Question

Discuss the relative demerits of Parliamentary Forms.

Make a comparative study of the demerits of the Parliamentary forms of government.

Answer 1

1. Executive Dominates Legislature: Without democratic ethics and a sound party system, the executive can become dictatorial and inefficient. The cabinet holds vast powers, leading some scholars to refer to it as a “cabinet dictatorship”.
2. Executive's Tenure is Unstable: Since its tenure depends on maintaining majority support in the legislature, the executive often faces insecurity, especially when the majority is thin.
3. Possibility of Arbitrary Actions: When the executive enjoys a strong majority in the legislature, it may act arbitrarily and dominate legislative processes.
4. Lack of Merit-Based Appointments: Ministers may be chosen for political reasons rather than merit, leading to incompetent individuals managing important departments.
5. Aggressive Party Politics: Excessive partisanship between ruling and opposition parties can disrupt governance.
6. Costly and Inefficient: Parliamentary systems can be expensive and involve a large number of potentially incompetent ministers, leading to inefficiency.