Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential Democracy

Comparison of British Parliamentary Democracy and American Presidential Democracy

In declaring independence from Britain, the American Colonies sought to create a democracy that found its roots in Ancient Greece and Great Britain while improving on the flaws of each. The result was a presidential democracy that stood in contrast to the parliamentary democracy of Great Britain. Thus these, the two oldest, continuous democracies in existence present an interesting comparison.

At the heart of any government is the constitution, and here we discover the first major difference between the American and British democratic systems. The Constitution has never been written in one conclusive and final document, but depends largely on practices accumulated over the years. “Its most important features are no part of its formal and legal structure and have little other sanction beyond use and precedent.” (Amery 1) This easily adaptable format differs sharply from the American Constitution, a formal organization written at the start of the Union and which created formal means by which the Constitution could be changed.

Because the British Constitution is reliant upon tradition, the means whereby power is distributed has changed significantly since the first democratic customs. Initially power was vested in the monarchy, which relied upon input from the House of Lords to run the nation. As time progressed the power came to fall under the command of the House of Commons, and with no system of check and balances it came to reside in the ruling party. This system is “the modern embodiment of a fusion of governmental powers which has generally characterized British government.” (Moodie 15) In c...

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