1.2.

6 Practice: Comparing Governments Practice

U.S. Government and Politics

For this assignment, you will compare and contrast the governments of three nation-states in
Asia: Japan, North Korea, and the Philippines. To complete the assignment, follow these
steps:

1. Research: Explore the provided websites to gather facts about the three
governments and answer questions about the purpose, structure, and operation of
each one.

2. Analyze: Answer a series of questions about the similarities and differences between
these government systems in terms of how they operate and their citizens' experiences.

To get the best grade possible, follow the instructions in the assignment closely and answer
all of the questions completely. This assignment is worth 20 points.

Use these links to conduct research on the governments of Japan, North Korea, and the
Philippines and then answer the questions that follow. This section is worth 5 points.

Web Links
Japan

CIA World Factbook (Japan)

● https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/japan/

Encyclopaedia Britannica (Japan)

● https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan
 North Korea

CIA World Factbook (North Korea)

● https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/korea-north/

Encyclopaedia Britannica (North Korea)

● https://www.britannica.com/place/North-Korea

The Philippines

CIA World Factbook (Philippines)

● https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/philippines/

Encyclopaedia Britannica (Philippines)

● https://www.britannica.com/place/Philippines

1. Classify the government of each country by who has the power. Is the government a
democracy, a monarchy, or a dictatorship? If it is a monarchy or a dictatorship, explain what
kind. (1 point)

a. Japan:
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy

b. North Korea:
Dictatorship, single-party state; official state ideology of
"Juche" or "national self-reliance"
 c. The Philippines:
Presidential Republic

2. To what extent can the people participate in the governing process of each
country? Explain your answers. (1 point)

Japan:
Japan has constitutional Monarchy. The power of emperor is limited
and the power is mostly relegated for ceremonial duties. Japan has
parliamentary government system just like other countries in the
world. The citizens of Japan cannot elect a president directly instead
the president is elected by Diet members among themselves.

a. North Korea:
Chief of state and premier indirectly elected by the
Supreme People's Assembly.

b. The Philippines:
The President of the Philippines is elected by direct vote
by the people for a term of six years. He may only serve
for one term, and is ineligible for reelection. The term of
the President of the Philippines starts at noon of the
30th day of June after the election.
3. Classify each government by how much power is held. Does the country have a
constitution that limits government power? If government power is not limited, explain
whether the system is authoritarian or totalitarian. (1 point)

a. Japan:
Its members are directly elected by the people, who are the source of
sovereignty. It is defined as the supreme organ of sovereignty in the
Constitution. The Supreme Court and other inferior courts make up
the Judicial branch and have all the judicial powers in the state.

b. North Korea:
North Korea's political system is built upon the principle of
centralization. While the North Korean constitution formally
guarantees protection of human rights, in practice there are
severe limits on freedom of expression, and the government
closely supervises the lives of North Korean citizens.

c. The Philippines:
Besides the constitution, the powers of the President of the
Philippines are specifically outlined in Executive Order No. 292, s.
1987, otherwise known as the Administrative Code of 1987. The
following powers are:Power of control over the executive
branch,Power ordinance power,Power over aliens,Powers of
eminent domain, escheat, land reservation and recovery of ill-
gotten wealth,Power of appointment,Power of general
supervision over local governments and other powers.
...
4. How is power distributed in each government? Is there a separation of powers
between branches? If branches do exist, are there checks and balances between them? (1
point)

a. Japan:
The form of government in Japan is a constitutional monarchy
where the ruler of the monarchy can only perform
the ceremonial duties and the functions of the government are
divided among the branches which are :
executive, legislature and the judiciary and are independent of
each other.

b. North Korea:
In North Korea, the form of government is the democratic
republic and there are three branches here also but their power
is not independent of each other.

c. The Philippines:

The form of government in Philippines is republic where

president is the head of the state. It also has three branches
of government the executive, judiciary and
the legislative which are independent of each other with
equal power.

5. Describe the overall level of rights and freedoms, including economic freedom,
each country grants its citizens. (1 point)

a. Japan:
 Japanese citizens have freedom in their choices of
residence, profession, education, and the right to vote.

b. North Korea:
The North Korean supreme leader controls every aspect of his
citizens’ lives and they have no freedom or rights.

c. The Philippines:
The Philippines citizens have rights to every aspect of their
lives.

Use the notes gathered in your research to answer the questions that follow. Support
your responses with specific details from your research. This section is worth 15 points.

1. People's ability to express their will varies depending on their country's form of
government. How do the governments of Japan, North Korea, and the Philippines differ in
their attention (or lack thereof) to the will of the people? (5 points)

Japan is a country that is practice is a democracy. The people are able to

express their will freely, so the governing bodies allow them to do so, and
occasionally listen to their demands. The Philippines are a developing
country that has been putting effort in becoming more democratic. Lately,
the government has become more open toward the people, and gradually
the people and their ideas gain more attention, though there is still lot to
work on. North Korea is one of the most, if not the most closed country in
the world. It is a prime example of dictatorship, and the ruler has all the
power in the country. The people do not have any right to express
themselves, and if they do, especially without a permission, it will end
with imprisoning them or even killing them.

2. Japan, North Korea, and the Philippines each have a constitution. What role does
each country's constitution play in organizing power in the government and shaping the
lives of citizens? (5 points)

In Japan the role of the constitution is to provide a parliamentary

system of government and it also guarantees the fundamental
human rights of its citizens.
In North Korea: The constitution institute the supreme people’s
assembly as the highest government institution but the citizens
have limited freedom of movement outside the country.
In Philippines: the role of the constitution in Philippines is that it
promotes effective industrialization and all natural resources
within the country shall be owned by the states. The citizens try
to choose leaders that will embody their ideas.

3. Given what you already know about the types of governments in Japan, North
Korea, and the Philippines, what role do you think rule of law plays in each
nation- state? (5 points)

The rule of law is the principle that the actions of government and those
in power should be based on the law, and not on their personal whim.

japan is a democracy and hence it adheres in the rule of law in the

running of government. that was not the case however before ww2,
when there was an absolute monarchy who believed was from god.
North korea on the other hand is a communist regime,controlled by a
dictator. the leader's words is final. the leaders have a practice of killing
or dissident voices, and therefore this government is not based on the
rule of law.
Philippines is more of a transitioning democracy where by both the
leaders word and the voice of law is evident as influencing government
decision, and actions.

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1.2.6 Practice: Comparing Governments