GOVERNMENT

SECOND TERM NOTES

WEEK 2
FEDERAL SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT
A federal system government is a system that divides or shares power between a central {national} government, state and local
governments. They are connected to one another by the national government. Some areas of public life are under the control of the
national government, and some areas are under control of the local governments.Countries that practice federalism adopt federal
constitution. Examples of countries that adopt federalism include; U.S.A., Nigeria, Federal Republic of Germany, Brazil, Switzerland,
Australia, Yugoslavia, India among others.
The powers of the government are assigned constitutionally among the states and central government. The powers are usually
referred to as legislative lists. Under the federal exclusive legislative lists in Nigeria are the federal civil service, mining, defense,
foreign policy, currency and banking, aviation, immigration, police, customs, and prisons. Only the central government can legislate on
the subjects in the exclusive lists. Concurrent list of power are areas where powers are shared jointly by both the central and
state government. In case there is conflict of laws made by both governments, the central government laws will supersede that of the
state government. Subject matters on concurrent list include health, education, agriculture, roads, housing etc. Residual powers are
powers not included in either the exclusive list or the concurrent lists, and this rest in the states. Matters in the residual lists include
chieftaincy matters, local governments, markets, etc.
Reasons for Federating
The following are the reasons for the adoption of federal system of government.
1. For Rapid and Even Development: Some countries adopt federalism to ensure rapid and even development of a country.
2. The Size of the Country:A federal system is suitable for a state with large geographical area and large population.
3. To Bring Government Nearer to the People:Federalism which leads to the creation of state or regions
brings government very close to the people especially to those at local areas.
 4. To Expand Local Markets:The division of a country into different regions or states under federalism is done with the reason to
expand the local markets.
5. Tribal Differences:Differences in culture, religion, language, custom, tradition, etc among different groups of a country may
lead to the adoption of federalism.
6. To create more Employment Opportunities:The division of powers and the duplications of offices and services create
employment opportunities more than any other system.
7. Desire for Union: Some states desire a union because of threat to their independence or fear of external attacks.
8. For Diverse Law to be made:Federalism is also established in order to make it possible for diverse laws that will suit the
diverse communities in the country.
9. For Easy and Effective Government: Countries advocate for federalism because, division of powers just like division of labour,
will make the art of governance more effective, efficient, time saving, less fatigue and less energy-sapping.
10. Protection of the Interest of Minority Groups: In order to protect the interest of the minority group in a country where there is
sharp demarcation between majority and minority group, it will be necessary to establish federalism.

Characteristics or Features of Federal System of Government

The following are the basic characteristics of the federal system of government:
1. The constitutional powers are shared among the levels or tiers of government; that is, the federal, state and local governments.
2. Each component unit or government has sole control over the area under its authority.
3. The constitution of a federal state is usually rigid. It cannot be amended by any one level of government, but by all the
governments together.
4. Supreme Court settles constitutional conflicts.
5. Federal system of government adopts written constitution.
 6. There is duplication of organs of government in all levels or tiers of government.
7. The constitution is supreme in federalism.
8. The constitution of federalism forbids secession.
9. The constitution specifies the areas of responsibility of each level of government.
10. All the levels of government derive their powers from the constitution.

Resource Control in a Federal System Government

In a federal system of government, the state or local government would manage the resources from their territories under federal
guidelines, and then remit taxes to the federal government.
Merits and Demerits of Federalism
Merits or Advantages of Federalism
1. Faster Development: The distribution of powers into different areas in a federation, ensures faster and even development.
2. It Brings Government Nearer to the People: Federalism which involves division of a country into smaller governments, brings
these government to the door step of the people.
3. Encouragement of Healthy Competition:Federalism encourages healthy competition among the component states or regions
which goes a long way in leading to rapid development.
4. Prevention of Emergence of Dictator:This is as a result of the fact that powers are not concentrated in a single authority as is
done in unitary system of government.
5. It Allays Fear of Domination: Fear of domination of one ethnic group on others are reduced by federalism since each ethnic
group is given the opportunity to rule itself in its own way.
 6. Creation of more Employment Opportunity:the duplication of offices gives room for employment opportunities.
7. Guarantee Human Rights:This is as a result of the fact that in a federation, constitution is supreme.
8. It Maintains Political Stability: The division of powers in a federation removes all forms of dissatisfaction that leads to political
instability.
9. Economic Advantages: Federalism brings about rational utilization of the material and human resources in all levels of

