BRITAIN. BRITISH DISTINCTIONS Birthplace of the parliamentary system. Birthplace of the industrial revolution. World’s most famous monarchy. The monarchy

BRITAIN

BRITISH DISTINCTIONS

Birthplace of the parliamentary system.

Birthplace of the industrial revolution.

World’s most famous monarchy.The monarchy has almost no direct power.

Advanced, industrial / postindustrial free-market society.

Member of the EU, but not using the Euro.

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTFeudal history until about 800 years ago

Sovereign power lay in the hands of monarchs, who ruled by divine right.

1215: King John signed Magna CartaThis document obliged the monarchy to consult with aristocrats before levying taxes and prevented him from arbitrarily arresting or seizing property from his subjects.

Constitutes the first, founding document of the British Constitution

BRITISH DEVELOPMENT

Formation of the British State1265: Convening of the first British parliament1642: Outbreak of civil war between monarchists and parliamentarians.

Bill of Rights declares supremacy of parliament over monarchy.

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTBirthplace of the Industrial Revolution.

Industrial Revolution: The era (roughly 1760–1860) during which Britain, followed by other countries, switched from an agricultural to an industrial economy.

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTFrom Empire to the Welfare State (18th Century to Early 1960s)With its industry growing, Britain needed to find new markets.With loss of colonies in America, Britain turned its attention to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, parts of Africa, and so on.

At height of Victorian era, British empire included approximately one-quarter of the world’s population.

After World War I, the United States and the Soviet Union began to emerge as economic and military powers.

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTInterwar struggle (1918-1939)• Maintain empire – complete with world-class

military

•Maintain world trade system -- •Britain as lead through the Pound Sterling•Britain’s role and dominance diminish as US and other grow

• Adapt to rising domestic demands • from laborers for more participation and greater

rights

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTWorld War II

Britain severely testedOver-extended military

Empire no longer feasibleDemands for independence and self-determination

Over-extended economically• Pound Sterling can’t be maintained• Bretton Woods System – transition to US Dollar system

Both Empire and Economic Dominance end

BRITISH DEVELOPMENTThe postwar period saw the completion of a welfare state and the shift to a managed economy.Welfare state: A state that provides through law for people in need, such as the poor, the elderly, the handicapped, or anyone otherwise economically or physically disadvantaged.

BRITISH DEVELOPMENT

1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) (now the European Union).European Union: A regional integration association through which European states have built closer economic and political ties. Opinion is divided on whether or not it will (or should) lead to a United States of Europe.

European Coal and Steel Community 1955European Economic Community 1960sEuropean Union 2000

BRITISH POLITICAL CULTUREBritons are more apt to go with “tried and true.”Britons have great faith in their political system.Most Britons take liberal positions, and this has an impact on public policy: capital punishment was abolished in 1965, homosexuality and abortion have been legal since 1967, and

same-sex civil unions have been legal since 2004.

BRITISH POLITICAL CULTUREFive key British principles:Constitutional monarchy.Unitary state.

Unitary state: A state in which all significant power rests with the national government, and in which local units of government have little or no independent power.

Fusion of the executive and the legislature.Belief in responsible government.

British Constitutional Principles: From Five major sources.

1: Statute law, or Acts of Parliament that override common law and have the effect of constitutional law

They include laws that outline the relative powers of the two houses of Parliament.

2: Common law, or judgments handed down over time by British courts

BRITISH CONSTITUTION

3: Customs and conventions that do not have the force of law but have been followed for so long that they are regarded as binding

For example, there are no laws stating that the prime minister and cabinet should come out of the majority party in Parliament; this is simply a convention.

4: Commentaries written by constitutional experts


5: European Lawsince Britain joined the EU it is subject to laws adopted by the EU

EU laws override British laws where the two conflict, in those policy areas where the EU has primary authority.

These include trade, agriculture, social issues, and the environment.


THE MONARCHYSince the tenth century, Britain has been a monarchy.Monarchy: A political system in which the head of state (and occasionally even of government) inherits his or her position from a parent, and holds power for life or until voluntarily renouncing that power. The role of monarchs in democracies is constitutionally limited.

BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM

THE MONARCHY The present monarch—Queen Elizabeth II—is

limited to the following so-called reserve powers:

Calling new elections The power of veto Conferring with the prime minister Forming a government Address to Parliament Symbol of the state


THE EXECUTIVE: PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

The British head of government is the prime minister.

Prime minister: The head of government in a parliamentary system. Typically the person who heads the party or coalition with the most seats in the national legislature.


CLICKER

The British system has a Prime Minister with a Cabinet, where the US System has a President. Which would you consider more powerful within their respective government?

A. US President

B. British Prime Minister

C. It depends on which policy area

D. It depends on the personal skills of the leader

E. They are about equally powerful

Prime MinisterDuties of the prime minister:

sets the national political agendaoversees the militaryappoints ambassadorsmanages crisesleads his or her partyrepresents Britain overseas



Prime MinisterTwo core foundations to the prime minister’s authority:The power to call elections to the House of CommonsThese must be held at least once every five years

The power of appointment

Prime MinisterPrime ministers govern with the help of a cabinet.

Cabinet: The group of heads of government departments and senior administratorsThey act collectively as the government in parliamentary systems (Britain, Japan)

They act as administrators and advisors to the executive in presidential systems (Mexico, United States).

Sometimes known as a council of ministers.


Prime MinisterThe prime minister and cabinet constitute Her Majesty’s Government.

The cabinet functions on the basis of collective responsibility.Collective responsibility: An understanding that decisions taken by a group (as in parliamentary government) are taken collectively and that all members must stand or fall by those decisions.


CLICKER

NOW What do you think? The British system has a Prime Minister with a Cabinet, where the US System has a President. Which would you consider more powerful within their respective government?

A. US President

B. British Prime Minister

C. It depends on which policy area

D. It depends on the personal skills of the leader

E. They are about equally powerful

Parliament’s three main functions: it is where laws are introduced, discussed, and either

rejected or accepted; it is where existing laws are amended or abolished; and it is responsible for checking on government policy and

debating major issues.The parliamentary model is also called the Westminster model. Westminster model: The system of government based on

the British parliamentary model, with a prime minister, a cabinet, and a bicameral legislature.

BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM: PARLIAMENT

House of LordsFor now, at least, it has three kinds of members:Life peersReligious leadersHereditary peers

Relatively little real power


House of CommonsIt is the more powerful chamber of Parliament.It has five major roles:

to representto make lawsto keep the prime minister accountableto be a forum for national debateto act as a recruitment pool for members of government (the Cabinet)


CLICKER

The American Political system separates powers and CHECKS power through separation and federalism. The British system Concentrates power in Parliament and a Cabinet. Which is more efficient?

A. The US Model is more efficient

B. The British model is more efficient

C. They are equally efficient

D. It’s really all about who the specific politicians are; good leaders can be efficient in either system.

CLICKER

The American Political system separates powers and CHECKS power through separation and federalism. The British system Concentrates power in Parliament and a Cabinet. Which is more effective at guaranteeing liberty for its citizens?

A. The US Model is more effective

B. The British model is more effective

C. They are equally effective

D. It’s really all about who the specific politicians are; good leaders can be effective in either system.

CLICKER

The American Political system separates powers and CHECKS power through separation and federalism. The British system Concentrates power in Parliament and a Cabinet. Which better represents the desires of its citizens? Or in other words, which is more democratic?

A. The US Model is more efficient

B. The British model is more efficient

C. They are equally efficient

D. It’s really all about who the specific politicians are, good leaders can be efficient in either system.

THE JUDICIARY: SUPREME COURTThe new court began work in London in October 2009.It was a constitutional change proposed by the Blair government.

