Branches of Government

We have now finished the section on the different branches found in governments, especially liberal democracies. These are the ‘nuts and bolt’ of government. They are responsible for making, executing and interpreting the laws that we live by. However, since they have authority over us, they also wield a large amount of power. Power that can be abused if not carefully controlled.

As you know, in the United States, the branches were set up to overlap and offset the power of the other branches. This was one of the ways the founders of our country tried strike the balance of limiting the power of government, while at the same time ensuring that the government would have some power to do the job of governing.

In this Discussion Board you will go back to the original constitution that you examined in your first Discussion Board assignment and examine it for the different institutions of government that it established. As a reminder, you can find it at https://www.constituteproject.org/?lang=en and click on ‘Constitutions’ near the top of the page. On the page that opens up, you will see a list of countries. On the right hand side of the list you can click the circle next to the word ‘Compare’ . Select ‘United States of America 1789 (rev. 1992)’ and then your original country, and then click on ‘Compare (2)’ in the dark options bar near the top of the page.

What you will do in this assignment is look for the different branches that are established. In particular, note:

  • How is the legislature composed/constructed and what powers or responsibilities does the constitution grant it?
  • How is the executive selected and what powers does the Constitution give to this person or entity? Are there any restrictions on how they carry out their job?
  • Do these branches seem set up to reflect and address the public’s interests? Why or why not?
  • Briefly compare what you find to what is established in the U.S. Constitution.
  • You may note the judiciary if you want, but this is already a fairly large assignment. Make sure that you address the above points adequately.

As last time, there are two parts to this assignment:

1) You will make an initial posting of about 300 words detailing what you found regarding the branches. Make sure to address both the legislative and executive branches and who they serve.

2) After you make your own posting, you will respond to at least two of your classmates with a thoughtful response. How did what they find compare to what you found? Can you draw any conclusions about whether these institutions as established are capable of serving the public interest?