ABSTRACT
Presidential government is a US invention that—unlike jazz, blue jeans, and fast food—has not been widely emulated. As a result there are large differences between the office of chief executive in the United States and that of most other democratic countries. The similarity of these numbers is not just the result of the fact that both countries hold national elections at four-year intervals. Of the thirteen Norwegian governments, only three were organized immediately after national elections. The length of tenure of chief executives seems to be declining in both countries. Ronald Reagan was the first president to serve two full terms since Dwight Eisenhower. Only two of the eight governments during the period under discussion in Norway have lasted more than four years. A cursory look at the personal characteristics of US presidential candidates and Norwegian party leaders results in few surprises. Both groups consist overwhelmingly of middle-aged, middle-class males.
