Reference: Fifth Edition Politics Andrew Heywood
Published 2019 by Red Globe Press
Chapter 14: Political Executives and leadership:
The role of the executive:
Three distinct branches of government (Doctrine of the separation of powers):
Montesquieu: This is the traditional basis on which to analyse government since his
time.
1. Legislatures: make law, they enact legislation.
2. Executives: implement law, execute the law.
3. Judiciaries: interpret law, adjudicate on the meaning of the law.
Two categories of members of executive:
1. The Political executive & the Bureaucratic executive:
- This highlights the if btw political & civil servants & more broadly btw
politics & administration
2. Various levels of status & responsibility have been identified within the executive.
- Assemblies: respect the equality of their members.
- Executive branches: pyramidal, organized according to a clear leadership
structure.
Parliamentary executives:
Def: Executive, composed of a prime minister & cabinet, that’s drawn from & accountable to
the parliament, & formed through parliamentary elections.
Political executive:
- Consist of elected politicians, ministers drawn from & accountable to, the
assembly.
- Their job is to (1) make policy, in accordance with the political & ideological
proprieties of their party & to (2) oversee its implementation.
Official executive:
- Comprises appointed & professional civil servants.
- Job is to (1) offer advice & administer policy, subject to the req of political
neutrality & loyalty to their ministers.
Australia, UK & India: political/ bureaucratic distinction blurred because civil servants
make a substantial contribution to policy-making & made of temporary, politically
committed advisers.
Presidential executive (E.g. USA):
Def: An executive that’s headed by a separately elected president. They enjoy political &
constitutional independence from parliament.
President:
- The only elected politician in the executive.
Cabinet members:
- Appointed officials.
Senior & middle-ranking civil servants:
- Politically partisan & temporary.
, Communist executives (E.g. China, USSR):
Political/bureaucratic distinction is redundant due to all-pervasive reach of the ruling
communist party.
Chinese bureaucrats
- Political = they are in all cases ideologically committed supporters & usually
members of the Chinese Communist Party.
Executive: concept
Narrow sense: the smaller body of decision makers who take overall responsibility for the
decision & coordination of government policy.
Executives tend to be centralized around leadership of a single indv.
- Montesquieu: This branch of gov is better administered by one than by many.
Two separate posts identified (even though they may be held by the same person):
1) The head of the state = an office of formal authority & largely symbolic importance.
- Post of the head of the state usually held by a non-partisan figurehead.
2) The head of government / chief executive = carries policy-making & political
responsibilities.
- Prime minister = chief executives.
Executive presidents (USA & Russia): “wear two hats”, the posts in parliamentary
systems are usually separate.
Head of the state: concept:
Personal embodiment of the
Chief state’s power& authority.
executi Enjoys the highest status in
ve the land but real power
Range of ministers or secretaries: resides in the hands of the
that have responsibilities for dvp head of the government.
or implementing policy in specific
areas.
Cabinet: Def: a group of senior ministers that meet
formally & regurarly & is chaired by the chief executive.
They may make policy or be consultative.
Massed ranks of bureaucrats & administrators: less concerned with policy making
than with policy implementation.
Enforcement agencies/ quangos (i.e. police force & armed forces): help put government policy into effect &
they are staffedby personnel who enjoy formal independence from the government itself
Functions of political executives:
Published 2019 by Red Globe Press
Chapter 14: Political Executives and leadership:
The role of the executive:
Three distinct branches of government (Doctrine of the separation of powers):
Montesquieu: This is the traditional basis on which to analyse government since his
time.
1. Legislatures: make law, they enact legislation.
2. Executives: implement law, execute the law.
3. Judiciaries: interpret law, adjudicate on the meaning of the law.
Two categories of members of executive:
1. The Political executive & the Bureaucratic executive:
- This highlights the if btw political & civil servants & more broadly btw
politics & administration
2. Various levels of status & responsibility have been identified within the executive.
- Assemblies: respect the equality of their members.
- Executive branches: pyramidal, organized according to a clear leadership
structure.
Parliamentary executives:
Def: Executive, composed of a prime minister & cabinet, that’s drawn from & accountable to
the parliament, & formed through parliamentary elections.
Political executive:
- Consist of elected politicians, ministers drawn from & accountable to, the
assembly.
- Their job is to (1) make policy, in accordance with the political & ideological
proprieties of their party & to (2) oversee its implementation.
Official executive:
- Comprises appointed & professional civil servants.
- Job is to (1) offer advice & administer policy, subject to the req of political
neutrality & loyalty to their ministers.
Australia, UK & India: political/ bureaucratic distinction blurred because civil servants
make a substantial contribution to policy-making & made of temporary, politically
committed advisers.
Presidential executive (E.g. USA):
Def: An executive that’s headed by a separately elected president. They enjoy political &
constitutional independence from parliament.
President:
- The only elected politician in the executive.
Cabinet members:
- Appointed officials.
Senior & middle-ranking civil servants:
- Politically partisan & temporary.
, Communist executives (E.g. China, USSR):
Political/bureaucratic distinction is redundant due to all-pervasive reach of the ruling
communist party.
Chinese bureaucrats
- Political = they are in all cases ideologically committed supporters & usually
members of the Chinese Communist Party.
Executive: concept
Narrow sense: the smaller body of decision makers who take overall responsibility for the
decision & coordination of government policy.
Executives tend to be centralized around leadership of a single indv.
- Montesquieu: This branch of gov is better administered by one than by many.
Two separate posts identified (even though they may be held by the same person):
1) The head of the state = an office of formal authority & largely symbolic importance.
- Post of the head of the state usually held by a non-partisan figurehead.
2) The head of government / chief executive = carries policy-making & political
responsibilities.
- Prime minister = chief executives.
Executive presidents (USA & Russia): “wear two hats”, the posts in parliamentary
systems are usually separate.
Head of the state: concept:
Personal embodiment of the
Chief state’s power& authority.
executi Enjoys the highest status in
ve the land but real power
Range of ministers or secretaries: resides in the hands of the
that have responsibilities for dvp head of the government.
or implementing policy in specific
areas.
Cabinet: Def: a group of senior ministers that meet
formally & regurarly & is chaired by the chief executive.
They may make policy or be consultative.
Massed ranks of bureaucrats & administrators: less concerned with policy making
than with policy implementation.
Enforcement agencies/ quangos (i.e. police force & armed forces): help put government policy into effect &
they are staffedby personnel who enjoy formal independence from the government itself
Functions of political executives:
