GREAT BRITAINLittle England

HISTORY• First country in Europe to develop a limited monarchy

• Sun never set on the empire

• Growing old gracefully

• Traditional Legitimacy = hereditary ruling family had the right to rule

• Constitution of the Crown = evolved documents, common law, and customs

• Rational-legal Authority = system of well-established laws and procedures

• Magna Carta – limited government

• The Bill of Rights – rights of Parliament

• Common Law – officials and courts set precedents for governance

GRADUAL EVOLUTION• Shaping of the monarchy

• Ascendancy of Parliament

• Industrial Revolution

• Colonialism

• Political Shifts

• Welfare State

• Thatcherism

• Third Way

• Big Society

POLITICAL CULTURE• Nationalism = pride in being British

• Insularity = feeling of separation from Europe

• Noblesse Oblige = duty of the upper class toward the lower

• Welfare State = government responsibility toward the masses

• Cultural Homogeneity = one accepted union

• Multinationalism = different people and pasts

GEOGRAPHY• An Island

• Small Size

• Fertile Soil/Growing Season

• Temperate Climate

• No Barriers

REFLECTION•Great Britain or Little England

• Free Market or Welfare State

•Nationalism or Insularity

• Reform or Revolution

•Multi-cultural or Homogeneity

GRADUALISM• 1832 – Great Reform Act

• 1867 – Reform Act

• 1884 – Representation of the People Act

• 1918 – Women’s Suffrage

• Loss of Imperial Power

• Collective Consensus

• Beveridge Report

• NHS

LEADERSHIP• Margret Thatcher

• John Major

• Tony Blair

• Gordon Brown

• David Cameron

• Ed Miliband

• Neoliberalism

• Third Way

• Big Society

NATIONAL IDENTITIES• England

• Wales

• Scotland

• Northern Ireland• 40% White European

• 23% Indian

• 16% Pakastani

• 12% Afro-Caribbean

• 10% Black African

POLITICS OF PROTEST• Distinct Minority/Majority Cleavages

• Social Class Differences of Muslim

• Pakistani Muslims

• Opposition to the Iraq War

• Lack of Integration of Minorities

• Decreasing Support for Labor Unions

• Increased Violence Over Northern Ireland

• Thatcherism

• New Labour

• Protests Over Iraq War

REFLECTION• Liberal or Conservative

• Home Rule and Solidarity

• Civic Culture or Politics of Protest

• Social Class and Regional Factors

• Gradualism or Revolution

POLITICAL PARTIES• Labour

• Conservative

• Liberal Democrats• Plaid Cymru

• Scottish National

• Sinn Fein

• Democratic Unity

• British National

• UK Independence

ELECTIONS• Plurality = candidate with the most votes wins, winner-take-all, first-past-the-

post

• Regional elections – proportional representation

• EP elections – direct election

• Interest Group Pluralism: Competition

• Neo-corporatism = interest groups that take the lead or dominate the state

• Quangos = quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations

• Cozy Media

• BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation, arm of the government

• Scandal and recent investigations

GOVERNMENT • Unitary – central authority in London

• Parliamentary – no separation of powers between MPs and PM

• Collective Cabinet – MPs with executive function over agencies

• First Among Equals – PM becomes head of government from within Parliament (head of state is the monarchy)

• The Government = PM, cabinet, front benchers• Back-benchers are lesser MPs

• Loyal Opposition = second party out of power• Shadow Cabinet in opposition face the government

CURRENT PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES

• Evolving relationship between government and economy

• Transparency in government

• Relationships with the European Union

• Terrorism and cohesion

• Relationships with the US

• Devoluiton and constitutional reform

REFLECTION• UK government structures and US government structures

• Labour and Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties

• The Government and the Parliament

• House of Commons and House of Lords

• Devolution and Constitutional Reform

• EU and US

HISTORY IN COMICS

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qj2vpp9Wf4

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBnkTpxnNH4

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YptNONmnXH0

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edhuXbE_nBk