Demerits or Disadvantages of Federalism

1. Inter-State Friction: This is as a result of differences in opinions among these component states or regions into which powers
are divided.
2. It is Expensive to Operate:It cost a lot in terms of material and human resources required to operate a federal system
of government due to duplication of positions and offices
3. Difficulty in Taking Quick Decisions:This is as a result of the consultations required before decisions are taken especially in
matters that fall into concurrent lists that involves both the central and the state government.
4. Fear of Domination:In spite of the fact that powers that exist in the country that adopt federalism are divided into many areas, it
still does not remove the fear of one ethnic group dominating others at the centre.
5. Problem of Wealth Sharing: Federalism creates the problem of sharing the wealth of the country among different component
states and the central government.
6. Problems of Co-ordination: It is problematic in coordinating a federal state as a result of many areas into which powers are
divided.
7. Difficulty in Amending the Constitution:This is as a result of lack of flexibility and rigid nature of the federal constitution
adopted in a federation.
 8. It Leads to Dual Loyalty:The citizens tend to have two different governments to demonstrate their loyalty, which is the state
and central government.

WEEK 3
Unitary system of Government

Meaning of Unitary Government

Unitary system of government is a system of government in which all governmental powers are concentrated in the hands of a single
authority or central government. The central government has all the constitutional powers, assumes supremacy over all other
subordinates units and makes laws for the entire state.

In unitary government powers are not shared between the central government and other component units. Unitary government adopts
a unitary constitution. Examples of unitary states are Britain, Ghana, the Gambia, France, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, Sierra
Leone, Ethiopia, Togo, Cameroon, etc.

Main Features or Characteristics of Unitary Government

The following are the features or characteristics of unitary government.

1. All governmental powers are concentrated in the hands of a single authority or central government.

2. There is no constitutional division of powers between the central government and the local regions.
 3. The central government is the only source from which power emanates.

4. The central government can delegate powers to other subordinate bodies.

5. The constitution need not necessary be supreme, for the central government may have power to modify it.

6. The constitution need not be rigid.

7. There is no judicial review

8. The citizens owe allegiance to only one government; that is, the central government.

9. It is best practiced in a homogenous state where there are no sharp differences in religion, language and political belief.

10. A unitary government adopts a unitary constitution.

11. The various units into which the nation is divided for administrative purposes are created by the central government.

12. There is parliamentary supremacy in a unitary state.

Advantages or Merits of Unitary Government

1. Stronger and Stable Government:Unitary system of government tends to be stronger and more stable than federal system
of government. This is because the citizens show loyalty to the central government.
 2. Reduction in Cost: The cost of running a unitary system of government is reduced because there is no duplication
of government and offices.

3. Quicker Decisions are Made:Quicker decisions are made because the single authority into which power is concentrated need
not consult any other authority before taking decisions.

4. Promotion of National Unity: The system promotes patriotism as a result of absence of tribalism, sectionalism associated with
federalism and these give rise to national unity.

5. Simple to Operate:Unitary government is easy to operate and less cumbersome because it does not require too much financial
and manpower resources unlike federalism.

6. Avoids Waste of Human and Material Resources:This is as a result of the fact that Unitarianism does not involve
unnecessary duplication of government offices.

7. Foster the Spirit of Oneness: The citizens in a country that adopts unitary system of government look to themselves as one.

8. It Has Flexible Constitution: This is an advantage to a unitary government because the constitution can easily and cheaply be
amended to suit the changing social, political and economic situation of a country

9. Uniformity in the Level of Development: All parts of a country that adopts unitary system of government tend to develop at
the same pace.

Disadvantages or Demerits of Unitary Government

1. The Central Government is Over Burdened: The central government is overloaded with too much problems as a result of
concentration of all governmental powers in one single authority.
 2. Encouragement of Dictatorship: It leads to dictatorship as a result of concentration of powers in a single authority.

3. Does not Suit Large Territories: Unitary system of government is only suitable for countries with small sizes not for countries
with large population, wide geographical areas, diverse language, culture, etc.

