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The UK

The UK. Why study the UK?. It is the world's oldest democracy – 13th century limitations to women's suffrage It has no date Main political views have not been radically altered Traditional legitimacy with rational legal

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The UK

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  1. The UK

  2. Why study the UK? • It is the world's oldest democracy – • 13th century limitations to women's suffrage • It has no date • Main political views have not been radically altered • Traditional legitimacy with rational legal • The empire and its legacy Birthplace of the industrial revolution • First to experience economic decline after WWII • Thatcher’s neo-liberal reforms/policies of the 80s - the third way

  3. Geography and demography • UK- • England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland • Great Britain – • England, Scotland, and Wales • Commonwealth – a voluntary association of 53 sovereign states • three are in Europe, twelve in North America, one in South America, nineteen in Africa, eight in Asia, and eleven in Oceania

  4. UK is relatively homogeneous with most immigrants coming from Caribbean and former colonies • Historically, many invasions from the Celts to the Romans, Angles and Saxons, Danes, and Normans – • but not so much Wales and Scotland

  5. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/uk.html

  6. Britain developed a system of common law- local customs and precedent rather than formal legal codes. • Solidified During Henry II. • He also prevented Roman law from taking over. • He brought in juries to general use. • He extended inquest to all. • He sent out itinerant justices • Normans brought central rule and feudalism - imposing all of the reciprocal agreements therein required

  7. 1215- Magna Carta and King John – • Britain never quite had the absolute monarchs of mainland Europe. • The importance is that the royal must observe the law and it restricted absolutism. • Certain principles were embedded, like eminent domain, no cruel and unusual punishment, no excessive fines, justice open to all, freely and fairly administered • Parliament was given power by king Henry VIII, and religion never plagued Britain like other countries

  8. What undermined the British monarchs? • 1- crowning of James I, a Scot., uniting Scotland and England. J • James wanted to be an absolutist (taxation issues) and resisted parliament. • His son, Charles I, continued until there was a civil war. • The commonwealth (1649-1660) under the Cromwells. • Crown was restored with Charles II.

  9. 2- James II (brother of Charles II). This time the Parliament vs. Crown issue was over religion. • James is Catholic. He is removed and in comes William and Mary. • English Bill of Rights in 1689- monarchs owe their position to parliament. • http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/england.asp • Glorious Revolution brought about the constitutional monarchy.

  10. 3- 1714 George I brings about the rise in power of the cabinet and the prime minister (Sir Robert Walpole). • After the American Revolution prime ministers and the cabinet have been appointed by parliament

  11. British Empire • By 1870 Britain controlled • 1/4 of the world’s trade • 1/4 of the worlds population, about 50 countries • But the collapse was slow and incremental - starts with the American colonies • after WWI granting independence to Egypt and Ireland • after WWII it was much more • Falklands in 1982 with Argentina • Hong returned in 1997 to china

  12. Industrial Revolution • They were the 1st • and it helped the expansion of the empire: textiles, manufacturing, and iron • Not a tremendous upheaval politically or instability • This growth helped it lead the financing and cost of WWI and WWII, and then it loses money. • This was also the end of colonial rule.

  13. Gradual democratization • Parliament helped restrict the crown, but it served the interests of the elite- only the wealthy could vote • House of Lords- representing the aristocracy • House of Commons- representing the landed aristocracy and the merchant class • What democratized parliament? • 1- political parties. Emerging as cliques of nobles. Conservative Tories and liberal Whigs (support from the commercial class) • 2- expansion of suffrage. Reform Act of 1832. Women's suffrage in 1928 Labour Party pushes more social agenda of the Working class- sense of entitlement after WWII

  14. http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/houseofcommons/reformacts/overview/reformact1832/http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/houseofcommons/reformacts/overview/reformact1832/

  15. Postwar Politics and the Expansion of the State • Though the Labour Party initiated the Welfare State, the Conservative Party supported it – the collectivist consensus • However, a new breed of Tories began to blame economic problems of the 1970s on the inflated welfare state • Thatcher – • Lower taxes • Cutting spending on social services • Replaced some state services with private enterprise

  16. Political Regime • Highly majoritarian features • Parliament has virtually unchecked powers • No formal constitutional limits, no judicial constraints, no constitutionally sanctioned local authorities • Only historical traditions of democratic political culture keep the government from abusing power

  17. The Constitution • Consists of various acts of Parliament, judicial decisions, customs and traditions • Parliament is sovereign • House of Commons can amend it with any majority vote • People have been troubled by there being no written protection of basic rights • However, in 1998 the government incorporated into law the European Convention on Human Rights • However the lack of a constitution provides flexibility and responsiveness to the majority • Changes can occur more quickly without lengthy political battles

