Models of Executive Politics: A Framework for the Study of Executive Power Relations in Parliamentary and Semi-presidential Regimes
| DOI | 10.1111/1467-9248.00077 |
| Author | Robert Elgie |
| Published date | 01 June 1997 |
| Date | 01 June 1997 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
Models of Executive Politics: a Framework
for the Study of Executive Power Relations
in Parliamentary and Semi-presidential
Regimes
ROBERT ELGIE
University of Limerick
The study of executives politics has been characterized by dichotomous country-
speci®c debates about whether there is, for example, prime ministerial or cabinet
government. Recent work has established new terms for these debates leading to
more pluralistic conceptualizations of executive politics. Nevertheless, this work has
not created the conditions for rigorous cross-national comparison. This article
establishes a framework to compareexecutive branch power relations. It identi®es six
models of executive politics comprising a comprehensive set of ways in which power
may be distributed amongst chief executives, cabinets, ministersand bureaucrats. On
the basis of this framework it is argued that it is necessary to engage in empirical
observation to determine which models of government occur and to identify the
reasons why these models emerge.
The study of government concerns the study of power. One aspect of the study
of government concerns the studyof power relations within the executive branch
of government. The issues in the study of executive politics are fundamental.
They relate, for example, to the role of political leaders individually. Do heads
of state, heads of government and government ministers havethe power to leave
a personal imprint on the decision-making process, or are they able only to
in¯uence policy at the margins? They also relate to the role of the political
leaders collectively. Do governments take decisions collegially, or is collegial
policy making impractical? Finally, they relate to the role of bureaucrats. Is
policy made by elected and accountable representatives, or is it made by
unelected and irremovable administrators.
To date, the study of executivepolit ics hastended to be dominated by country
specialists who have engaged each other in largely domestic controversies about
the workings of their own country's government. These controversies have
frequently taken the form of highly polarized debates. For example, in Britain,
academic attention has perennially focused on the question of whether there is
prime ministerial or cabinet government.1In France, there is a long-standing
#Political Studies Association 1997. Published by Blackwell Publishers, 108 CowleyRoad, Oxford OX4 1JF, UK and 350 Main
Street, Malden, MA 02148, USA.
1See, inter alia, J. Mackintosh, The British Cabinet (London, Stevens, 2nd ed., 1968).
Political Studies (1997), XLV, 217±231
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