Introduction to System of Government

Concept of State and Government

First, let us begin with the most basic foundation:

👉 What is the State?

A State is not just a piece of land or a government office. It is a political institution. To qualify as a “State,” four essential elements must exist:

1. Population – A group of people forming a community.
2. Territory – A definite geographical area where these people live.
3. Government – An organized authority that runs the system.
4. Sovereignty – Independence from any external control.

In simple words, a State = People + Territory + Government + Sovereignty.
This was also tested in UPSC 2021 prelims.

👉 What is Government then?

The Government is the machinery through which the State operates. It is the group of people in authority who:

• Make laws,
• Enforce them,
• Manage public affairs, and
• Provide services to citizens.

So, the State is permanent, but Governments keep changing (example: India is the State; UPA or NDA is the Government).

System of Government

Now the next logical question: How is power organized between different organs of the Government?

This is answered by the System of Government, which decides the relationship between Legislature and Executive and the distribution of powers.

There are different models:

1. Unitary System

• Here, all powers are concentrated in the Central Government.
• The regional or local bodies get their power from the Centre.
• Examples: France, Britain, Japan, China.
• Key point: Even if the constitution is written (France) or unwritten (Britain), rigid (France) or flexible (Britain), the Centre remains supreme.

👉 Think of it like a school where the Principal has all powers, and teachers (states) only function under his orders.

2. Federal System

• Power is divided between the Centre and States.
• Both levels are autonomous in their own spheres, and their powers are defined by the Constitution.
• Examples: USA, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Argentina, Germany.

👉 Here, it’s like a joint family where both father (Centre) and elder sons (States) have independent authority in their respective domains.

3. Confederate System

• Here, the States are supreme, and the Centre is very weak.
• The Central Government works only if States voluntarily agree.
• The Constitution is flexible.
• Examples: Former Soviet Union, early Switzerland (canton system).

👉 It’s like a friendship group—there’s a leader, but only as long as members agree to follow him.

Constitutional Government

Now, let’s move to another crucial idea: the Constitutional Government.

• A Constitutional Government is one where the government functions within limits set by the Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land.
• It ensures limited government, meaning the State cannot act arbitrarily.

Two key points from UPSC:

1. Source of Power – The Constitution itself is the ultimate source of all authority. (UPSC 2023, 2014)
2. Limitation on Government – Even a sovereign government is restrained by the Constitution to protect individual liberty. (UPSC 2014)

👉 In short, a Constitutional Government = Limited Government + Protection of Rights.

Example: In India, Parliament is powerful, but it cannot pass a law violating Fundamental Rights, because the Constitution puts restrictions.

Forms of Government

When we talk about forms of government, we are essentially asking:
👉 How is the executive organized?
👉 What is its relation with the legislature?
👉 How stable and accountable is the system?

Broadly, there are three main forms:

1. Parliamentary System
2. Presidential System
3. Semi-Presidential System

Here is a quick comparison table of all the three:

Feature	Parliamentary	Presidential	Semi-Presidential
Executive	PM derives authority from legislature	President is both Head of State & Govt	Dual executive: President + PM
Legislature Relation	Responsible, removable by no-confidence	Not responsible, fixed tenure	PM accountable to legislature; President elected
Stability	Less stable	More stable	Moderate, depends on balance
Examples	India, UK	USA, Brazil	France, Russia