"Epilogue" [2019] ELECD 1895; in Popovic, Dragoljub (ed), "Comparative Government" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019) 265

Book Title: Comparative Government

Editor(s): Popović, Dragoljub

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Section Title: Epilogue

Number of pages: 3

Extract:

Epilogue
The forms of government existing in modern states today are the
outcome of evolution. They are rooted in history. However, neither their
roots nor their attachment to history are of the same depth. Parliamentary
government stands the first in line, as the cradle of all modern forms of
government, and it was necessary to analyse somewhat broadly the
constitutional developments in its birthplace in England. A thorough
understanding of the parliamentary system is crucial for the whole study
of comparative government. The other classical model of government,
being the presidential model born in America, was initially shaped with
the view of parliamentary government in Britain. Alexander Hamilton
sincerely confessed the belief that the British government was the best in
the world, adding that `nothing short of it would do in America'. The
presidential form of government was not a legal transplant in the modern
sense of the term, but its drafters sought inspiration in parliamentary
government, the forefather of all forms.
The process of development of the classical forms of government is a
continuing evolution. It appears to be more evident within the parliamen-
tary system than in the presidential one, despite the fact that the
innovations are not recent. For instance, the constructive no-confidence
vote, being one of the outstanding new institutions within the model of
parliamentary government, is already more than 65 years old. Between
the parliamentary and presidential forms of government there is a trend
of convergence insofar as parliamentary government with a stable execu-
...