A cabinet, also known as a council of ministers, is an advisory body in most presidential systems and a central element in parliamentary governments that adopt the principle of collective responsibility. In some countries, the cabinet functions as a collegiate decision-making body with shared responsibility, while in others it may be a purely advisory or an assisting institution to a decision-making head of state or head of government.
A modern cabinet first appeared in Europe with the gradual spread of constitutional rule, endowing ministers a greater status that allowed them to jointly take on some administrative and legislative duties. Moreover, the development of elected parliaments requiring their approval for budgetary matters and legislative acts meant that ministers could be compelled to defend policy proposals against criticism.
In the United States, the term cabinet refers to a group of the President’s most senior political appointees who are heads of the principal government departments (or ministries). The Cabinet is composed of individuals nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. Acting department heads participate in cabinet meetings, but are not considered members of the Cabinet because they have not been officially nominated for Senate confirmation.
Cabinet members are usually elected legislators, or “members of parliament” (MP), and are often chosen from within the ranks of a ruling party. In parliamentary systems that use the Westminster system, the cabinet’s decision-making process became centred on a chief minister or premier, which office began to emerge during the long chief ministry of Sir Robert Walpole in the 1740s and was definitively established by Sir William Pitt later that century.
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