the people, is called Democracy. When people are the sources of all power and the responsibility of conducting administration is vested to the people, it is called Democracy.

• The political scientists have said that in democracy there is a system where all the people can take part in administration. So it is said that the government or the administrative system where the opinion of the people are valued most and the administration is conducted by the representatives of the people, is called Democracy. In Bernard’s Cricks (1993) words democracy is perhaps the most promiscuous word in the world of public affairs. ‘democracy’ are the followings;

Democracy have the following’s :

A system of rule by the poor and the disadvantaged A form of government in which the people rule themselves directly and continuously, without the need for professional politicians or public officialsA society based on equal opportunity and individual merit, rather than hierarchy and privilegeA system of welfare and redistribution aimed at narrowing social inequalities A system of decision-making based on the principle of majority rule A system of rule that secures the rights and interests of minorities by placing checks upon the power of the majorityA means of filling public offices through a competitive struggle for the popular vote A system of government that serves the interests of the people regardless of their participation in political life.

DIRECT DEMOCRACYIt is based on direct, unmediated and continuous participation of citizens in the task of government. The administrative system where the citizens directly participate in the administration is called the direct or pure democracy. Direct democracy obliterates the distinction between government and the governed and between the state and civil society; it is a system of popular self-government. It was achieved in ancient Athens through a form of government by mass meeting; it is most common modern manifestation is the use of the referendum. Greece direct democracy was in vogue. In ancient Greek City-States all the citizens of the state would assemble in a special place to pass law, assess tax, appoint employees, carry on judgment etc. As the city-state and the population were small in size, conducting administration directly was possible. There was no necessity for election or sending representative. Nevertheless, in a hidden state with vast population, direct democracy is not possible. But in some cantons of Switzerland direct democracy is still partially in vogue.

The Merits of D.D.

It heightens the control that citizens can exercise over their own destinies, as it is the only pure form of democracy.It creates a better-informed and more politically sophisticated citizenry, and thus it has educational benefits.It enables the public to express their own views and interests without having to rely-on self-serving politicians.It ensures that rule is legitimate in the sense that people are more likely to accept decisions that they have made themselves

INDIRECT DEMOCRACYIt is a limited and in direct form of democracy. The administrative system where the citizens do not participate in the administration directly but run the administration through the elected representatives is called the Indirect or Representative Democracy. It is a limited in that popular participation in government is frequent and brief, being restricted to the act of voting every few years. It is indirect in that the public do not exercise power themselves; they merely select those who will rule on their behalf. In Indirect Democracy the elected representatives actively participate in administration. The elected representatives remain responsible to the people for their activities. In the modern democratic states Indirect Representative democracy is in vogue.

Merits of indirect democracy..

It offers a practicable form of democracy (direct popular participation is achievable only in small communities).It relieves ordinary citizens of the burden of decision-making, thus making possible a division of labour in politics.It allows the government to be placed in the hands of those with better education expert knowledge and great experience.It maintains stability by distancing ordinary citizens from politics, thereby encouraging them to accept compromise.

Merits of democracy1) Democratic administration attention is given to the interest of the

people. 2) The representatives are elected by the people and, as they are

accountable for their activities, they are conscious of the welfare of the people.

3) In democratic system all the citizens can equally take part in political activities.

4) This principle of equality is the characteristic of democracy. 5) Democracy safeguards the fundamental rights of the citizens. 6) There is sufficient opportunity and independence of the citizens for

the development of their personality. 7) In this system the people actively take part in administration and

political consciousness is created in them.8) To realize the problem of the country by taking part in development

activities, discussions and criticism of government policies and activities, patriotism grows among the citizens.

Demerits of democracyMany political scientists consider democracy as the administration of the incompetent. When the people elect their representative they cannot elect competent and expert persons due to their ignorance and want of education. As a result, to form a good government or to introduce improved administrative system is not possible. In democracy importance is given to quantity than quality. Due to majority, many wrong and faulty decisions are taken.Sometimes, since ignorant and common people conduct democracy, this administrative system does not help the growth of art, literature and science

Constitutional Monarchy

• A democratic system of administration where the Head of the state gets power through heredity and remains the head only in name is known as the Constitutional Monarchy.

• In this system the real power remains in the hands of the elected representatives of the people, as in Great Britain where the monarch reigns but does not rule.

• The monarch is a titular head of state. • A constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as

head of state within the parameters of a written (i.e., codified), unwritten (i.e., un-codified) or blended constitution.

• It differs from absolute monarchy in that an absolute monarch serves as the sole source of political power in the state and is legally not bound by any constitution. Most constitutional monarchies employ a parliamentary system in which the Monarch may have strictly Ceremonial duties or may have Reserve Powers, depending on the constitution, have a directly or indirectly elected prime minister who is the head of government and exercises effective political power. In the past, constitutional monarchs have co-existed with fascist and quasi-fascist constitutions (Fascist Italy, Francoist Spain) and with military dictatorships.

Republic

A republican form of government is a type of government in which the citizens of a country have an active role in the affairs of the government, and the government is not headed by a hereditary ruler such as a king.

