political Systems: Name three politcal systems around the world and compare and contrast them. Give examples(i.e. countries)

Essay by m1llertimeUniversity, Bachelor'sA+, April 2002

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Political Systems

There is a multitude of political systems in the world ranging from free democracies to authoritarian regimes. Of these, however, three in particular stand out. These are the presidential system of countries such as the United States, Mexico and select other Latin American countries; the parliamentary system of countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Germany; and the semi-presidential system of countries such as France, Finland, and Senegal. In actuality there are many similarities between these three systems. Each, however, is also unique from each of the others. It is these similarities and contrasts, which will be the topic of this paper.

Each of the three political systems noted above is a type of democracy. The exact nature of that democracy can vary considerably however. In 1996 an estimated 117 countries were on record as being democracies (Sussman PG). Even in countries as similar as the United States and Great Britain this is often the case.

The way the United States views representative democracy varies in some ways from the way this concept is viewed in the United Kingdom. This variance is obvious in numerous aspects of government, especially in terms of overall governmental structure. Democracy is indeed a grand and glorious concept, which has been pursued by countries around the world. To these fledgling countries, countries like the United States and Great Britain stand out as example of what can be. The United States in particular is heralded the world over for its democratic process. It is particularly interesting to now that this system evolved from what our founding fathers had already experienced in Britain. The United Kingdom has a significantly different political system than what would ultimately be decided on in the United States. It is a system, which is perhaps best, understood...