4. Government is Kept Far Away from the People: Unlike federalism, Unitarianism places government far away from the people
especially those in interior parts of the country.

5. It Kills Local Initiatives: Since there is only one decision making body at the centre, good initiatives from the local areas will be
overlooked.

6. It does not Encourage Wider Representation: Unitary government does not give room for wider representation of the people
in the government as a result of the fact that there is only one level of government-the central government.

7. Leads to Domination of Minority Groups: The minority groups in a country that adopts a unitary system of government are
dominated by the majority.

8. It Causes Dissatisfaction: It causes dissatisfaction among the various units of a country as a result of the concentration of
governmental power in one single authority that may be made up of people from one area.

9. Is Prone to Political Instability:Unitarianism if adopted in a multi-ethnic and multi-lingual country, will lead to political instability
because of the dissatisfaction it causes.

Factors Responsible for the Success of Unitary Government

The following must be taken into consideration to have a successful unitary form of government.
 1. Homogeneity of Society: That is where there is a great deal of similarity in language, culture, religion and attitude.

2. Size of the Country: A unitary system of government operates best in a country with fairly small size for example Togo, Ghana,
etc.

3. Common Language and Culture:Common language and culture bind people together and these give rise to the adoption of
unitary system of government.

4. Common History:Unitary system of government operates better in an environment where the citizens of the country have a
common history.

5. Absence of Minority Groups:Where there are no minority groups, unitary system of government can work well.

6. Loyalty to the Central Government: Unitary system of government works very well in countries where the citizens show strong
loyalty to the central government.

Resource Control in a Unitary System of Government

Resource control is the control and management of resources by the central or local government. In a unitary system of government,
resources are controlled by the central government. The central government in the system has absolute control over the resources of
the subordinate governments. The subordinate governments only exercise the power given to them by the central government.

WEEK 4
Confederal System of Government

Confederation is the form of government in which sovereign states come together as autonomous bodies to form a loose political
union, in which the central government is sub-ordinate to the component governments. A government is said to be con-federal
when the constitutional arrangements allocate much power to the component at the expense of the central government. It is also
defined as a loose federation. Example is Senegambia which was a confederation made of sovereign Senegal and Gambia,
Main Features of Confederation
The main features of confederalism include the following:
1. The component sovereign states are more powerful than the central government.
2. It is a union of sovereign or autonomous states.
3. It has weak central government.
4. The constitution makes the component states very powerful.
5. The allegiance of the citizens is usually more to the component sovereign states than the centre.
6. The component states retain their sovereignty and identity.
7. Confederation has a flexible constitution.
8. The component states have constitutional rights to secede.
9. As a loose union, it is generally less politically stable.

Resource Control in a Confederation

Resources are controlled in a confederation by the component governments this does not mean that their contributions for the
upkeep and administration of the supra-national authority are not accounted for.
Merits of Confederation
The following are the merits or advantages of confederation:
1. Confederation encourages healthy competition among the sovereign states.
2. Confederation enables a union to be forged among people with different cultural background.
3. The constitutional right of secession from the confederation is an advantage to member states which desire to terminate their
membership.
4. Confederation allows component states to retain their sovereignty and identity instead of losing such to the
central government.
5. The component states have the opportunity to make diverse laws that will suit their states.
6. Confederation guarantees wider consultation especially in the formulation of policies that concern all the states
7. Confederation helps to expand the local markets in the states concerned.
8. Equality exists among the states which make up the confederation. No state can claim supremacy over others.

Demerits of Confederation
The following are the demerits or disadvantages of confederation:
1. Confederation is not popular because it has a weak central government.
2. Confederation is repudiated by many nations because of its inherent political instability.
3. Citizens obey their component governments while the central government is not recognized in the system.
4. The making and implementation of decisions are unnecessarily This is because members of the union need to agree before
decisions are reached.
 5. The right of secession is a source of disunity which may lead to the quick disintegration of a confederation.
6. Confederation is not popular because of the fact that component states retain their sovereignty and identity instead of losing
them to the common union.
7. Confederation does not allow for even development of the component state.

