Jan 15 – Comp Gov

1. Jan 15 – Comp Gov Agenda: • Voting Policies Discussion • Political Parties • Group Work • Presentation • Notes: • Bureaucracy • Cleavages and the Creation of Parties Take Out: • Pen/Pencil • Notebook • Work from Yesterday Homework: • Read and annotate articles

2. Which is More Democratic? • First Past the Post • Single Transferrable Vote • Alternative Vote

3. What political cleavages exist in the UK?

4. Parties are the vehicle between the people and the state. • How did the creation of the parties address these cleavages? • How does economic change impact parties? • How does gradual democratization change who holds power?

5. Cleavages  Political Parties • First Cleavage – Rich vs. Poor • Poor are poor – don’t matter, don’t vote • Rich who support monarchy vs. rich who oppose • Division under Charles II (late 1600’s) • Support Monarch (Tories) AKA “Irish Catholic Bandits” • The Conservative party • Noblesse Oblige – elite rule while accounting for all • Oppose Monarch (Whigs) AKA “Scottish Presbyterian Rebels” • The Liberal Party • Began to incorporate the commercial class • Allowed democracy to evolve without revolution • Economy shifts from feudal to colonial mercantilism

6. Industrialism leads to change and reform… • The Industrial Revolution shifted economic power from landowners to men of commerce and industry • Demanded that the system respond to the people • Great Reform Act of 1832: About 300,000 men gained right to vote, House of Commons gained more power in relation to House of Lords • Reform Act of 1867: electorate reaches 3 million, many working class people allowed to vote • Representation of the People Act of 1884: electorate is further expanded to make sure that majority of electorate is working class • Women’s Suffrage: all women over the age of 28 and all men over 21 granted the right to vote in 1918. By 1928, all women over 21 allowed to vote.

7. Catalyst: Industrialism • Tories and Liberal Party (not known as Whigs anymore) still exist during Industrialization • The Labor Party emerges by WWI • Coincides with the trade unions • Represents the working class • Desire basic social services for citizens • Support a welfare state

8. Catalyst: WWII • War brings need for economic health • Prior rto war – laissez faire economy • Wars inspired more state control • 1918 – Labor Platform – Clause IV • “to secure for the workers by hand or brain the full fruits of their industry…upon the basis of common ownership of the means of production, distributions, and exchange” • Tories still exist • Liberal party dissolves into/because of Labor • Labor wins support in Parliament • Create the welfare state • Nationalize coal, utilities, rail roads, healthcare

9. 1945 - 1979 • CATALYST FOR CHANGE: • 1960s disillusionment • Decrease in industrial production • decline in international influence • loss of colonies • Economic hardships of 1970s • OPEC – raise prices • Major recession • High unemployment • Drop in GDP • Inflation • Strikes • Fewer workers in blue-collar jobs. • Collectivist Consensus • Major parties all accepted and were committed to full employment, social services, and government intervention • “Womb to tomb coverage” • Labor held the party line • Tories revise party priorities: • Support for free market economy • Decreasing support for labor unions • Increased violence in Northern Ireland

10. 1970’s • Labour became more conservative, and split into “Moderate” and “Radical” factions • Moderates held initial party line • Radicals called for shifts in power to favor the working class, social contracts with the government, and extensions of public ownership • Trade unions became increasingly frustrated with “their” party • Labour Party encouraged wage restraints and trade union concessions. • Tories (Conservatives) move right • Push for a pure market economy • Liberal parties emerge (centrist) • Trying to split the divide between Labor and Conservatives • Nationalist parties gain support

11. Rise of the Iron Lady • 1970’s see the rise of Margaret Thatcher • Elected MP in 1959 • 1975-1990 – Conservative Party Leader • 1979-1990 – PM • Blamed Britain’s decline on its softness (too many on the dole) • retreated from the welfare state • Wanted to: • lower taxes, cut spending on social services and some privatization • Allowed aging firms to go bankrupt& confront unions during strikes • Instituted poll tax to move local governments’ tax burden from property owners to all citizens • Introduced “Workfare” instead of “Welfare” • Selling council houses – British public housing – to tenants (big electoral payoff) • Conservatives and Thatcher swept to power • Trade Union ties to Labour strained • Keynesian Welfare state discredited

12. 1980’s & 1990’s • 1988 – The Liberal Party and the Social Democrats officially merge to form the Liberal Democratic Party • Become the major third party • NEW LABOR – becomes a party of MODERATION • Weaken trade unions • Abandon commitment to socialism • Accept more limited social expenditures and privatization. • Free-market policies with constitutional reform = “Third Way” politics • Devolution • LibDems and Conservatives begin seeing eye to eye • Individual freedom and weak state • Emphasis on collective equality • European integration • Opponents of war in Iraq • Want increased taxation and social spending at times