  18. The Crown • Symbolic representation of the continuity of the British state • The cabinet is referred to as Her Majesty’s government • She is a paid civil servant • http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/apr/02/queen-gets-5m-payrise-taxpayer • The monarch is officially the commander-in-chief, but it the prime minister who has the power to declare war and sign treaties • http://www.republic.org.uk/What%20we%20want/In%20depth/The%20British%20Constitution/index.php

  19. The Prime Minister • David Cameron (since 2010) - Conservative

  20. The Head of Government • One of the MPs and head of the majority party • Party discipline is very high and PMs get there way • However, Cameron heads a coalition govt. of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats

  21. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/55th_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdomhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/55th_Parliament_of_the_United_Kingdom

  22. Elected for a maximum of a five-year term, but can call elections at any time before the term has expired • Fixed-term Parliament Act of 2011 • vote of no confidence • 2/3 majority

  23. Televised Question time in which they must defend policies • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bhpXhxP-WU

  24. The Cabinet • 22 members • Usually all come from the lower house • PM appoints leading party members • They answer to Parliament during question time • Due to extreme party loyalty, collective responsibility is common

  25. Legislature • House of Commons • 650 members • House of Lords • 780 members • 26 Spiritual (Bishops)- appointed • 92 Temporal (Life and Hereditary) – appointed • 12 Law Lords (but the Supreme Court of the UK has since taken over) • Individuals are far less important than the party • Vote with party 90% • The legislature deliberates, ratifies, and scrutinizes policies proposed by the executive

  26. The Electoral System • SMD (Single-Member Districts) or FPTP (First Past the Post) • Each constituency selects one MP • Implications of FPTP • Two party system • Penalizes smaller parties • Clear majority in Parliament, though not in the electorate • Since WWII 60% of all seats have been won with a minority of votes

  27. This system artificially produces majorities and is a distortion of democratic rule

  28. Reading Quiz • What is the difference between devolution and federalism, and how does that apply to the United Kingdom?

  29. What was your article? • On the same sheet of paper, describe the content of the United Kingdom article you read. • What is the issue? • What impact will this have on the United Kingdom domestically? (if any) • What impact will this have on the United Kingdom’s relationship with others? (if any)

  30. Local Government • The UK is a unitary system • But through devolution this has been changing a bit • With Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but also with the 1999 Greater London Authority Act • However, financial matters still reside with the central authority

  31. The Party System • Primarily the UK is a two-party system with the Conservative and Labour Parties dominating • However, in 2005 11 parties won seats in Parliament (Conservative and Labour parties won 67% of the vote) • No party since 1935 has won a majority of the vote

  32. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_the_United_Kingdom

  33. Labour • Main development was from the trade union movement • Key events were WWI and the expansion of suffrage in 1918 • Fourth Reform Act (Representation of the People Act of 1918) • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Representation_of_the_People_Act_1918 • Post WWII competitive • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_Kingdom_general_elections

  34. Socialism was the key core component of the Labour Movement’s expansion • Fabianism • 2/3 of UK’s manual laborers sided with Labour • However, as he blue collar world erodes, so does this core constituency • 1970s division between radicals and moderates (1980s Social Democratic Party) • Rewriting the Party platform brought about Tony Blair and the Third Way • Socialism is no longer about economic determinism, it is about social justice.

  35. ...Something different and distinct from liberal capitalism with its unswerving belief in the merits of the free market and democratic socialism with its demand management and obsession with the state. The Third Way is in favour of growth, entrepreneurship, enterprise and wealth creation but it is also in favour of greater social justice and it sees the state playing a major role in bringing this about.

  36. http://www.labour.org.uk/home

  37. Conservative Party • For the longest time the Conservative Party belonged to the collectivist consensus • They garnered widespread support from all segments of British society • During the late 1970s it was divided between the conservative pragmatist who accepted the welfare state (though limited) and the neo-liberals of Thatcher who advocated radical-free market reforms

  38. http://www.conservatives.com/

  39. Liberal Democrats • Formed in 1988 as a merger of the Social Democrats and the Liberal Party • Mixed ideology • Classical liberal emphasis on individual freedom and a weak state • Social democracy’s emphasis on collective equality • Chief issue has been electoral reform to get more seats at the table • Also support European integration

  40. Other parties • Alliance Party • Co-operative Party • Democrative Unionist Party • Green Party • Plaid Cymru • Scottish National Party • Sinn Féin • Social Democratic and Labour Party

  41. Current Parliament

  42. British Elections • 5-yr. terms • About 60-70% turnout rate • http://www.idea.int/vt/countryview.cfm?id=77 • Campaigns are short • Why? • http://www.loc.gov/law/help/campaign-finance/uk.php • The U.S. spent http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/campaign-finance • http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/24/world/global-campaign-finance/

  43. Civil Society • Quangos • Quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations • Policy advisory board appointed by the government that bring government officials and affected interest groups together • http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/key-issues-for-the-new-parliament/decentralisation-of-power/quangos/ • Purpose was a move towards a neo-corporatist model of public policy making

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