Executive systems
Plan a longer sitting
Executives, legislatures & government formation
The Power Circuit
Build a government. Then try to keep it.
Bargain for a coalition, face a confidence vote and confront the same crisis under three political systems. The votes stay the same. The rules change what they can do.
The same political choices in both routes. You can switch inside without starting over. For class asks you to complete any missing required responses. Save a report in either route; your instructor decides what to accept.
This activity supports saving on this device. Check its save status before closing, and download a progress backup before changing browsers or devices.

What you can explore
- Distinguish government formation and removal across three executive systems.
- Separate support for a bill from support for a government.
- Build a conditional hypothesis, rival explanation and possible falsifier.
What the model leaves open
Matched fictional rulebooks simplify real systems. Country dossiers show variation within each system. Timing and learning effects need classroom piloting.
AFTERWARD, THINK ABOUT
When did the same vote have a different consequence?
Teaching this activity Debrief, assessment & assignment draft
Bring it back to the room
- When did the same vote have a different consequence?
- Which tradeoff would you accept, and under what conditions?
What to assess
Look for an accurate rule → decision → consequence explanation, supported comparisons, and a testable hypothesis.
Read the complete teaching guide →Syllabus description, rubric & printable companion →
Make it an assignment.
Edit this text, then copy it into your LMS. These edits stay in this tab.
Syllabus description & discussion prompts
Syllabus description
Bargain for a coalition, face a confidence vote and confront the same crisis under three political systems. The votes stay the same. The rules change what they can do. Students produce institutional comparison and research brief.
Questions for a discussion board or class debrief
- When did the same vote have a different consequence?
- Which tradeoff would you accept, and under what conditions?