A Regime Based on Responsible Government Versus A Regime Based on Separation of Powers (Essay Sample)

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Canadian Government and Politics: Final Exam
Essay 1: Responsible Government
Responsible government can be defined as a parliamentary regime where the Congress is the ultimate authority for both executive action and legislative action. Therefore, it embodies the principle of accountability to parliament which consists of people elected to represent the electorate. In a regime that is founded on responsible government, together with disciplined and strong parties, the cabinet of that nation emerges as the dominant political institution (Malcolmson, 48). It means that such a government is held accountable by the people rather than their representatives because the government will answer the people for its successes or failures. While the executive cabinet will dominate in terms of decision making, its powers are granted by people through the leaders that they elect to the legislative branch. As per the constitution, the cabinet wields its power but its control of the legislature and the executive is granted by the conventions of responsible government. Even though the constitution vests executive and legislative powers in separate hands, fusion of such powers is often seen to happen under responsible government regime as the cabinet dominates. Thus, one can best define responsible government as a regime whereby the powers of eth executive and the legislature are fused together in the form of a cabinet whose accountability is given to an assembly of people elected to represent the electorate.