CHAPTER EIGHT
The Imperfections of Political Institutions

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When trying to fully appreciate how governments work, it is important to appreciate both the ideals and the flaws associated with institutions. There are no such things as perfect institutions; there are problems associated with every system. The presidential system can suffer from either an overly strong president or from the gridlock that is the result of divided government. Parliamentary systems can face problems with stability that derive from the need to form coalitions and the ever-present threat of a vote of no confidence. There are concerns in all democratic systems—because of gerrymandering in district systems and coalitions in proportional systems—with how representative parliaments are of the wishes of the population. All governments rely on bureaucracy, but government agencies are far from ideal. There are consistently concerns about how responsive bureaucracies are to the public and fears that interested parties will take control of the agencies that regulate them. However, there are factors that keep even unelected bureaucrats responsive to the public. Students should learn two very important lessons from this chapter. First, all government institutions are imperfect. We often take for granted that nondemocratic regimes have flaws, but we do not usually focus a critical eye on democratic institutions. With closer analysis we can make more informed judgments about the relative effectiveness of the institutions that nations employ. Second, it is always cathartic, even if only slightly humorous, to compare bureaucrats to the Periplaneta americana.

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