Although initially made up of the 12 sitting law lords, it also has a commission set up to appoint new members of the Court as vacancies arise.

Britain is also impacted by the European Court of Human Rights, which is based in Strasbourg, France.

BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM: COURT

SUBNATIONAL GOVERNMENTLocal government units can be reformed, restructured, or even abolished by Parliament.HOWEVER: “Devolution” under BLAIR government altered the balance

Modified system is something like a quasi-federal system.

Regional assemblies in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland

BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM: SUBNATIONAL

England has no regional assembly of its own. Instead, it has a complex patchwork of unitary and two-tier

local authorities. These authorities are responsible for issues such as:

education transport housing highways local services refuse disposal police

BRITISH POLITICAL SYSTEM: SUBNATIONAL

PART 3: ELECTIONS AND PARTIES

THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM: BritainSmall country.Unitary system of administrationNo primary elections

Party leadership manages nominationsRelatively few elective offices

British election process is simpler, cheaper, and quicker

The General ElectionMembers to the House of Commons are chosen in a general election.650 constituencies (electoral districts) of roughly equal population size Each has one MP in House of Commons Single Member districts with Plurality elections

Elections at least once every five years

MP does NOT need to live in the Constituency


The General Election All seats contested

Date chosen by the prime minister At least 18 days’ notice (very short time)

General election uses the single-member plurality system (sometimes also known as winner-take-all or first-past-the-post)

Winning candidate does not need a majority Simply needs to win more votes than any other candidate Reduces # of parties Concentrates power in Large parties


European ElectionsAs a member of the EU, Britain has the right every five years to elect 72 representatives to the 736-member European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg, France.

European elections use proportional representation.The country is divided into 12 multimember districts.Competing parties put forward lists of candidates.Seats are divided up among the parties according to the proportion of the vote each receives.



Local ElectionsAs local authorities have limited power, there is little interest in local elections.

District, county, city, and town councils are all elected on a fixed four-year cycle.

CLICKERMcCormick points out that interest and voter

turnout is very low in British Local Elections because local government has so little real power. In the USA local governments have far more impact and independence. Do American voters pay more attention to local elections than British voters do?

A. Yes American’s take local elections more seriously

B. No Americans also seem to neglect local elections

C. It’s a mixed bag -- it depends on which level we discuss in the USA; State, Municipal, or local special districts.

POLITICAL PARTIES Although Britain has many political parties, since World

War II, it has been dominated by a mostly two-party system:Labour Party (left-wing)Conservative Party (moderately right-wing)



Figure 4.2 Legislative Electoral Trends in Britain

LabourThe Labour Party was founded as a socialist party in 1900. It won outright power for the first time in 1945.

1994: Elected leader Tony Blair modernized party. Party has now been described more as “capitalism with a

conscience” or “market socialism.” No longer a truly “socialist” party in any meaningful sense.


The Conservatives The Conservative Party (also known as the Tories) dates back to the late seventeenth century.

Conservatives are a pro-business, anti-regulation political party, with many shades of opinion: Right-wingers in the party emphasize social discipline,

authority, continuity, and morals. Moderates emphasize the creation of wealth and efficient

economic organization.Margaret Thatcher as their most prominent recent leader.


Liberal DemocratsLiberal Democratic Party was created in 1988 when group of members from Labour Party splintered.


Other PartiesMost of the smaller parties represent regional interests:Scottish National Party (Scotland)Plaid Cymru (Wales)Ulster Unionists and Sinn Fein (Northern Ireland)

Other parties also include: British National Party and UK Independence Party.

Candidates of smaller parties must put up deposit of £500, which is returned if the candidate wins.


BRITISH DEVELOPMENT

Documents

BRITAIN. BRITISH DISTINCTIONS Birthplace of the parliamentary system. Birthplace of the industrial revolution. World’s most famous monarchy. The monarchy