What is the meaning of the word "president"? This word originates in the Latin language, where it means "sitting in front (or in the head)." So in the days of Antiquity they called the people who led all kinds of meetings. In the modern sense (which will be discussed in detail below), this word began to be used only in the XVIII century, when preparations were underway for the adoption in 1787 of the Constitution of the United States.
At that moment, the question arose of how to name the head of state, who was called to power through elections. Then the term "president" was first used. Today it has other, albeit very similar meanings. We will talk about the lexical meaning of the word “president” in this article.
Who is the president in politics
The meaning of the word “president” in the explanatory dictionary is as follows. The President is the name of the post of the head of state formation, as well as the administrative-territorial, which is elected. And also he can manage other kinds of organizations - public, scientific, commercial.
Such a position is characteristic of countries in which there is a form of government in the form of a republic or mixed. The person who leads it is elected for a certain term, which is established at the legislative level. So, in Russia it is specified in the Constitution and is equal to six years.
Who chooses him
In the United States, where there is a presidential republic , election to this position is carried out through indirect elections, that is, with the help of electors. In Russia, where the republic is called the presidential-parliamentary, the head of state is elected by the people by direct vote.
As the name of the form of government shows, in the US the president has special powers, combining the management of both the state and the government. As for Russia, in it the presidency stands above all branches of power, uniting them, he is the head of state.
In the case of a parliamentary republic, in which the main power is in the hands of this collegial body, the president is elected by him. This is done either by all parliamentarians together, or by a college, which consists mainly of their representatives. As a rule, such a president is in fact the prime minister.
Presidential Powers in the USA and the Russian Federation
The meaning of the word “president” will help to reveal the consideration of the rights and obligations specific to this post.
The powers of the American president can be summarized as follows.
- He heads the executive branch, that is, the government.
- Commanding the US Army and Navy.
- Signs international agreements (if approved by 2/3 of the Senate representatives present).
- Appoints ambassadors, supreme judges and other state officials.
- It does not have the title “head of state”, but in fact it is.
The main powers of the Russian president are as follows:
- He heads the state.
- It ensures that the provisions of the Constitution are respected, being its guarantor.
- Takes measures to protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, and its integrity as a state.
- Provides work on the coordinated interaction of the authorities.
- Defines the main directions of policy within the country.
- He is the commander of the Armed forces.
- Deals with citizenship, pardon, awards.
The main features of the presidents of all countries
Continuing to study the issue of the meaning of the word “president”, we will understand the main features of this post. If we analyze the main approaches that have developed in world practice to the institution of the presidency, then we can talk about such signs that are characteristic of almost all countries. These include the following:
- The President refers to elected officials.
- It has the obligation to fulfill the functions of head of state.
- He either heads the executive branch, or takes part in the development of its decisions, has the initiative to adopt legislative acts, and is an arbiter in the system of government bodies.
- It does not obey anyone and does not depend on other branches of government.
- It has a huge influence in politics and exercises supreme leadership in its current implementation.
- It is obliged to comply with the restrictions established by laws and should not violate them.
Other values
There are other nuances in the meaning of the word "president."
President of the city - this is the name of the post existing in Poland, Germany, Switzerland. Although in each of these countries, as in cities, the rights and duties of the president are different. For example, in Poland such a president heads the administration in large and medium-sized settlements. And in some cities of Switzerland, Germany, Austria, he is the chairman of the City Council, while the mayor acts as the head of the department.
There is another nuance in the meaning of the word “president”. There is such a position as the president of the company, he is the head of a commercial organization. That is, he is not related to politics, but is headed by a legal entity whose goal is to make a profit. Moreover, in different companies, such a president may have different powers and perform various functions.
Meaning of the word “president” in names
This is the name of a huge sequoia growing in the United States, in a California national park. It is the third largest in the world in volume, and, according to other sources, the second. Since the measurement process is a rather difficult operation, and the criteria may not coincide, the data may vary. The age of the “President” is about 3250 years, that is, this tree is the oldest sequoia on Earth. It got its name in honor of Warren Harding, President of the United States at number 29, in the year when he died - in 1923.
The name "President-S" is the airborne electronic countermeasures created in the Russian Federation. It is designed to reflect missiles having homing heads such as ultraviolet, infrared and radar. This defensive airborne complex is capable of withdrawing two missiles per salvo. It can be installed on both civilian and military aircraft, providing protection against ground-to-air missiles and man-portable air defense systems.