This definition leaves a lot of room for wiggle room, many governments around the world are considered to be run along the lines of a republican form of government, ranging from dictatorships to representative democracies.

Many people think that the republican form of government is a particularly strong and effective form of government.

Parliamentary form of Government

1) A parliamentary system of government in which the government governs in and through the assembly or parliament, thereby ‘fusing’ the legislative and executive branches .

2) The democratic system of administration where the administration is conducted by the council of ministers and, the council of ministers remain ,responsible for their activities to the legislature is called the cabinet form of government or parliamentary form of government.

3) In this administrative system the real administrators are the Cabinet Ministers. 4) The head of the council of ministers is the Prime Minister. 5) The cabinet form of government is there in Great Britain, India and Canada. 6) The Prime Minister and the other ministers are the members of the parliament. 7) The ministers are collectively responsible to the legislature for their policies and

activities. 8) The council of ministers will remain in power till the Legislature support them. 9) If the majority of the members of the Legislature brings the vote of no

confidence against the ministers they resign.

The chief features of a parliamentary system are as follow:

Governments are formed as a result of assembly elections, based on the strength of party representation; there is no separately elected executive.The personal of government are drawn from the assembly, usually from the leaders of the party or parties that have majority control.The government is responsible to the assembly in the sense that it rests on the assembly’s confidence and can be removed (generally by the lower chamber), if it loses that confidence.The government can, in most cases ‘dissolve’ the assembly, meaning that electoral terms are usually flexible in within a maximum limit.Parliamentary executives are generally collective is that they accept at least the formal principle of cabinet government.As the head of government (usually a prime minister) is a parliamentary officer, there is a separate head of state: a constitutional monarch or a non-executive president.

Presidential form of government

A presidential system of government is characterized by a constitutional and political separation of powers between the legislative and the executive branches of government .

Presidential form of government is that form of government in which the administration is not accountable to the Legislature.

President is the real Executive. The president is elected by the direct or indirect votes of the people. In the United States of America, presidential form of government is prevalent. In this system all the powers are vested in the hands of the president. The president is not a member of the Legislature. He is elected by the people

for a fixed term. The Legislature cannot pass a vote of no-confidence against him. He can only

be removed by impeachment. The president appoints the ministers and they are responsible to him. He can

dismiss any minister at any time. Executive power is thus vested in an independently elected president who is not

directly accountable to or removes by the assembly.

The principle features of a parliamentary system are the following:

The executive and the legislature are separately elected, and each is invested with a range of independent constitutional powers.There is a formal separation of the personnel of the legislative, meaning and the executive branches(except in semi-presidential systems)The executive is not constitutionally responsible to the legislative and cannot be removed by it(except possibly through impeachment).The president or executive cannot ‘dissolve’ the legislative, meaning that the electoral terms of both branches are fixed.Executive authority is concentrated in the hands of the president, the cabinet and ministers being merely advisers responsible to the president.The roles of head of state and head of government (chief executive) are combined in the office of the presidency- the president wears ‘two hats’.

MERITS & DEMERITS

In this system the government is comparatively stable. The president cannot be removed except through impeachment. As a result, long term development plans can be taken and it is possible to execute them.At times of emergency this system is helpful as the president can take a quick decision. He does not have to take advice from anybody.In this system there is complete separation of power. So, the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary departments are independent of each other and can work freely.

The Head of the state is the real Executive.

As the president and the ministers are not responsible to the legislature, they many turn to be autocratic and irresponsible.

Sometimes conflict between the Executive and the Legislature arises.

As the Legislature is not under the control of the president, he cannot pass law at the time of necessity and it hampers his administration.

Unitary government A unitary government is a government in which all the powers of the state are concentrated in the hands of the Central Government sanctioned by the constitution. There are smaller units of government such as stats or provinces but they do not have the authority to make independent decisions. The Local Governments derive their powers from the Central Government. In this system, the constitution does make arrangements for the distribution of power between the local and the central governments. In Bangladesh there is unitary government. For the convenience of administration of unitary government the state is divided into some parts. In these parts local governments are formed. To squeeze or expand the power of the government depends on the will of the central government.

The features of a unitary government are as follows;

Formal power or authority is located at the national center, and other local units do not exercise any political powers independently of the central authority.

The local or regional units of government exercise powers and authority that are delegated to them by the center and may also be withdrawn by it.

The central government may at any time redraw or abolish the boundaries of local or regional units.

The actions and policies of the central government control and override the policies and actions of sub-national levels of government.

MERITS & DEMERITS

In the system of Unitary form of government, the same law, policies and the same administration prevail in the country under one government.

Under this system the administration becomes strong and the national unity is integrated.

As all the powers are in the hands of one government, greater skill and efficiency is reflected both in the domestic and International affairs.

In the unitary system of government the local governments have no power.

They carry on administration depending on the will of the central government.

Very often the central government does not know the local problems and grievances.

