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61 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Why is the UK an important country to study in terms of democracy and democratization? |
It's a model for many other liberal democracies, It's THE OLDEST DEMOCRACY, lacks a constitution, and its the birthplace of the industrial revolution. |
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What are the major shifts in British politics that have taken place since 1979? |
First leader of industrial democracy: Margaret Thatcher (conservative/ neoliberal economics) 1997-Tony blair (Labour party. liberal policies. socialist ideas of Old Labour i.e Third Way) 2010- David Cameron (Liberal democrats)
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What is the UK? Why is is accurate to call the UK a multinational state? |
It is a multiethnic state. Yes because it contains many nations (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland) |
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In what ways is the UK's relative isolation from Europe evident? |
The physical separation from the european mainland by the Channel tunnel |
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What is represented and symbolized by the British Crown? |
Symbolizes the UK's state rather than to a constitution. It represents rules (regime) and the capacity (sovereignty) to enforce and administer these rules to secure the countries borders |
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What is common law? |
a system based on local customs and precedent rather than formal legal codes. |
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What is the significance of Magna Carta? |
It limited power of the British monarchs and subjected them to the law. it was significant because the UK never experienced the type of royal absolutism that was common, and it was a way that ensured public control over the government |
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How did the creation of the Church of England in many ways reduce religious conflict in the UK? What is the critical exemption to this? |
Religion never plagued the UK as a polarizing force. The exemption is Northern Ireland (protestants and Catholics) |
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What 3 events in the 17th and 18th century were critical in molding the UK's modern democracy? |
1. Crowning of James I( a scot tun his son Charles) who flaunted royal power which led to the English Civil War (for 11 years England had no monarch and functioned as a republic) 2. Parliament removed James II from rule bc he was a Catholic, then they installed James's protest and daughter Mary, and a year later parliament enacted the Bill of Rights= political supremacy. 3.Crowning of George I- relied on cabinet and prime minister which were appointed parliament Monarchs never again had power to select |
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Describe the progression of events during the weakening end and end of British Empire |
-Uk controlled about 1/4 of all world trade and directly ruled almost 50 countries -Loss of american colonies -After WWI UK granted independence to a few former colonies -After WWII people turned against empire bc of costs of war |
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What were the critical occurrences in the development in British democratization? What occurred after WW2? |
1.The rise of political powers (Tories supported monarchs and Liberal Whigs against monarchs). 2. expansion of suffrage. the soldiers that came back from WW2 elected Labour party that moved to implement a welfare state. NATIONALIZATION |
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What was the collectivist consensus? |
A time where conservatives supported Labour parties initiation of a welfare state post war |
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What were Margaret Thatcher's policies in regard to the economy? |
She pledged to diminish the state's role in the economy, lower taxes, and cut state spending on costly social services. (she put an end to collectivist consensus) |
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Why may it be stated that the UK has majoritarian tendencies in the go'vt? |
Majority part in the UK can enact policies with few checks from other branches because it has -no formal constitution -no judicial restraints - no constitutional authorities to dilute power of govt. |
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How may we describe the British Constitution? |
Is a lot of written documents and unwritten rules |
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What is parliamentary sovereignty? |
Parliament supreme legal authority, which can create or end any law. Courts cannot overrule |
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What is unique about Judiciary? What occurred in 1998? |
1998- the go'vt incorporated into law the European Convention oh Human Rights, a document that now serves as a basic set of constitutional liberties |
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What are some advantages of an unwritten constitution? |
Change can be implemented more quickly and without lengthy political battles |
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What role is played by the British Crown? |
Queen. essentially a paid civil servant. Although the monarch always selects the head of government, the choice must always be leader of the majority party. |
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What is critical to know about the Prime Minister? |
Must be an elected member of parliament. Head of largest party in lower house, House of Commons. |
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What is unique about election? |
Prime Ministers can call elections at any time before that term has expired. Usually do this to take advantage of favorable political conditions |
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What is unique about current government? |
Parliament is supermen in UK's system,but real power is concentrated in the prime minister and the cabinet. |
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What is a vote of confidence? How may it be used to advantage by PM? |
if go'vt deems a measure to be oh high importance and if the measure is rejected by the legislature the entire cabinet must resign. Pm's can use it in a rally to win support |
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What roles must a PM perform? What is the purpose of question time? |
They must maintain support, smooth over differences in the cabinet, guide their parties to victory, and provide national leadership. In question time PM's must defend qo'vt policies, and show strong talking skills. |
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What skills are evident in a MP? |
outstanding debaters, effective communicators, and skilled negotiators. |
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What is important to know about the British Cabinet? |
They are members of Parliament. during question time are responsible for answering to Parliament. Most important ministries are: Foreign Office (conducts foreign policy) Home Office (oversees judiciary) Exchequer (Chancellor oversee finical policy as head of central bank)
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What is collective Responsibilty? |
unwritten rule that states even when individual cabinet members oppose policy in public they have to show full support or they are expected to resign |
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Describe the make up of House of Commons. What is the electoral process for lower house? |
646 members of Parliament representing individual districts. Government and opposing leaders sit across each other, other MP's, called backbenchers, sit behind their leaders. |
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In terms of House of Commons why does party trump individual? |
