Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential

Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential Democracy In declaring emancipation from Britain, the American Colonies sought to create a res publica that found its grow in Ancient Greece and Great Britain while improving on the flaws of each. The resolving power was a presidential democracy that stood in contrast to the parliamentary democracy of Great Britain. Thus these, the two oldest, continuous democracies in existence exemplify an interesting comparison. At the heart of any government is the constitution, and here we draw the first major difference between the American and British participatory systems. The establishment has never been write in one conclusive and closing document, but depends largely on practices accumulated over the years. Its most weighty features are no part of its formal and legal structure and film little other sanction beyond use and precedent. (Amery 1) This easily pliant format differs sh arply from the American Constitution, a formal organization written at the start of the Union and which created formal means by which the Constitution could be changed. Because the British Constitution is reliant upon tradition, the means whereby power is distributed has changed importantly since the first democratic customs. Initially power was vested in the monarchy, which relied upon input from the sign of Lords to run the nation. As time progressed the power came to fall under the summons of the House of Commons, and with no system of check and balances it came to reside in the feeling party. This system is the modern embodiment of a fusion of governmental powers which has more often than not characterized British government. (Moodie 15) In c... ...cmillan Press. 1993. 92-122 Denham, Andre and Mark Garnett. British think-tanks and the climate of opinion. London UCL Press. 1998 Holliday, Ian. unionised Interests After Thatcher. Developments in British politics. Ed. by Patrick Dunleavy, Andrew Gamble, Ian Holliday, and Gillian Peele. Houndmills The Macmillan Press. 1993. 307-320 . Krieger, Joel. British Politics in the Global Age Can Social Democracy Survive?. Oxford Oxford University Press. 1999. Marsh, David. The Media and Politics. Developments in British Politics. Ed. by Patrick Dunleavy, Andrew Gamble, Ian Holliday, and Gillian Peele. Houndmills The Macmillan Press. 1993. 332-349 Moodie, Graeme C. The Government of Great Britain. New York doubting Thomas U. Crowell Company. 1964. Pilkington, Colin. Issues in British Politics. New York St. Martins Press. 1998