Parliamentary Democracy
By: Tyler Colson
Background Information
Is a system of democratic governance of a state in which the executive branch derives its democratic legitimacy from, and is held accountable to, the legislature the executive and legislative branches are interconnected. In a parliamentary system, the head of state is normally a different person from the head of government.
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill was first elected in 1900, at age 25, to the British Parliament as a Conservative MP representing the riding of Oldham in the North of England. Except for one short interval, he would remain a Member of Parliament for almost 64 years. He contested 21 parliamentary elections. These are records unequaled in the parliamentary world. It can truly be said that he was both a child and a father of the House of Commons.
Countries under Parliamentary Government
Botswana, Ethiopia, Libya, Mauritius, South Africa, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and many more is Europe, Asia, and the Pacific region.
Pros
An advantage of parliamentary democracy is dual-legitimation.
Cons
In such a system, the political parties are handed large power, which can lead to corruption and patronage. Coalitions are formed, as parties reconcile to form a joint government