1. because of SMD because one wants to see the party win majority to ensure more seats 2. There is no residency requirements . there is no personal relationships |
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Who are the members of House of Lords? |
700 members it has no veto power but they are used as the court of last appeal . Life peers- appointed for life by the Crown by recommendation of PM Hereditary peers- members of aristocracy |
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Why is the UK's judiciary a comparatively weak institution? |
Because parliament is always supreme and their role is to solely ensure that parliamentary status has been followed |
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How has the judiciary evolved in recent years? How does the UK's legal system differ from other industrialized democracies? |
A supreme court was initiated in 2009 by Blair to take cases of public importance. The UK's legal system is based on common law |
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What is the nature of the Uk's unitary system? How does Thatcher reduce power of local government? |
No formal powers are reserved for regional or local government. She passed a low sharply limiting the ability of councils to raise revenue. Also replaced local property tax with poll taws- shifted tax burden from business to individual |
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How did Tony Blair implement devolution? |
He allowed Londoners to directly elect a mayor and they elected a left-wing Labour opponent who strongly promoted devolution |
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What selection method is used in the UK? |
Single member district based on plurality (first based the point) Each 646 elects one MP and that member has to win only on plurality that is mostly based on population |
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What are the ramifications of the UK's SMD plurality voting system? |
Ask.. |
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How has the British party system evolved since 1945? |
since 1945 only Tories or Labour have ever run the government but now mother party hold majority |
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What were the origins of the Labour party? |
1990 as an outgrowth of trade union movement. sought to give working class voice in parliament and didn't really come effective until after suffrage and WWI |
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What has historically been the ideology of the Labour party? What problems did the party encounter in 1970? |
Socialsim. 1970 division of radical socialist who wanted to move to the left to shore up working-class credentials and then they had moderates who wanted ton move towards the political center |
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How did Tony Blair alter the Labour party? what is the third way? |
Tony Blair advocated for free-market policies along with constitutional reform. Third way is the policies of left and right winged dubbed together |
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What problems did they Iraq was create for Tony Blair? |
his unpopular iraq policies made him resign |
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Why was Gordon Brown seen as a unsuccessful PM? |
sagging economy, miscues, unemployment soaring, home prices plunging, and billions injected into banks |
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In what ways have the conservative parties been relatively moderate? |
tories have been pragmatic conservative and have always embraced democratic rule. |
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How were the tories dived in early 1970? |
divided by traditional conservative pragmatism, advocates of limited welfare state, and advocates of radical free-market reforms (neo-liberals) |
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Describe the ideology of Margaret Thatcher? what is neoliberalism? |
Dominance of neoliberalism and abandonment of support for collective consensus. neoliberalism- privatizes industry |
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Describe what occurred in the 2010 elections? |
David Cameron was elected with coalition of liberal democrats( Gordon Brown) |
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What is the history and ideological standpoint of the liberal democrats? |
Was formed in 1988 though liberal and social democrats. Ideology is a mix of classical liberalisms emphasis on both individual freedom and a weak state and then the social democracys emphasis on collective equality. |
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How have the lib dems been hurt by the FPTP system? what occurred in 2010?
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it has only won 17-23% of the vote and not been able to break through the barriers. In 2010 part leader Nick Klegg joined tories in coalition |
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Characterize general elections in the UK |
British voters elect all 646 member of house of commons, takes place every 5 years, far above the us turnout but below europe. People vote on parties |
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Who do british interest groups tend to lobby? Why? |
lobby party leadership, because the party not individual make the policy decisions, and they lobby government bureaucracies |
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What are QUANGOS? What are TUC and CBI? |
policy advisor boards by govt to effect interest groups together and develop policy TUC- trades union congress. most important british interest group. can no longer dominate the selection of the labour party CBI- confederation of british industry. have no direct link to tories |
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in what ways are class differences present in UK? How have they evolved? |
british star is both multinational and multi-ethnic; class, religion, and linguistic. remarkable national unity and enviable social and political stability |
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What are the IRA and Good Friday agreement? What is the current status of Northern Ireland? |
IRA- irish republican army. targets british for catholic discrimination Good F- Ira withdrew army in return for political reforms that would give the Catholic population greater to say in govt -ask |
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How has the UK's post-colonial status created ethnic cleavages? |
ask... |
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How does nationalism impact politics in UK? what are some key national parties? |
-ask SNP- scottish nationalist party and Welsh plaid cymru with support of labour party and have advocated devolution- turning over some national government to powers of the regions |
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how has political ideology evolved in uk since 1945? |
ask.... |
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How does uk ideology compare to us? |
Uk is more pragmatic and tolerant, more willing to gradually timber with particular political problems |
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Why may british policies be generally termed pragmatic over the course of time? What challenges does the UK face in maintaining this pragmatism? |
its willingness to see evolutionary change, but not revolutionary change |
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What do eurosceptics fear about the EU? |
they fear the EU will become a unwieldy superstate, getting rid of national sovereignty, draining the domestic budget and imposing continental views |
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What is the special relationship? why is it problematic at times |
UK's relationship with US. |
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What are the biggest challenges facing David Cameron? |
putting the uks economy on solid ground and scottish referendum |
