THE WEST GERMAN CHANCELLOR AND THE STUDY OF COMPARATIVE EXECUTIVES

In: Teaching political science, Band 16, Heft 3, S. 131-138

Abstract

STUDIES OF COMPARATIVE EXECUTIVES HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN CONTENT TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN PRIME MINISTERIAL AND PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, BETWEEN THE POWERS OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT AND THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. HOWEVER, THIS DICHOTOMY OVERLOOKS THE DEGREE OF VARIATION WITHIN PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEMS, AND ESPECIALLY THE MORE COMMON EXISTENCE OF COALITION, RATHER THAN SINGLE-PARTY, GOVERNMENT. IN ORDER TO ILLUSTRATE THE LIMITATIONS OF THE TRADITIONAL PRESIDENTIALPRIME MINISTERIAL DICHOTOMY THAT FREQUENTLY APPEAR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE TEXTBOOKS, THIS ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS THE PARTICULARLY GERMAN FORM OF PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT IN WHICH THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR PLAYS A UNIQUE ROLE IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM.