1 / 41

Great Britain

Great Britain. Great Britain. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Includes: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Collectively referred to as the UK or Great Britain Size of Oregon Approx 60 million residents Island separated by English Channel . UK.

hester
Download Presentation

Great Britain

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. Great Britain

  2. Great Britain

  3. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland • Includes: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. • Collectively referred to as the UK or Great Britain • Size of Oregon • Approx 60 million residents • Island separated by English Channel

  4. UK • Size and location matter! • As island; no neighboring countries to threaten the UK; being isolated kept country relatively free from conflict/turmoil that affected Euope • No need for standing army • Less taxes (no wars to pay for) • Development of a strong state with low autonomy and high capacity ;

  5. UK History • Conflict between Catholics & Protestants had the potential to divide • 1500’s King Henry VIII (British monarch and Protestant) used Parliament to remove England from the control of the Vatican and Catholic Church.-led to creation of Protestant Church which would be controlled by the UK led to Anglican Church

  6. UK History • Catholics protested, but religion never polarizing split (excepting No. Ireland) • Parliament grows in strength over time under Henry VIII • James (1602) resists Parliament; raises taxes • Son Charles b.m.o.c; flaunts royalty; English Civil War – supporters of Parliament win battle and Charles is executed

  7. UK History • 1649-1660- no monarch; UK is republic known as Commonwealth; led by Oliver Cromwell it becomes military dictatorship. Parliament restores monarchy in 1660 w/Charles II. • 1685 – James (brother of Charles) inherits throne; he’s Catholic; Parliament fears return to Catholicism and send him into exile. • Parliament installs James daughter as monarch; Queen Mary (Protestant)

  8. UK Development • Parliament enacts English Bill of Rights.(1689) • Relationship b/t monarch & state strengthen; creating constitutional monarchy. • Current monarch dates back to 1714; monarch was German who spoke little English; relied on cabinet and his PM. • By late 1800’s, PM’s & cabinet appointed by Parliament- political power of monarch diminished.

  9. Legitimacy & Gradualism • Common law – customs & precedent; long standing traditions stability • Magna Carta (1215) – limited power of monarch; subjecting them to law • English Bill of Rights - guarantees rights of government AND citizens • Collectively, these documents and common law comprise the unwritten Constitution of the UK->Constitution of the Crown

  10. Gradualism • Establishment of Parliament – no universal suffrage; only elites voted • Parliament ->represented elites and consisted of elites w/in society • Rise of political parties ( Conservatives (Tories) and Liberals (Whigs) & expansion of suffrage changed political landscape

  11. Political Culture • Noblesse Oblige – duty of upper classes to be responsible for welfare of lower classes  idea of WELFARE STATE; legacy of feudal times when Lords protected serfs. • Collective Consensus –Churchill’s emphasis on putting class differences aside to defeat Hitler. • Beveridge Report –adopted by both parties –made all citizens eligible for health, pension unemployment, etc.

  12. Political Culture • National Health Service (‘48) - created under Labour party • necessity for welfare state led to mixed economy ->gov’t directs economy & nationalizing major industries w/o giving up principles of capitalism • Challenges to welfare state since the 1970’s due to economic and political changes

  13. Political Parties/Labour • Off shoot of Whigs; 1906, politically left. • Began as alliance b/t trade unions & social groups; labor unions provide majority of funds for party • Dominant party after WWII • Socialist ideology ->strong welfare state and some state ownership of industry

  14. Labour • Shift in ideology began in mid 70’s • Moving towards moderate-centrist under Neil Kinnock • Due to economy and change in Britain’s work force w/fewer people engaging in blue collar jobs. • John Smith (1993-94) • Tony Blair (1997 – 2007) • Gordon Brown (2007-2010)

  15. Tony Blair’s Labour • Internal strife leads to defect in members; divisions b/t radical socialists & moderates. • Led to ideological & organization changes • 80’s & 90’s to regain political strength, Labour rewrites party’s constitution ; abandoning commitment to socialism and advocated cross-class apeal • Blair – leads party in ’94.

  16. Tony Blair’s Labour • More moderate approach; centrist alternative to old labor on left and conservative on right • advocated moderate free-market • Reduced influence of trade unions • Introduced minimum wage, Human Rights Act • Brokered Good Friday Agreement in No. Ireland • Devolution

  17. New Labour • Won elections in ’97,’01 and ’05 • War in Iraq Blair’s undoing • Blair resigns as party leader in 2007 • Paving the way for election of Gordon Brown • Labour, however, remains moderate/centrist party w/diverse political base

  18. Labour voters • Working class • Residents of urban/industrial areas • Less educated • Less wealthy

  19. Conservative Party • Dominate party b/t WWII and late 1990’s • Politically right • Pragmatic as opposed to ideological; what’s best for the country • Characterized by noblisse oblige; power is centered in London • Elitist party ; supported market-controlled economy, privatization and fewer social welfare programs

  20. Conservative Party • 1979-1990 Margaret Thatcher – Iron Lady • “Thatcherism” – rightist reforms • Privatized business & industry • Cut back on social welfare programs • Strengthened national defense (staunch anti communist) • Resisted integration into the EU • Returned to market force controls on economy

  21. Conservative splits • traditional (one-nation Tories) value noblesse oblige; wants country ruled by elite who take everyone’s interest into account; supports Britain’s membership in EU • Strict conservatives (Thatcherites) – roll back gov’t controls; Euroskeptics – see EU as threat to British sovereignty • 2010 – David Cameron elected as PM

