What is responsible government?
Q: What is responsible government?
A: Responsible government is a principle of some democratic governments in which there is a degree of accountability towards parliament and the concept of bicameralism.
Q: How does it differ from a government with responsibility?
A: A responsible government is one in which the leaders of the executive branch are also members of the legislature, while a government with responsibility may not have this requirement.
Q: What countries use responsible government?
A: Countries that use responsible government usually have parliamentary systems of government, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
Q: What countries do not use responsible government?
A: Countries that do not have a system of responsible government include the United States and France.
Q: How does accountable representation work in countries with responsible governments?
A: In countries with responsible governments, accountability tends to be directed towards the lower house (House of Commons), as members of the upper house (House of Lords) are not wholly elected. This allows for better representation by those who voted for the governing party.
Q: How can cabinet stay in power under a system with responsible governments?
A: The cabinet must have support from majority within legislature to remain in power; if it loses this support then an election or new political party will form another cabinet.
Q:What type of separation powers exist in systems without responsible governments?
A:In countries without systems using responsible governments, there is more separation between powers since both cabinets and legislatures are elected separately.