Differences between Federalism and Confederalism

S/N FEDERALISM CONFEDERALISM

Sovereignty of Sovereignty of component

1 component states states
is absent is assured
Major power is centrally Major power is component
2
based based
Non-guaranteed right to Guaranteed right of
3 secession secession of
of member states member states
Loyalty and allegiance is
Loyalty and allegiance to
to
4 all levels
component government o
of government
nly
 There is a central Absence of central
5
standing army standing army
Component units are Component states are
autonomous, sovereign
6
but subordinate to the and independent of the
centre centre.

WEEK 5

Presidential system of Government

The presidential system of government is a system of government in which there is an executive president who is vested with all
executive powers and who combines the office of head of state and head of government.
The president is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and combined the executive functions and ceremonial duties. He also
appoints members of his cabinet who are not members of the parliament. Nigeria and U.S.A are good examples of countries practicing
presidential system of government. The president can be removed from office through the process of impeachment.
Characteristics of Presidential System of Government
The following are the characteristics of the presidential system of government:
 1. In a presidential system of government, the President is both the head of state and head of government.
2. The principle of separation of powers is operational in presidential system of government.
3. The President and his ministers are not members of the parliament.
4. The principle of checks and balances is applicable in presidential system of government.
5. The constitution is supreme in a presidential system.
6. The tenure of office of the President is limited to a fixed term.
7. The ministers are responsible to the President not the legislature.
8. The President has power to dismiss any member of his cabinet at anytime.
9. The President has powers to pardon prisoners, appointment of judges to the supreme court, assenting to bills passed by the
legislature etc.
10. The President is responsible to the constitution and not to the legislatures.

Resource Control in a Presidential System of Government

Resource control in a presidential system of government is located in the National Assembly and the Presidency. The National
Assembly members have the power to determine and recommend control of the state’s resources to the president. The president too
has the responsibility of endorsing the recommendations of the National Assembly.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Presidential System of Government
Advantages or Merits of the Presidential System of Government
1. Separation of Powers: There is clear separation of powers among the three organs of government which prevent misuse of
power.
2. Checks and Balances:Checks and balances among the three organs of government prevent tyranny and abuse of power.
 3. Fixed Tenure of Office:The president’s fixed term of office enables him to give full time to the pursuit of state duties during his
tenure.
4. Absence of Collective Responsibility: In the presidential system of government every individual is accountable for his acts
which may lead to his own resignation and not the entire cabinet.
5. Absence of Conflict:The fusion of the positions of the head of state and the head of government in the President removes
possible conflict between the two as it happens in the cabinet system.
6. Easy to Apportion Blame:The system makes it possible to easily apportion blame to any organ or arm of government that fails
in the performance of its functions because of the absence of fusion of powers.
7. Power to Discipline:The president has the power to discipline erring members of his government, especially the ministers.
8. Proper Use of Talents:In as much as the president has the right to choose members of his cabinet from anywhere, he chooses
the best talents for his government.

Disadvantages or Demerits of the Presidential System of Government

1. It May Breed Dictators: Since power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, over concentration of powers in the
president can make him a dictator.
2. Expensive to Run: As a result of non fusion of the executive and the legislature this makes the system too expensive to
operate.
3. It is Difficult to Control the President: This is as a result of the fact that he is not responsible to the parliament; he can refuse
to implement laws made by the legislature because he cannot be easily removed from the office.
4. Lobby: Lobbying leads to bribe and bride to corruption and this is one of the elements used in presidential system
of government by the president to the legislators in order to initiate a bill.
 5. Frequent Friction: There is always friction between the executive and the legislature as a result of the separation of the two
arms of government.
6. The power of the president to appoint anyone as a minister can encourage him to appoint his relatives or close friends. Those
appointed may not be competent to perform the job.

Checks and Limitations on the Powers of the Executive President

To prevent abuse of power or excessive power, the powers of the Executive President in a presidential system of government are
checked in the following ways:
1. His term of office is limited constitutionally and he can be voted out of office at the end of his tenure.
2. The president can be impeached by the National Assembly especially for breach of the constitution.
3. If he refuses to assent to a bill, the National Assembly can thereafter pass it into law by two thirds majority.
4. The National Assembly must approve all the list of members of his cabinet.
5. The supreme court can declare as null and void any unconstitutional action of the president

The Principle of Individual Responsibility in the Presidential System of Government

This is a popular principle in a presidential system of government. A minister appointed by the president is individually held responsible
for any decision made or taken in his department or ministry. Therefore, the minister has both constitutional and political responsibilities
for the department he or she is in charge of. It is worthy to note that the president has the veto power to dismiss any minister that is not
performing up to expectation or demands of his office.

