Political Studies · 1997 · 100 citations · 0 references
Social SciencesPolitical ScienceComparative PoliticsExecutive PoliticsExecutive PowerCabinet PoliticsForms Of GovernmentParliamentary GovernmentPolitical-administrative RelationsCabinet RelationsExecutive Authority DistributionExecutive Branch AuthorityPresident-cabinet RelationsPrime Minister-cabinet RelationsPrime Ministerial AuthorityPrime Ministerial GovernmentPrime Ministerial Power
Executive politics research has been dominated by country‑specific debates over prime ministerial versus cabinet government, with recent terminology expanding the field but still lacking a framework for rigorous cross‑national comparison. The article proposes a framework for comparing executive branch power relations and argues that empirical observation is needed to identify which models occur and why. The framework identifies six models of executive politics that map the distribution of power among chief executives, cabinets, ministers, and bureaucrats. The authors conclude that empirical observation is essential to determine which executive models are present and to understand the factors driving their emergence.
The study of executives politics has been characterized by dichotomous country-specific 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 compare executive branch power relations. It identifies six models of executive politics comprising a comprehensive set of ways in which power may be distributed amongst chief executives, cabinets, ministers and 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.