Abstract

CORTEZ SALINAS, Josafat  and  SALAZAR REBOLLEDO, Grisel. "Presidential or parliamentary democracy: does it make a difference?" Behind the institutionalist influence in Juan Linz's analysis. Cuest. Const. [online]. 2013, n.29, pp.83-107. ISSN 1405-9193.

The intention of the following paper is to explore the theoretical influences behind "Presidential or Parliamentary Democracy: Does it make a difference?" by Juan Linz. After almost twenty years of its appearance, this text has proven to be a primal reference for studies in Political Science concerning study of presidential regimes. We argue that the discussion of two key elements behind Linz's ideas (the rigidities and the dual legitimacy as two presidential system's weaknesses) and the methodology he used to address democratic institutions, arise from a combination of elements rooted in classical Political Science, such as the ideas of Angosaxon Constitutionalists or the Weberian conceptualization of the institutions. These elements have been complemented by the revisionism brought by the new institutionalism, in its historical branch. Is in the synthesis of these streams where really lies the novelty of Linz's study.

Keywords : presidential regimes; institutionalism; constitutionalism.