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Differences in democracies

By William Lewis

In the United States federal government, if there is a change in the executive administration every four years, there is a period of uncertainty.

There is a period of uncertainty as the new administration takes two to three months at least to fill all the cabinet positions, as well as to staff all of these people. It requires hundreds of interviews, background checks and assessing which person would be best for the position. It is a difficult period, to say the least. It could be called at times chaotic.

However, that is the system of our government that has been used since the beginning of our nation. In a president’s world system and organization, it is important in the times of initiating foreign policy.

We could look at the British system, in which a political party that wins an election takes over the next day. After the election, the executive mansion is occupied the day after by the new prime minister.

This system provides for a speedy transition, which may be necessary in the world of important foreign development. The British legislative branch is also the executive branch, since the executive cabinet is made up of members of the legislative branch known as the House of Commons.

During the time that the other major party is running the executive branch, the party out of power has a shadow cabinet in place. This shadow cabinet acts as an additional government without making policy.

Once the national election is held, the party that wins the most votes takes control of the House of Commons and the executive branch of government. The prime minister does not have to choose any new members of his cabinet, as they have been members of a shadow cabinet during their time out of office. It is a system whereby the legislative branch is merged with the executive branch. There is no separation of powers as there is in the American system of government.

The American system of government has three branches separate from one another, which includes the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. This system does not apply to the British form of government.

The British system has existed for a long time. The two systems vary in how they organize. The United States’ separation of powers is completely different from the British system, although both systems are considered democracies.

However, our system needs to form our government sooner after the four-year presidential election. The two systems of government show how democracy works in various stages. There is not one democracy but various types that exist according to the nation involved.