In the face of a parliamentary alternative to the American presidential system, this book illustrates how the constitutional system of checks and balances functions. It explains how the institutional dimension of the political equation is of importance to the understanding of American politics.

This book applies the broader debate in the field of political science over the advantages of a parliamentary system to the case of the United States. It asks whether it is better for a democracy to function under a parliamentary or presidential system.

This study examines the process of democratic political consolidation as seen in Portugal. It considers how, by solving problems and fulfilling expectations, Portugal's relatively new democratic regime has improved its chances for long-term durability. As Maravall has suggested, once democracies are re-established after a period of dictatorial rule, new problems emerge: the efficiency of the new political system, not just its legitimacy, becomes the main issue. In the case of Portugal, the government has been strengthened by dealing successfully with several different sets of problems. The author analyzes these problems and this process by dividing Portugal's consolidation period into three recognizable intervals, during which the new regime has had to simultaneously confront political, economic, and military challenges. Scholars in comparative politics and government will find this a useful study of democratic development.