SSC-217: Introduction to Political

Science
Comparative Politics
Dr. Laila Farooq
Institutions:

All interactions take place in an environment -

“Institutions are rules known by the community that
structure political interactions” (FLS Intro)
These can be informal (norms) or become laws
(charters, treaties)
• They can create new actors
• (It can be confusing because sometimes these actors
as organizations are called institutions)

Farooq 2016
Institutions can influence the interactions by:
1. Who the relevant actors are and how many they are
2. The structure of the interaction (who moves first,
repeated or not etc.)
3. Rewards and penalties (the rules of the interaction)
4. Compliance (monitoring)
5. Reduce costs of decision making, share information
6. Resolve disputes

Farooq 2016
Why join existing institutions? Why not create new
ones?

• Facilitate cooperation
• Existing ones are sticky, making another one is more
costly

Farooq 2016
What is a democracy?

• Pluralism
• Participation
• Protection (separation of powers)
• Transitions
Forms of democracy:
Presidential system
• Executives and legislatures are elected in distinct, separate elections for fixed
terms of office;
• executives cannot be removed by votes of no confidence
• executive power is separated from legislative power
Parliamentary System
• legislatures select executive leadership
• executives can be removed by votes of no confidence (note that early
elections can be held from both branches)
• executive and legislative powers are combined
The executive in a presidential system:

• commander of the country’s military forces

• Granting pardons, except in disputes involving impeachment
• Negotiating treaties, in consultation with the Senate
• Appointing, in consultation with the Senate, ambassadors, Supreme
Court justices, and other officials

(President tries to persuade the Congress to pass bills- lobbying)

The executive in a parliamentary system: (the UK)

• The constitution?

• The executive is the Prime Minister

• Prime Minister has a Cabinet, needs to work with the House of

Commons (legislature)
Government in England

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Political-structure-in-Engl
and_fig8_44181825
Legislature in the US system

• Senators and Representatives are both elected (different mechanisms)

• Committees and sub committees

• Bills are approved in both houses, and then the President

• Both houses work differently

 Government
in the US

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_government_of_the_United_States
Think about:

• The process of law making (does the system support making laws?)

• The balance between election and appointment (role of judiciary)

• Number of parties and the role of the opposition

https://nayadaur.tv/2020/07/to-remain-viable-in-21st-century-pakistani
-state-needs-structural-reform/

https://www.democraticfoundation.com.pk/govt-structure-of-pakistan

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24046457_Determinants_of
_Collective_Action_under_Devolution_Initiatives_The_Case_of_Citizen
_Community_Boards_in_Pakistan/figures?lo=1
Devolution: