Systems of government

Traps in Systems of government

• Confuses electoral systems and bodies
  Franchise = right to vote. First-past-the-post: highest votes wins a constituency. Proportional representation: seats in proportion to votes.
• Confuses federal and unitary systems
  Federal: powers divided CONSTITUTIONALLY between centre and units (Nigeria, USA). Unitary: power concentrated at the centre, which may delegate (Ghana, UK).
• Confuses parliamentary and presidential systems
  Parliamentary: executive drawn from and responsible to legislature (fusion), separate head of state and head of government. Presidential: separate executive, fixed term, president is both heads.
• Describes a different system of government
  Learn each classification as a table with one defining feature per type (parliamentary: fused executive and legislature; confederation: units keep sovereignty) and match the stem to that feature.
• Picks a closely related concept
  Learn related terms as contrasting pairs with one-line definitions, then identify which one the stem describes.
• Chooses a true but irrelevant statement
  Test each option against the exact term in the stem, not against whether it is true.
• Over-generalises a feature
  Political systems vary; options with all/always/never are usually wrong unless the definition itself is absolute.
• Reverses the principle or its effect
  Ask what problem the principle is meant to solve; the right answer serves that purpose, the reversal defeats it.
• Confuses legislative structures
  Unicameral = one chamber (Ghana); bicameral = two (Nigeria: Senate + House of Reps). Speaker presides; whips enforce party discipline; quorum is the minimum number to transact business.
• Picks the wrong country or place
  Learn the place with its distinguishing fact (OPEC HQ: Vienna; founded in Baghdad). Read whether the stem asks where something began or where it is now.
• Mixes types of constitution
  Rigid = special procedure to amend (e.g. Nigeria). Flexible = amended like ordinary law (UK). Written = in a single document. Unwritten = conventions, statutes, case law.
• Confuses executive roles
  Collective responsibility: the cabinet stands or falls together. Individual responsibility: a minister answers for their department. Ceremonial head of state vs executive head of government.
• Military rule misconceptions
  Military regimes suspend the constitution and rule by decrees/edicts; the ruling council (e.g. Supreme Military Council) combines executive and legislative powers.
• Misunderstands local government
  Local government is government at the grassroots by locally elected councils with defined powers and revenue. Deconcentration transfers tasks to field officers of central ministries; devolution transfers powers to elected local bodies.
• Misunderstands features of democracy
  Direct democracy: citizens decide in person (ancient Athens, referendums). Representative: elected representatives decide. Features: periodic free elections, rule of law, majority rule with minority rights, freedom of expression.
• Confuses pre-colonial political systems
  Hausa-Fulani: centralised emirates under the Emir with Sharia. Old Oyo: Alaafin checked by Oyomesi, Ogboni. Igbo: acephalous/segmentary, council of elders, age grades. Ashanti: Asantehene with the Golden Stool, confederacy.
• Misunderstands judicial independence
  Independence is secured by security of tenure, salaries charged on the consolidated fund, appointment through a judicial service commission, and immunity for judicial acts.
• Misunderstands features of civil service
  Civil service: permanence, neutrality, anonymity, impartiality, recruitment on merit.
• Confuses Ghanaian constitutional history
  Burns 1946: African unofficial majority in Legislative Council. Coussey 1951: led to Nkrumah as Leader of Government Business. 1957 independence; 1960 republic (Nkrumah president); 1992 Fourth Republic.
• Mixes colonial administration policies
  Britain: indirect rule through traditional rulers (Lugard, Northern Nigeria). France: assimilation/association — making Africans 'French'. Portugal: assimilado.
• Confuses separation of powers and checks and balances
  Separation of powers (Montesquieu): legislature makes, executive implements, judiciary interprets laws. Checks and balances: each organ limits the others (veto, impeachment, judicial review).