  22. Conservative Voters • Middle and upper classes • Well educated • Residents of rural and suburban areas

  23. Liberal Democratic Party estab. 1989 • Alternative to Labour and Conservative • Platform: individual freedoms, collective equality, integration w/in EU, opposed to war in Iraq, election reform; want to replace SMD w/proportional representation • Nick Clegg; current deputy PM as part of coalition gov’t in the UK

  24. Party Discipline • Party members support leadership; party id impt NOT the individual MP • When key issue of PM isn’t supported – vote of confidence can be taken; called by party in control OR opposition • if issue isn’t supported cabinet must resign and new elections for all MPs must be held • Motivation for voting party line

  25. Linkage Institutions • Groups that connect gov’t to citizens: political parties, interest groups, print & electronic media • UK – interest group pluralism: autonomous groups that compete w/each other and w/gov’t for influence over state policies; rival groups pressure gov’t to make policies in their favor. • Elements of neocorporatism

  26. Linkage, etc • Neocorporatism (societal corporatism) – interest groups take the lead and dominate the state. AS OPPOSED TO • State corporatism – state approves and protects select interest groups • UK has quangos– quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations. Policy advisory boards appointed by gov’t

  27. Linkage, con’t • Work w/gov’t to develop public policy. • TUC – Trade Union Congress – represents coalition of unions • CBI – Confederation of Business Interests • BBC – British Broadcasting Corp – originally monopolized by gov’t. BBC competes w/private stations. Strict regulations: no advertisements sold to politicians, parties or political causes.

  28. PM & Cabinet • “first among equals” • Member of Parliament and leader of majority party • Speaks for all MPs • Chooses cabinet members from MPs • Makes decisions in cabinet w/agreement of ministers; shapes decisions into policy • Campaigns for and represents party

  29. Cabinet • Collective cabinet is center of policy making in British pol sys • As leaders of majority party they take collective responsibility for making policy • All must agree on decisions; if cannot agree individ resigns & returns to Parliament • Cabinet members NOT policy experts; rely on bureaucracy to provide expertise

  30. Elections • MPs are only nat’l officials elected by voters • Must be held at least every 5 yrs; PM may call them earlier • PM sets date for gen’l elections. He asks Queen to formally dissolve gov’t; everyone seeks re-election • Can occur any time • Elections process quick – usually less than month

  31. Elections • Party determines who runs where • MPs don’t usually live in their home districts • Run in safe districts • Approx 70-80% of eligible voters vote • First past the post; single member district w/some representation from minority parties • Scotland & Wales – proportional representation

  32. Parliament • Party w/majority of plurality becomes Majority party; party w/second most is loyal opposition • Majority party formulate policies into legislation • Debate and refine potential legislation • Members may become future party leaders

  33. House of Commons • Long benches facing each other • PM sits in the middle on front bench with majority side, directly across from leader of loyal opposition • Cabinet members sit on front rows on majority side opposite from Shadow cabinet; influential members of opposition party • Back benchers; less influential members of both parties who sit in rear benches

  34. House of Commons • Debate and discussion takes place publically during question time/question hour • Time when PM & cabinet defend themselves from opposition party and members of own party • Speaker of house; presides over debate; often not a member of majority party; • Opposition party is check on power of majority party

  35. House of Lords • Members not directly elected • Life peers; pple appointed to positions as result of distinguished svce • Hereditary peers – seats which have been passed down thru family ties over the years; abolished in 1999 as part of reform • Powers have gradually declined; no one knows quite what to do w/ House of Lords

  36. House of Lords - powers • Delay legislation • Debate technicalities of proposed bill • May add amendments but House of Commons may delete w/simple majority vote • Include 5 law lords who serve as Britain’s highest court of appeals; do not have power of judicial review; limiting authority

  37. The Judiciary • Legal system based on common law • Parliamentary sovereignty – parliaments decisions are final; limits develop of judicial review • British courts; cannot impose their rulings on parliament, the PM or cabinet • Law lords settle disputes from lower courts • Constitutional Reform Act – 2005 created a Supreme Court to take over role of law lords

  38. The Judiciary • Supreme Court – to replace law lords • Final court of appeal; nullifies government actions if they are judged to exceed powers granted by an Act of Parliament, but it cannot declare and Act of Parliament unconstitutional. • Limited in powers. Parliament remains supreme authority.

  39. Citizens, Society and the UK • Homogenous culture; 5% of Britain’s citizens are ethnic minorities. • Historically, major social cleavages based on multi-national identities & issues, social class distinctions and the Protestant/Catholic split in Northern Ireland • New cleavage based on race and ethnicity; tensions b/t Brits and Muslims increasing.

  40. Social Class • Gulf b/t working and middle class very wide • Social class reinforced by education system: public schools trained boys for public life, i.e., military, civil service or politics; expensive; following in parents footsteps – many go on to Oxford or Cambridge – elites in society • Post WWII; scholarships made avail to working and middle class for university.

  41. Political Beliefs & Values (today) • Political culture characterized by: trust, deference to authority and competence, pragmatism and harmony….BUT • Tendency to disagree openly & sometimes violently w/government is becoming acceptable. • Decreased support for labor unions,Thatcherism led to sense of individualism and competition; New Labour led to a middle path & coalition govt.

More Related