By David Marchick, Alexander Tippett, and Valerie Smith Boyd Presidential Transitions in American History Asked what kind of government the Constitutional Convention had created for the new United States, Benjamin Franklin replied, “A republic—if you can keep it.” Franklin’s prescience became evident when, 235 years later, President Trump refused to recognize the outcome of the... Continue Reading →
Become a Patron! Perils of Presidentialism In 1990 Juan Linz published an influential article titled "The Perils of Presidentialism." It's a highly influential essay among those who debate the merits of different forms of democracy. Linz argued the separation between the legislature and executive made governance problematic. Gridlock between the executive and the legislature leads... Continue Reading →
Executive Power in Democracies Democratic theory rarely reflects on executive power or the administrative state. Deliberative theory, for example, emphasizes the legislative process where representatives have an opportunity to discuss and deliberate among each other. Of course, few people expect the civil service to deliberate before every email, phone call, or decision. It’s just not... Continue Reading →
William Howell and Terry Moe join the Democracy Paradox to discuss the missed opportunities of the American Presidency. This is the 20th episode of the Democracy Paradox podcast. It offers a reflection on the role of the President days before the 2020 Election in the United States. William Howell and Terry Moe... Continue Reading →
Theories about presidentialism remain in the shadow of the “Perils of Presidentialism” thesis from Juan Linz. But a lot has changed since he made the case against presidential systems. Governments in nearly every region of the world have adopted some form of Presidential system. Chaisty, Cheeseman and Power have written a work which uses contemporary... Continue Reading →
