1997 Articles

Presidential, Parliamentary, or Combined System of Government: Comparison and Choice for China

Tan, Jian

Most of the democratic government systems in the world today take one of the following forms: presidential, parliamentary, or a combination of presidential and parliamentary (a “combined system”).’ The presidential and parliamentary forms of government have undergone reform as a tide of democratization has risen in the world. Some states have tried to keep the merits and avoid the defects of the presidential and parliamentary systems by forming new combined systems. As the People’s Republic of China pursues economic and social reform, it is worth considering the political changes that will inevitably follow. This Comment outlines, in only the broadest terms, the advantages and disadvantages of these various systems of democratic government. The Comment discusses the advantages of the combined system of government for China and will propose some necessary requirements for such a system in China. It is hoped that the general discussion that follows provides some ideas for, and initiates a dialogue on, the best course of political reform for China.