So, the laws passed by the central government may not be useful according to the needs and demands of the local government.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENTIn the system of administration where the constitution distributes the powers between the Central Government and the Provincial Government, it is called the Federal Government. This system is there in India and in the United States of America. In the system there are two types of [government: the Central government, and the state government. The constitution distributes power between the Central and the State Government. The subjects concerning the total interest of the states remain under the Central Government and the subjects concerning the local interest remain its The State or Provincial Government.In the matters of regional administration the State Government enjoys self-government. In this system of administration the constitution is written and it is rigid. Federalism is based on the notion of shared sovereignty, in which power is distributed between the central or peripheral levels of government.

MERITS &

DEMERITSIn a Federal system the unit or Provincial Governments maintain national unity keeping their separate entity. The federal system of administration is a political contrivance. Powers are distributed between the central and the Provincial Government by the constitution so; the burden of works of the central government is lessened. As a result, the skill of both the governments increases. Besides, as there is the distribution of specific powers, the central government does not interfere with the administration of the provincial government to become autocratic.

In this system of administration the state governments create laws for their own necessity and convenience; so there is no similarity in law and administration in different state governments.

In the different parts of the same state different types of laws are promulgated.

In both the governments conflict regarding right corps up.

As the powers are divided between the two governments the central government becomes weak in many respects.

FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT

To conduct the statecraft the government has to perform different functions. These are generally divided into three types. These are to create laws, conducting administration and judgment. To perform these functions well, the government has three organs or departments.

These organs are :• (1) Legislature • (2) Executive • (3) Judiciary

THE LEGISLATUREThe Legislature is an important organ of the government which varies from country to country. This organ creates laws for conducting administration of the State and to perform judicial duties. Every state has legislature. Different states have different names of the legislature. The name of the legislature of the United State of America is Congress. In Grate Britain its name is Parliament and in Bangladesh it is National Assembly. The legislature may be unicameral or bicameral. In bicameral legislature there are Upper House and Lower House. The Legislature of Great Britain is bicameral. The Legislature of Bangladesh is unicameral.

UNICAMERALISM BICAMERALISMPermits speedy action

 

Provides a check on hasty and ill-considered

legislationAvoids obstruction of the will of the people

Avoids despotism of a Single Chamber

Permits clarity of responsibility of the cabinet

Helps public opinion to crystallize by interposing delay

Reduces duplication Reflects the popular will

Avoids possibility of conflict Houses between two chambers

Help divide the work load

Is less expensive Does useful and careful revision

Popularly elected by the people

Allows representation to different Classes and groups

One house maintains the uniformity in the country

Accounts for their necessity in a federation

THE EXECUTIVE • The department which takes the responsibility of conducting the

administration of the government is known as the Executive Department. The functions of the Executive Department are to execute the laws passed by the Legislature. In the broad sense, the Executive department is formed combining all the employees from the president to the village chawkiders. In the narrow sense the President and the members of the Council of Ministers form the Executive Department. There are several types of executives.

They can be grouped under three heads: • 1-)Nominal and Real • 2-)Parliamentary and Presidential• 3-) Singular and Plural or Collegial.

I. NOMINAL & REAL: a nominal or a real executive head can take part both in a parliamentary system. Nominal executive means that a man, as the king of Malaysia or elected as the president of Bangladesh or Turkey is the head of the executive in theory but not in reality. the executive power lies in the hand of nominal executive but in reality it is exercised by the prime minister.

II. PARLIAMENTARY & PRESIDENTIAL: Power is vested in the office of the prime minister who is the leader of the majority party in legislature. With the Presidential Executive the real executive power lies in the office of the president who is directly elected by the people . The first one is also known as the prime ministerial system and the second one is called the presidential system . In the USA, the highest executive member of the state is the president while in Malaysia, Canada and in the U.K. the real top executive is called the prime minister. In each system, there is a Head of State who is the chairman of the advisory board while the head of government is the chairman of an active committee or party. Each branch has its own classification and specific name.an example.. In Malaysia, the head of the state is the king while the head of government is the prime minister, In U.K , the head of state is monarch but head of government is Prime minister.

III. SINGULAR&PLURAL: the single executive means that the executive power is vested in one person. In this type of executive, responsibility is undivided. For example : the president of the United states of America is a single executive. On the other hand, the plural or collegial executive means that the executive power is vested in council of members: each member is roughly equal in status and none is subordinate to the other.

THE JUDICIARYThe department of the government that performs the functions of judgment according to law is called the Judicial Department. The Judicial Department is necessary to punish the criminal and to protect the rights of the people. The Judicial Department establishes justice in the state and passes sentence to the law violators. The Judicial department is formed with all the courts of the country. The main function of the Judicial Department is to carry on judgment applying the prevalent laws, of the country. Another function of this department is to explore the laws and to pass sentence. When the prevalent law is not adequate to carry on judgment with the help of the prevalent laws, the Judges do that according to their individual sense of justice, intelligence and good conscience. Sometimes the Executive Department takes advice from the Supreme Court. Sometime the" court, by proclamation of orders and prohibition; secure the right of the people. Besides, the Judicial Department also does the functions of appointing the guardian of the minors, supervision of the under trial property of the deceased persons, granting license etc. The independence of Judiciary is indispensably necessary to make the democratic administrative system more effective and for good administration of the state.

•THE END…