15.

Discuss J. A. R. Marriot's classifications of the forms of government.  

Sir J.A.R. Marriot has provided us with a more adequate classification. He classified States on a three fold basis.

i. First of all he distinguished them on the basis of the distribution of supreme powers in the government. On the principle, there are two kinds of governments, unitary and federal. In a unitary government, all governmental powers are exercised liy a single, central government, while in a federal State they are distributed l)ctween a federal or central government and the governments of the component units of the federation.

ii. Marriot next classifies the States on the basis of the nature of the constitution, which may be either rigid or flexible. A rigid constitution cannot be easily amended, while a flexible one can be.

iii. The third basis of classification is the relation between the legislature and the executive. When the legislature is, supreme and the executive is responsible to it, it is a parliamentary form of government. When the two have separate and co-ordinate powers and the executive is not responsible to the legislature, it is a presidential form of government.