WEEK 6

The parliamentary system of government

Cabinet or parliamentary system of government may be defined as one in which the Head of State is different from the Head
of Government and where there is no strict separation of powers between the executive and the legislature. The main executive
power is exercised by the Prime Minister, who is the head of government. The other part of the executive power is ceremonial and
it is exercised by a President or Monarch (King or Queen) which is the head of state. Britain is a very good example of a cabinet
system of government. Nigeria practiced the system between 1960 and 1966. Parliamentary filibuster refers to a delay method of
prolonging debates in parliament. The prime minister and his cabinet can be removed from office through a vote of no confidence
by members of the parliament.

Major Characteristics of Parliamentary System of Government

The following are the major characteristics of the parliamentary system of government:
1. The head of state is different from the head of government.
2. There is no strict separation of powers.
3. The prime minister is the head of government while the Queen or the King or the President is the head of state.
4. The prime minister exercise real executive powers.
5. The Head of State performs ceremonial functions.
6. The Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers are chosen from the legislature and they form what is called parliamentary
executive.
7. The Prime Minister and all cabinet ministers are also members of the parliament.
8. The Prime Minister is also the parliamentary leader of the party in power.
9. The Prime Minister has the power to dismiss any minister in his cabinet.
10. The system operates on collective responsibility.
 11. A vote of ‘no confidence’ by the parliament can force the Prime Minister and his cabinet minister to resign.

Merits or Advantages and Demerits or Disadvantages of Parliamentary System of Government

Merits or Advantages of Parliamentary System of Government
1. It Foster Cooperation: Parliamentary system of government foster cooperation between the executive and the legislative
arms of government as a result of their fusion.
2. The System is Less Expensive: In parliamentary system of government members of the executive and the legislative arms
are elected in one election and also few people are involve since members of the executive are also member of the
legislature.
3. Collective Responsibility: This makes all hands to be on deck to steer the ship of the state successfully together since any
mistake by anyone might affect others.
4. Absence of Frequent Friction: There is less friction between the executive and the legislature because the two arms
of government are fused.
5. The Executive is Closely Checked: The fact that members of the executive are also members of the parliament, gives the
parliament the opportunity to check the activities of the executive closely.
6. Quick Policies are Made:In the cabinet system, the legislature and the executive are fused which makes for faster policies
to be made.
7. There is Free Flow of Information:This free flow of information is as a result of the fact that members of the executive are
equally member of the legislature; information gap is therefore bridged
8. There is a cordial relationship between the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers because the Prime Minister is regarded
as primus inter pares; that is first among equals.

Demerits or Disadvantages of Parliamentary System of Government

 1. Fusion of Power: This does not encourage specialization in the art of governance thereby leading to inefficiency and
ineffectiveness in administration.
2. No Personal Accountability:Collective responsibility make ministers behave anyhow since they cannot be judged
individually.
3. It is Less Democratic: The Prime Minister who rules the country is not elected directly by the electorate and therefore is not
responsible to the people.
4. Encouragement of Dictatorship: The system encourages the Prime Minister to become a dictator because of the
enormous power vested in him.
5. Members of the Executive are Prone to Distraction: This is as a result of their parliamentary commitments and will
therefore be distracted from executive assignment.
6. Arbitrary Dismissal: The uncontrollable powers of the Prime Minister in dismissing any minister he wishes to dismiss can
lead to arbitrary dismissal of ministers.

