Checks and Balances?: How a Parliamentary System Could Change American Politics

Could the United States function under a British-style parliamentary system? Would we be better off? What would be the implications for the United States if it adopted a British-style parliamentary system? This book applies the broader debate in the field of political science over the advantages of a parliamentary system to the case of the United States. It asks whether it is better for a democracy to function under a parliamentary or presidential system.In the face of a parliamentary alternative to the American presidential system, Checks and Balances? How a Parliamentary System Could Change American Politics illustrates how the Constitutional system of checks and balances functions, including the separation of powers and the legislative process. Throughout, the text explains how the institutional dimension of the political equation—sometimes overlooked by politicians and scholars alike—is of vital importance to a proper understanding of American politics. This book is designed to help American readers better understand their own form of government, while expanding their knowledge of other governments.