Britain

1. Britain

2. 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.

3. British Development Feudal history until about 800 years ago • Sovereign power lay in the hands of monarchs, who ruled by divine right. 1215: King John signed Magna Carta • This 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

4. British Development • Formation of the British State • 1265: Convening of the first British parliament • 1642: Outbreak of civil war between monarchists and parliamentarians. • Bill of Rights declares supremacy of parliament over monarchy.

5. British Development • Birthplace 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.

6. British Development • From 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.

7. British Development • Interwar 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

8. British Development • World War II • Britain severely tested • Over-extended military • Empire no longer feasible • Demands 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

9. British Development • The 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.

10. British Development • 1973, Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) (now theEuropean Union). • European Union:Aregional 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 1955 • European Economic Community 1960s • European Union 2000

11. British POLITICAL CULTURE • Britons 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.

12. British POLITICAL CULTURE Five key British principles: • Constitutional monarchy. • Unitary state. • Unitary state: A statein 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.

13. British CONSTITUTION • 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

14. 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

15. British CONSTITUTION 5: European Law • since 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.

16. British Political System • THE MONARCHY • Since 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.

17. 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

18. British Political System • THE EXECUTIVE: PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET • The British head of government is the prime minister. • Prime minister: Thehead of government in a parliamentary system. Typically the person who heads the party or coalition with the most seats in the national legislature.

19. 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? • US President • British Prime Minister • It depends on which policy area • It depends on the personal skills of the leader • They are about equally powerful

20. British Political System Prime Minister • Duties of the prime minister: • sets the national political agenda • oversees the military • appoints ambassadors • manages crises • leads his or her party • represents Britain overseas

21. British Political System • Prime Minister • Two core foundations to the prime minister’s authority: • The power to call elections to the House of Commons • These must be held at least once every five years • The power of appointment

22. British Political System • Prime Minister • Prime ministers govern with the help of a cabinet. • Cabinet: The group of heads of government departments and senior administrators • They 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.

23. British Political System • Prime Minister • The 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.

24. 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? • US President • British Prime Minister • It depends on which policy area • It depends on the personal skills of the leader • They are about equally powerful

25. British Political System: Parliament • 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.

26. British Political System: Parliament • House of Lords • For now, at least, it has three kinds of members: • Life peers • Religious leaders • Hereditary peers • Relatively little real power

27. British Political System: Parliament • House of Commons • It is the more powerful chamber of Parliament. • It has five major roles: • to represent • to make laws • to keep the prime minister accountable • to be a forum for national debate • to act as a recruitment pool for members of government (the Cabinet)

28. 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? • The US Model is more efficient • The British model is more efficient • They are equally efficient • It’s really all about who the specific politicians are; good leaders can be efficient in either system.

29. 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? • The US Model is more effective • The British model is more effective • They are equally effective • It’s really all about who the specific politicians are; good leaders can be effective in either system.

30. 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? • The US Model is more efficient • The British model is more efficient • They are equally efficient • It’s really all about who the specific politicians are, good leaders can be efficient in either system.

31. British Political System: Court • THE JUDICIARY: SUPREME COURT • The 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.

32. British Political System: Subnational • SUBNATIONAL GOVERNMENT • Local 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

33. 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

34. Part 3: Elections and Parties • THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM: Britain • Small country. • Unitary system of administration • No primary elections • Party leadership manages nominations • Relatively few elective offices • British election process is simpler, cheaper, and quicker

35. Part 3: Elections and Parties • The General Election • Members 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

36. Part 3: Elections and Parties • 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

37. Part 3: Elections and Parties • European Elections • As 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.

38. Part 3: Elections and Parties • Local Elections • As 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.

39. Clicker • McCormick 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? • Yes American’s take local elections more seriously • No Americans also seem to neglect local elections • It’s a mixed bag -- it depends on which level we discuss in the USA; State, Municipal, or local special districts.

40. Part 3: Elections and Parties • POLITICAL PARTIES • Although Britain has many political parties, since World War II, it has been dominated by a mostly two-party system: • LabourParty (left-wing) • Conservative Party (moderately right-wing)

41. Part 3: Elections and Parties Figure 4.2 Legislative Electoral Trends in Britain

42. Part 3: Elections and Parties • Labour • The 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.

43. Part 3: Elections and Parties • 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.

44. Part 3: Elections and Parties • Liberal Democrats • Liberal Democratic Party was created in 1988 when group of members from Labour Party splintered.

45. Part 3: Elections and Parties • Other Parties • Most 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.

46. British Development