Time to rest the case

Presidential versus parliamentary system:


So which system is better? Is one better than the other?

These are ridiculous questions that the Maldivian nation was confronted with in a political campaign run for Aug 18th- when voters cast their votes to determine our system of governance.

The contentious result in favour of the presidential system has been bitterly divisive, creating even more enmity within our small communities.

Now one can ask, does this kind of end- when neighbours of an island ganged up and torched an opponent's house, justify the means of how we arrived at the winner?

We know that both systems of governance are used in liberal democratic countries of the free world with suitable modifications to suit the demands of each country.

The success of both systems is dependent on how politics is driven within the system and how the other institutions prevail in terms of checks and balances over the governing branch where they have to.

Since Maldives has chosen the presidential system, it is fair to look at the American presidential model- the most powerful country with the world's largest economy.

Historically, we know America chose the presidential system in order to move away from their colonial master Britain which maintains the parliamentary model. Britain was rightly accused of plundering and colonising independent nations. In the modern world, we hear increasingly that America is on an imperialistic expansion path, most recently invading and occupying Iraq.

With the American system of checks and balances here are some aspects on their negative side.

According to US Government report, an estimated 12 million individuals are residing in the United States as illegal immigrants. This has become a huge social problem and successive administrations have failed to resolve it.

A report released by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority estimated that 82,291 people were homeless in Los Angeles County on any given night in 2005, with about 48,103 of the county's homeless living within Los Angeles' city limits. This is the city of the rich and glamorous and one would think that the world's richest nation can surely afford to house the homeless.

I am not implying here that the American system isn't good. It certainly is good for them and they are the most industrious country in the world.

After six years of the first world war, much of Europe was devastated with millions killed and injured. It was with the US Marshall Plan, the United States was spending a great deal to help Europe recover.

The plan was in operation for four years beginning in July 1947. During that period some USD 13 billion in economic and technical assistance were given to help the recovery of the European countries that had joined in the Organization for European Economic Co-operation.

Even before An estimated $9 billion was spent during the period from 1945 to 1947. Much of this aid was indirect, coming in the form of continued lend-lease agreements, and through the many efforts of American troops to restore infrastructure and help refugees.

Similarly America helped Japan sustain and recover to an incredible economic success after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings that ended the second world war. The war cost Japan millions of lives and left much of the country's industry and infrastructure destroyed.

With industrial development aided by the US, Japan achieved spectacular growth to become the second largest economy in the world. Japan has a parliamentary system.

Japan's rise to become a world power and the world's second largest economy from the economic rubble after the devastation of the second world war is a phenomenal record.

Does that make the parliamentary system better than the presidential system?

This comparison is a meaningless exercise. Each country must choose a system that will give the best quality of life, make opportunities available, and provide liberty and justice for a fulfilling life to all citizens.

Even when we look at Asia, China and India with very different governing systems are the leading industrial giants, with other countries trying to foster economic integration with each other.

To me, both the presidential and the parliamentary systems have their advantages- none being superior to the other.

Now it's time to put one more arduous exercise behind us and slog on with life.