PAD 240: GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

CHAPTER 2: THE EXECUTIVE

PREPARED BY:
MISS NURFAIZAH ABBDULLAH

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 TOPICS COVERED
2.1 Definition of Executive
2.2 Differences between political executives and
non-political executives (civil service)
2.3 Classification of Executive
2.4 Comparison between Executive in
Parliamentary and Presidential System.
2.5 Definition and functions of the civil service.
2.6 Principle of Politics – administration
dichotomy
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 DEFINITION OF EXECUTIVE
Is a branch of government responsible for executing and enforcing or put into
effects, the laws legislated by the legislative body.

The term is wide because it consists of people being in charge of the execution
of policies of the state, and being in charge of the determination of the general
rules.

In the wider sense – it means all government officials except those acting in
legislative and judicial capacity.

In the narrow sense – the executive means only the head of government, the
chief executive head of state and members of the cabinet (council of ministers)

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 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POLITICAL
EXECUTIVES AND NON-POLITICAL EXECUTIVES
(CIVIL SERVICE)
Political Executives Non-political Executives
• Appointed after won in • Appointed accordingly to
general election, state merit, professionalism,
election or any other election qualifications;
• To be appointed as ministers, • To be appointed as
deputy or assistant minister secretaries, secretary-
or senators general, officer etc.
• To see that laws are properly • To enforce the laws
enforced

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 CLASSIFICATION OF EXECUTIVE
Types of Executive
Nominal Executive Real Executive
• Head in theory but not in reality • A leader who holds the real power
• A person who heads the executive • Has immense influence and can
branch but does not have the make major and important
power to execute major and decisions for the country
important decisions • E.g. Prime Ministers, members of
• Normally a king or supreme leader cabinet
that is elected based on hereditary
principle. E.g. King of Malaysia or
Queen of England

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 Parliamentary Executives Presidential Executives

In parliamentary system/ Prime In Presidential system

Ministerial system Highest executive is President
Power held by the Office of the Prime Merits:
Minister 1. President is free from the
Merits: control of legislature
1. Good relationship between the 2. Fixed number of terms.
legislative and executive which is Demerits:
essential for efficient administration 1. Slow decision due to lack of
2. The Ministries are in constant cooperation between executive
touch with legislature and legislative
Demerits: 2. The top executive may become
1. The life of executive post is a dictator
uncertain
2. Biased or favourable policies

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Single Executive Plural/ Collegial Executive
Power is held by one person Power is equally distributed
among several persons
Responsibility is undivided
E.g. President of the U.S No one is subordinates to each
other
Merits:
1. secure the unity and E.g. the Federal Council of
integrity in the Switzerland
system Merits:
2. quick decisions 1. ability to check abuse of
Demerit: power
-may lead to dictatorship 2. convergence of idea
Demerits
1. slow decisions making
2. deadlock

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Methods of Selection
i. Hereditary principle
• is associated with monarchical government
• the term of office is for life
• the succession goes from father to a son

ii. Direct popular election

• the choice of the Chief Executive is by the direct vote of the people
• it shows the principle of popular sovereignty

iii. Indirect election

• is a method where the Chief Executive is elected by an electoral college
elected by the people
• In theory, the election of the President of USA by electoral college in
which every State has many representatives as it has in both the Houses of
Congress

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iv. Election by the Legislature
• it is another type of indirect election
• the idea is selection should be made by those who are best
qualified to exercise their judgment in public affairs
• E.g. the President of India, the Federal Executive Council in
Switzerland

v. Nominated Executive
• this type of executive exists in dependencies of some great
powers
• e.g. the Governor-General of India during the British rule, the
Governor- General of Canada and Australia by the Queen of
England, the Governor- General of Korea by the Emperor of
Japan
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CIVIL SERVICE/ PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Definition
Is the administration of governmental affairs (Fessler, J.W. & Kettl,
D.F.1991, pg.8) by permanent members of the government (the body is the
civil service)

Most fundamentally it runs the departments and administers laws

It contributes to both the shaping and execution of policies

It is a process in which the public’s needs are delivered through various

bureaucratic channels

The main aim is to serve the public

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Functions of Civil Service
Answer for the administration to the people – it translates policy into
practice, therefore it must be capable to explain its action / decision.

Drawing up of its policy – although policies are formulated by the

Executive but the details to work out and routine businesses are left
to them.

To work out the detailed regulations necessary to give effect to the

statutes (laws / policies)

To implement policies – once the policies have been legislated, it is

the responsibility of public staff to ensure them to be faithfully
carried out.

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 PRINCIPLE OF DICHOTOMY IN POLITICS-
ADMINISTRATION
Two main questions:
i. Can public administration be apolitical?
ii. Shouldn’t the elected and non-elected officials be in the same boat and hold the
same principles?

It is an idea of the separation of policy (politics) from administration (policy /

administration dichotomy) popularised by Woodrow Wilson.

The idea was supported by his followers (the Wilsonian) – their suggestion: i.e. “
total separation between politics and administration “.

aim : to divorce politics from administration

reasons : they believed that the administrative system was influenced by ‘spoiled
men’.

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Non-elected officials are more concerned about whether
policies are effectively implemented or whether they
have served the public well.

While Elected officials are concerned about the impacts

of certain policies on the people’s well-being.

Frank J. Goodnow it was not possible to separate

politics and administration as both were necessary for
the administrative institutions to work successfully.

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EXECUTIVE FROM ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

The nucleus of authority within a state

Ulul-Amr and Umara: headed by the Amir (the

leader) who is be elected among the ‘most
respectable’ and ‘most pious’ persons.

The highest position is Khalifah

Accountable to the Shura (legislature)

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Characteristics of Khalifah:
• A true Muslim spiritually and physically
• Posses enough and sufficient knowledge to make
judgement
• Follows the rules of Allah (Quran and Sunnah)
• Competence

Duties of Khalifah:
• Enforce the Shari’at of Allah
• Eradicate any type of taghut
• Convey the teaching of Islam to the people
• Lead a strong nation economically, socially and politically
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