Forms of Government Compared · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Who picks the leader, who keeps the power

Civics & Economics · Government · ages 16-18
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which fact shows a country uses a parliamentary system?

    • The prime minister serves a fixed term no parliament can end
    • The president is chosen by parliament
    • Parliament picks the head of government, who can fall on a lost vote

  2. Which fact shows a country uses a presidential system?

    • Voters elect the president separately from the legislature
    • Parliament chooses the president each year
    • The legislature fires the president for unpopularity

  3. In a federal system, states hold authority granted by the constitution itself.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A president and legislature from rival parties block each other for years. Which failure mode is this?

    • Gridlock between president and legislature
    • A prime minister falling on one lost vote
    • States blaming the centre for failures

  5. A large diverse country lets regions set many policies while keeping one army and one market. Which design is this?

    • A confederation with a weak centre
    • A federal system splitting power by constitution
    • A unitary system run from the capital

  6. What does federalism give a large country, and what does it cost?

    • Total unity with no argument between levels ever
    • A weak centre that cannot keep one market or army
    • Tailored local rules plus experiments, at the price of confusion and blame games

  7. Every government under one constitution stalls the same way, whoever leads it. What does that suggest?

    • A design flaw in how power is divided
    • Proof the national character is broken
    • Proof that voting never matters

  8. A country has its third prime minister in two years after lost votes. Which design and failure mode fit best?

    • A semi-presidential system with two weak leaders
    • A confederation where the centre cannot hold
    • A parliamentary system with rapid leader churn
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Who picks the leader, who keeps the power W1-mt_6itblQG2R6-s1

  1. Parliament picks the head of government, who can fall on a lost vote · In parliamentary systems the prime minister rests on majority support and can fall through no confidence.
  2. Voters elect the president separately from the legislature · A separately elected president with a fixed term is the mark of a presidential system.
  3. True · Both levels draw authority from the constitution, so neither is just a branch office.
  4. Gridlock between president and legislature · Fixed terms on both sides bring stability, but disagreement between them blocks action.
  5. A federal system splitting power by constitution · Two real levels with constitutional backing is federalism, built for a large diverse country.
  6. Tailored local rules plus experiments, at the price of confusion and blame games · Regions tailor policy and experiment inside one economy and defence, while differences confuse and levels blame each other.
  7. A design flaw in how power is divided · Comparing designs teaches you to blame the constitution when the pattern fits its known failure mode.
  8. A confederation where the centre cannot hold · Flexibility is the parliamentary strength, and churning through leaders is its matching weakness.
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