Summary
Politics & The State; Summary; Andrew Heywood 2019
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Word Document, Chapter 3, Andrew Heywood.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
Heywood - Politics, summary chapter 11
-
Heywood - Politics, summary chapter 12
-
Heywood - Politics, summary chapter 14
Seller
Follow
bmatlala4188
Content preview
Reference: Fifth Edition Politics Andrew HeywoodPublished 2019 by Red Globe Press
Chapter 14: Political Executives and leadership:
The role of the executive:
Three distinct branches of government (Doctrine of the separation of powers):
Montesquieu: This is the traditional basis on which to analyse government since his
time.
1. Legislatures: make law, they enact legislation.
2. Executives: implement law, execute the law.
3. Judiciaries: interpret law, adjudicate on the meaning of the law.
Two categories of members of executive:
1. The Political executive & the Bureaucratic executive:
- This highlights the if btw political & civil servants & more broadly btw
politics & administration
2. Various levels of status & responsibility have been identified within the executive.
- Assemblies: respect the equality of their members.
- Executive branches: pyramidal, organized according to a clear leadership
structure.
Parliamentary executives:
Def: Executive, composed of a prime minister & cabinet, that’s drawn from & accountable to
the parliament, & formed through parliamentary elections.
Political executive:
- Consist of elected politicians, ministers drawn from & accountable to, the
assembly.
- Their job is to (1) make policy, in accordance with the political & ideological
proprieties of their party & to (2) oversee its implementation.
Official executive:
- Comprises appointed & professional civil servants.
- Job is to (1) offer advice & administer policy, subject to the req of political
neutrality & loyalty to their ministers.
Australia, UK & India: political/ bureaucratic distinction blurred because civil servants
make a substantial contribution to policy-making & made of temporary, politically
committed advisers.
Presidential executive (E.g. USA):
Def: An executive that’s headed by a separately elected president. They enjoy political &
constitutional independence from parliament.
President:
- The only elected politician in the executive.
Cabinet members:
- Appointed officials.
Senior & middle-ranking civil servants:
- Politically partisan & temporary.
, Communist executives (E.g. China, USSR):
Political/bureaucratic distinction is redundant due to all-pervasive reach of the ruling
communist party.
Chinese bureaucrats
- Political = they are in all cases ideologically committed supporters & usually
members of the Chinese Communist Party.
Executive: concept
Narrow sense: the smaller body of decision makers who take overall responsibility for the
decision & coordination of government policy.
Executives tend to be centralized around leadership of a single indv.
- Montesquieu: This branch of gov is better administered by one than by many.
Two separate posts identified (even though they may be held by the same person):
1) The head of the state = an office of formal authority & largely symbolic importance.
- Post of the head of the state usually held by a non-partisan figurehead.
2) The head of government / chief executive = carries policy-making & political
responsibilities.
- Prime minister = chief executives.
Executive presidents (USA & Russia): “wear two hats”, the posts in parliamentary
systems are usually separate.
Head of the state: concept:
Personal embodiment of the
Chief state’s power& authority.
executi Enjoys the highest status in
ve the land but real power
Range of ministers or secretaries: resides in the hands of the
that have responsibilities for dvp head of the government.
or implementing policy in specific
areas.
Cabinet: Def: a group of senior ministers that meet
formally & regurarly & is chaired by the chief executive.
They may make policy or be consultative.
Massed ranks of bureaucrats & administrators: less concerned with policy making
than with policy implementation.
Enforcement agencies/ quangos (i.e. police force & armed forces): help put government policy into effect &
they are staffedby personnel who enjoy formal independence from the government itself
Functions of political executives:
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller bmatlala4188. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $3.27. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
50843 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now