Government Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Government Systems - Essay Example The parliamentary system as developed and used in Great Britain is more graphically called the Cabinet government. This conveniently describes the fact that the cabinet is usually known as the Government. More completely described, however, the government in this system is composed of the Cabinet, as the executive organ; and the parliament as the legislature. These two bodies do not form separate departments. They are fused together and are dependent upon each other in the performance of the principal governmental functions. The reality of the system is that politics play a dominant role in its actual working. The party leader does not only automatically become the Prime Minister but much legislation happens within the party caucus presided over by the Prime Minister. It is here where debates among the members of the ruling party are common. But once a consensus is developed the result will become the united stand of the majority party in the parliament. So, if there is any debate in Parliament during the discussion of legislative proposals it is only between the ruling Members of Parliament and the Members of the opposition. (Mckay, 291) This Shadow Cabinet or Shadow Minister is the counter part of the government. In debates and during question hour, the Shadow Prime Minister and Ministers are the ones engaged and egged on the Prime Minister and his Ministers. For the Parliamentary System to succeed there must be a strong opposition party. A strong opposition attracts men and women of equal competence, brilliance and expertise. In the event that it wins a majority in the Parliamentary election it is immediately ready to form a government of qualified persons thereby avoiding a lengthy interregnum in the formation and implementation of national policies. For this reason, every opposition party has made it a practice to name their respective ministers even before it smells victory in the polls. These prospective Ministers constitute what is popularly called the Shadow Government which is actually a Government established by the opposition in the Parliament. The question hour is a unique feature of the Parliamentary system. It is an effective tool in scrutinizing proposed measures and past and current acts of the Prime Minister and his Ministers. For all its merits, it is only a useful tool of democracy if there is a well-organized opposition with a Shadow Cabinet, for the questions and the answers are usually between the Prime Minister and his Shadow Cabinet. Among the members of the majority party, their differences are usually and by practice threshed out in a part caucus prior to the session of Parliament. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy. Although it has no written constitution, the Constitution Act 1986 is the principal formal statement of New Zealand's constitutional structure. Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state and is titled Queen of New Zealand under the Royal Titles Act (1953). She is represented by the Governor-General, currently Anand