U.S. Presidential vs. Scottish Parliamentary Democracy Compared
This paper examines and compares the democratic systems of the United States and Scotland. Beginning with a brief overview of democratic theory rooted in Rousseau's social contract, the paper describes the three-branch structure of the U.S. presidential democracy before tracing Scottish history from its earliest kingdom through the 1707 Act of Union. It then analyzes the 1999 devolution referendum that created the Scottish Parliament, detailing its proportional representation system and parliamentary executive. A focused comparison highlights how executive and legislative power are distributed differently under each system, and weighs the advantages and disadvantages of presidential versus parliamentary democracy in terms of checks and balances, political stability, and consensus-building.
- Introduction to Democratic Theory: Democracy defined via Rousseau and U.S. structure
- Scotland: History and National Identity: Scottish history, religion, and economy overview
- Structure of the Scottish Parliament: 1999 devolution, parliament branches, and local government
- Comparing U.S. and Scottish Government Structures: Executive vs. legislative power distribution contrasted
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Each System: Checks and balances vs. consensus-based governance
- Conclusion: Both nations democratic but representing power differently
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What makes this paper effective
- Grounds the comparison in democratic theory by introducing Rousseau's social contract early, giving the structural analysis a conceptual foundation.
- Provides clear historical context for both countries before discussing government structure, which helps readers understand why each system evolved the way it did.
- Balances the comparison by presenting genuine advantages and disadvantages for both systems rather than advocating for one over the other.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper uses a point-by-point comparative structure, moving systematically through each dimension of government (executive, legislative, judicial, and local) for both countries before drawing broader conclusions. This method ensures readers can clearly trace differences across equivalent categories rather than reading two separate descriptive accounts side by side.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with democratic theory, then profiles the U.S. system, followed by Scottish history and national identity, and then the Scottish Parliament's structure. A dedicated comparison section examines power distribution, and a final evaluative section weighs the pros and cons of each system before a brief conclusion restating the central distinction. References follow in Chicago/author-date style.
Introduction to Democratic Theory
Different countries with widely disparate forms of government all lay claim to being a democracy. Many European parliamentary-style governments, for example, call themselves democracies. More centralized, presidential governments make the same claim.
What these forms of government have in common, however, are key foundational ideals. Democracy is a form of government based on aggregative concepts of a "common good." This concept has its roots in philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau's social contract theory, which states that a general will of the people gives rise to an unstated social contract. In a democratic form of government, decisions are made based on a "rationally identified common good" (Shapiro 2003: 3).
The United States has three main structures of government. The judiciary is tasked with interpreting and upholding the country's laws. The legislature, composed of the House of Representatives and the Senate, writes the laws of the land. Finally, the executive branch is charged with administering the country and is headed by a duly elected president. While the president is not a member of the legislative branch, he or she has the power to veto the legislature's bills.
The electoral method of choosing leaders implies an interest in pursuing a "general will." Hence, the United States is a representative, presidential democracy. Rather than directly making decisions, the people elect a president and representatives in Congress during separate elections. There is a clear division of labor between the executive branch and the legislature; as a result, the American president is not able to dissolve the legislature at will.
References
Brinkley, Alan. 2000. The Unfinished Nation. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kagan, Robert. 2003. Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order. New York: Knopf.
Lace, William. 2001. Scotland. San Diego: Lucent Books.
Public Information Service. 2003. Factsheet on the Scottish Parliament. Scottish Parliament.
Shapiro, Ian. 2003. The State of Democratic Theory. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
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