Perils Of Presidentialism

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In “The Perils of Presidentialism”, Juan Linz asserts that presidential democracies are more likely to fail than parliamentarian systems due to their inherent conflicting natures. Meanwhile, in parliamentary democracies such as the United Kingdom, prime ministers are elected by coalitions and although coalitions are based off multiple parties and divergent ideas they still have to give up certain concessions to form the majority. This calls for a smoother process while processing legislation. Moreover, when the prime minister loses the favor of the parliamentary majority, the parties must negotiate the terms for a new coalition and chamber. (Yglesias/ pg.4) If they fail to do so, elections are held. However, this is not the case for presidential …show more content…
This causes conflict when these critics, including Juan Linz, argue that this inherent political instability can cause democracies to fail. (Ginsberg/pg.299) For instance, during President Nixon’s office term one of the most controversial scandals in American presidency surfaced. The Watergate scandal definitely demonstrates how a president can lose his influence in office if he does not have the support of congress. Although President Nixon was not impeached he had to resign from his position because there was no doubt of the fact that the support was no longer there. …show more content…
Ginsberg affirms that the separation of powers and direct elections play a big role in the United States presidential system. The government is structured in a manner that calls for checks and balances between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. These parallel structures have kept each other from over extending supremacy. (Ginsberg/pg.47) Furthermore, in presidential democracies the president is elected directly by the constituents, rather than a prime minister appointed by a coalition. (Yglesias/ pg.2) Giving that right to the people to directly impact who is appointed president in their country can set the impression that they have more liberty and thus may help to bridge the gap between citizens and government. (Ginsberg/pg.213,

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