The Principle of Collective Responsibility in the Parliamentary System of Government

This is a major feature in parliamentary system of government. This principle emphasizes that the policies of every department
affects one another. Any member opposing government policy is expected to either withdraw what he has said or resign.
The decisions of the government is binding on all. Thus, all members of the cabinet (the council of ministers) are jointly responsible
and accountable to the parliament for every decision that is made. The principle also stipulates that no minister can criticize any
decisions of the cabinet without first resigning from the council. If any major policy or cabinet decision suffers defeat in the
parliament, a vote of no confidence is passed on the council of ministers which leads to the resignation of all members, including
the prime minister. Credit for good performance is also shared collectively.
Differences between Presidential and Parliamentary Systems of Government
S/N PRESIDENTIAL PARLIAMENTARY

Different persons perform

One person performs the
each of the
1 ceremonial
functions (ceremonial and
and executive functions.
executive).
Ministers are not All ministers are members
2
members of parliament of parliament.
The principle of The principle of collective
3 individual responsibility responsibility
is applicable. is applicable.
The principle of
The principle of fusion of
4 separation of power is
powers is upheld.
upheld
There is the principle of
There is absence of
5 checks and
checks and balances
balances.
The head The prime minister is
of government is elected appointed from the
6
by parliament in a cabinet
the electorates. system.
Supremacy of the Supremacy of the
7
constitution is upheld. parliament holds
 We have majority party We have ruling party and
8
and minority party opposition party.
Appointment of party
Appointment of ministers
members as
9 from the ruling
ministers by president is
party is compulsory.
not compulsory

WEEK 7

Monarchy

Monarchy is a form of government headed by a king, queen or emperor known as monarch. Monarchy is an hereditary system of rule
where power is transferred within the family from one generation to the other. Sovereignty is vested in an individual called the monarch.
In modern times, some countries operate monarchical form of government in which the monarch has limited power and performs
ceremonial functions.
Examples of countries where the system is practiced are Britain, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Forms of Monarchy
There are two forms or types of monarchy:
1. Absolute monarchy
2. Limited or constitutional monarchy

Absolute monarchy
This is the type of monarchy in which the monarch has unlimited powers. The monarch does not derive his powers from the
constitution but rules by divine right. Absolute monarchy is associated with hereditary leadership. Only members of the royal families
are qualified to lead or rule. Examples of former absolute monarchs are Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Nicholas II, the Czar of
Russia. Today, ruling absolute monarchs are very few. Examples are King Mohammed VI of Morocco and Abdulla Bin Abdul-aziz al-
saud of Saudi Arabia.
Limited or Constitutional Monarchy
In this form of monarchy, the monarch has limited powers because he or she derives his or her powers from the constitution. The
monarch is only a ceremonial or a figure head of state and a symbol of the nation. The actual power of governing is rested in the
elected representative. Examples of countries that adopt constitutional monarchical system of government include Britain, Sweden,
Arabia, Australia, Holland, etc.

Resource Control in a Monarchy

Resource control in absolute monarchy is vested in the monarch-the king or the queen. In Saudi Arabia where absolute monarchy is
practiced, the king has exclusive control over the sharing of state’s resources.
In constitutional monarchy, like in Britain, the resource control lies in the Queen-in-council. This means that resources are controlled by
both the parliament and the monarch.
The Main Features of Monarchy
1. Final state authority lies in the king or queen.
2. Ascension to leadership position is by hereditary.
3. Countries using the monarchical system of government are usually characterized by religious homogeneity.
4. It is based on age-long cultural practices.
5. Obedience to the monarch is as natural as obedience of a child to his parents
 6. There is no separation of powers, as the executive, legislative and in some cases even judicial powers are all concentrated in
the reigning monarch.

Merits or Advantages and Demerits or Disadvantages of Monarchy

Merits or Advantages of Monarchy
1. Monarchy brings about political stability
2. The monarch is a spiritual and historical figure. It is the custodian of the traditions and customs of the people.
3. Decisions are taken without unnecessary delay especially in absolute monarchy
4. National loyalty is encouraged because obedience to the monarch is seen as obedience to God.
5. Monarchy is best adopted to deal with emergency situations. This is possible because the monarch does not need to consult
others before he takes any action.

Demerits or Disadvantages of Monarchy

1. The monarch can easily become a dictator
2. Monarchy does not accept the principle of popular sovereignty
3. The characteristics of monarchy as a form of government negate the principle of democracy.
4. A monarch could be a despot as good intentions, ability and good conduct are not hereditary
5. Most officials in a monarchy are not elected
6. The divine right of the monarch makes their subjects passive participants in the political system