Comparing Asian Governments

China

• Unitary communist gov sys

• Oligarchy because only 1 group, Communist Party of China, has control of the gov

• gov has 3 branches, however, there is no true separation of powers

• Officially called The People’s Republic of China

• Remember that a republic is: a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen directly or indirectly by them

Is China a republic?

Executive

• president and vice president elected by National People's Congress for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); elections last held 15-17 March 2008 (next to be held in mid-March 2013); premier nominated by president, confirmed by National People's Congress

Executive Branch

•Consists of president, vice-president, premier, vice-premier & State Council

•Pres is the chief of state & represents China in international world & is selected by Communist Party

Executive Branch•Premier is head of the gov (similar to a prime minister) & is chosen by Communist Party

Legislative Branch

•Composed of members of the National People’s Congress•Members choose pres & vp & review laws sent from executive branch•All members are of the Communist Party & are elected by local councils•The National People’s Congress meets only 14 days a yr

Legislative Branch

• Because National People’s Congress only meets 14 days a yr, Politburo runs the country the rest of the yr

• Politburo is composed of the leaders of the Communist Party of China

• General Secretary of Communist Party heads the Politburo & is in command of the army

Judicial Branch

•Composed of Supreme People’s Court•Not independent of executive branch•Cannot challenge actions of legislative or executive branch•Members of court make sure the people of China follow the Communist Party’s policies.

The Communist Party

•Controls gov •Sets policies enforced by central gov •Members are any Chinese person who is at least 18 yrs old, accepts the party’s beliefs & constitution, is willing to carry out its decisions & pays dues

Citizen Participation •Citizens 18 & older can vote, but have very limited power•Elections feature only candidates selected by Communist Party•Many of the international community accuse China of violating citizen’s human rights by not allowing them to choose their own leaders or have influence on the nation’s laws

Do they have a constitution?

most recent promulgation 4 December 1982

Segment of Preamble

China is a country with one of the longest histories in the world. The people of all of China's nationalities have jointly created a culture of grandeur and have a glorious revolutionary tradition. After 1840, feudal China was gradually turned into a semi-colonial and semi- feudal country.

Do they have personal freedom?

• Citizens today have much greater freedom of control over their daily lives

• including the freedom to choose their jobs, to marry whom they wish, to dress as they wish, to own a car and a house, and to travel

• freer to express themselves to each other, & even to criticize the government, as long as the criticism is done in private & not publicly in the media or on the Internet.

Republic of India

• They call themselves a federal republic

• Definition: a form of government made up of a federal state with a constitution & self-governing subunits

• Example:   The United States of America is a federal republic

Government System

•A federal parliamentary democratic republic•Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf•Central or national gov has 3 branches

1. Executive

2. Legislative

3. Judicial

Executive Branch

•Composed of president, vice president prime minister & Council of Ministers•Pres is chief of state, appoints state governors, members of Council of Ministers & pm •Most of pres’s duties are ceremonial

Executive Branch

•PM is head of the gov & is India’s top gov official•leader of political party that receives the most votes becomes PM • PM is head of both legislative & executive branches

Legislative Branch

•Called Federal Parliament •Members of parliament are elected by people of India & creates laws•President & vp both elected by members parliament

Judicial Branch

•Composed of Supreme Court•26 judges: 1 of those judges is known as Chief Justice•make sure members of legislative & executive follow constitution•appointed by pres at recommendation of pm

Indian States

•28 states each has a governor appointed by Pres•governors are chief executive of each state•Each state also has a parliament elected by residents of that state•national gov has power over state’s gov

Are they a republic?

Citizen Participation

•citizens 18 & older can vote in both national & local elections•numerous political parties based on religious, caste, & language affiliation

Do they have a constitution?

26 January 1950

Preamble

• Resolved to constitute India into a sovereign socialist secular democratic republic and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the [unity and integrity of the Nation]; IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

Do they have personal freedoms?

• Words in Preamble:

JusticeLiberty

Equality

Japan

• They consider themselves a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government

• A monarchy in which the powers of the ruler are restricted to those granted under the constitution and laws of the nation

Government System

•Also a unitary sys of gov in which central gov has all power•Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf•central or national gov has 3 branches

1. Executive

2. Legislative

3. Judicial

Citizen Participation

•citizens 20 & older can vote•People vote for leaders using secret ballots•Voter turnout is low in elections

Picture from Japan’s first democratic election

Executive Branch

•Composed of emperor, prime minister, & cabinet•emperor is chief of state & doesn’t have any real political power•emperor acts as a representative of Japanese people

Meeting with the Prime Minister of Canada

Executive Branch

•pm is head of gov & top gov official•leader of political party that receives most votes becomes pm•pm also appoints cabinet, which are advisors

Legislative Branch

•Called the Diet & creates laws•Members of parliament are elected by people•pm is selected by members of Diet

Judicial Branch

•composed of Supreme Court•15 judges make up Court-1 of those is Chief Justice•make sure members of legislative & executive branches are following constitution

Japanese Prefectures

•47 governed districts or prefectures•Leaders of each are elected by popular vote & is responsible for people•central gov has power over local governments (prefectures)

Constitution

3 May 1947

Preface to Constitution

• We, the Japanese people, acting through our duly elected representatives in the National Diet, determined that we shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of peaceful cooperation with all nations and the blessings of liberty throughout this land, and resolved that never again shall we be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government, do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the people and do firmly establish this Constitution.

Do they have personal freedoms?

• Article 11:

The people shall not be prevented from enjoying any of the fundamental human rights. These fundamental human rights guaranteed to the people by this Constitution shall be conferred upon the people of this and future generations as eternal and inviolate rights.

Article 13

• All of the people shall be respected as individuals. Their right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness shall, to the extent that it does not interfere with the public welfare, be the supreme consideration in legislation and in other governmental affairs.

Article 14

• All of the people are equal under the law and there shall be no discrimination in political, economic or social relations because of race, creed, sex, social status or family origin. 2) Peers and peerage shall not be recognized. 3) No privilege shall accompany any award of honor, decoration or any distinction, nor shall any such award be valid beyond the lifetime of the individual who now holds or hereafter may receive it.

Questions

• How are the 3 governments similar?

• How are the 3 governments different?

• Which are democracies?