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STUDENT NOTES 1CH. 2 – THE UNITED KINGDOM AND GREAT BRITAIN
AND NORTHERN IRELAND
Overview: The Big Picture
• System of Government: Parliamentary System• Distribution of Power: Unitary• Electoral System: Single Member District
Plurality• Constitution: Unwritten constitution• Legislature: Bicameral—House of Commons &
House of Lords• Current Prime Minister: David Cameron• Current Ruling Party: Conservative Party• Major Political Parties: Labour, Conservatives,
Liberal Democrats
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: GEOGRAPHY
• Great Britain = England, Wales, and Scotland
• United Kingdom = Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland (NEWS)
• Offshore island adjacent to Europe
– Creates feeling that Britons are separate from but a part of Europe
– Complicates relations with European Union
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS
One Crown but five nations United Kingdom –
England Wales: ¼ speak Welch Scotland: separate legal, religious,
educational institutions Northern Ireland (6 counties): remainder of
Ireland rebelled against Crown in 1916 and a separate Irish state in Dublin in 1921.
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - ENGLAND
• Largest region of Great Britain
• Makes up 2/3 of the land mass
• English have dominated the other nationalities historically, and still hold a disproportionate share of political power
• West Lothian Question
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - SCOTLAND
History of resistance to English rule 1707 Act of Union Strong sense of national identityOwn parliament and regional assembly
(devolution) Scottish National Party – political party of the
region of Scotland
SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - WALES
Became subject to the King of England in 16th century
Located west of England Plaid Cymru – Welsh national political party Strong sense of national pride reflected in their flag
and in their own language Granted their own assembly (devolution)
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS – NORTHERN IRELAND
• The Irish Republican Army (IRA) used guerrilla tactics against British officials and citizens
• Sinn Fein – political party of the IRA• Under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998,
the IRA decommissioned its weapons in exchange for some self rule
• An assembly was created for Northern Ireland (devolution)
I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: DEVOLUTION
• British government is a unitary system (centralized control)
• Starting in the 1970s the Scots and Welsh made an aggressive push for political autonomy in their regions
• Devolution – the turning over of some political power and autonomy to regional governments