Government & Politics Unit 2

Front 1

Define the term parliament

Back 1

An assembly that has the power to debate and make laws

Front 2

Define the term legislature

Back 2

The branch of government responsible for passing laws

Front 3

What are the key features of a parliamentary system?

Back 3

1. The executive and legislative branches are fused-overlap between membership of the two branches with the government consisting of members of the legislature

2. The legislature can dismiss the executive. The government is accountable to parliament which can remove the government through a vote of no confidence. The government may be able to dissolve parliament by calling a general election

3. Parliamentary elections decide the government-governments are formed according to their strength in parliament. The person who commands a majority in parliament usually the leader of the largest party becomes leader

4. Collective government-the executive branch is led by the PM who in theory is 'first among equals' in a cabinet of senior ministers

5. separate head of state. The head of the executive branch (the PM) is not the head of state. The latter is often a ceremonial role with little political power as in the case of the UK monarchy

Front 4

Define the term head of state

Back 4

The chief public representative of a country such as a monarch or a president

Front 5

What are the main characteristics of a parliamentary government?

Back 5

The executive and legislative branches are fused-government ministers must be members of the legislature and are responsible to it

Parliament can dismiss the government through an act of no confidence-the government can dissolve parliament by calling a general election

Power is exercised collectively within the executive branch-the PM is the head of a cabinet

The PM is the person who can command a majority in the parliament following a general election

The head of the executive is not the head of state

Front 6

What are the min characteristics of a presidential government

Back 6

There is a clear seperation of powers between the executive and legislative branches-members of the executive can't be members of the legislature

The legislature can't dismiss the president except in special circumstances and the executive can't dissolve the legislature

Power in the executive is concentrated in the office of president

President is directly elected by the people

President is also the head of state

Front 7

What is the westminster model?

Back 7

The traditional way of understanding the British political system focusing on the constitution and major institutions. It both describes the British political system and claims that it is the ideal. The key features are parliamentary sovereignty, an unmodified constitution, cabinet government, FPTP, 2 party system and unitary state. These face significant challenges which raise important questions about the future of the westminster model

Front 8

What are the 2 main virtues of the westminster model?

Back 8

representative government-Government takes place through parliament, where decisions are taken by elected representatives of the people. The people do not make decisions on public policy directly electing MPs to do so on their behalf

responsible government-Government is accountable to parliament for its actions and accountable to the people through elections. Collective responsibility means that the government can be forced to resign by parliament. Individual ministerial responsibility means that ministers must account for their actions in parliament. Voters can remove the government in a general election

Front 9

Why is the usefulness of the westminster model disputed?

Back 9

There is significant disparity between the ideal of the model and the reality. In particular there is a cleat imbalance in the relationship between the executive and legislature. A parliamentary majority, party discipline in the commons and government control of the parliamentary timetable enable the executive to dominate parliament

Front 10

What is the structure of parliament?

Back 10

The UK has a bicameral legislature-2 chambers. Formally the UK actually has 3 components. The commons, lords and monarchy.

Front 11

Define the concept of bicameralism

Back 11

A political system in which there are two chambers in the legiatlaure. Lower house elected and tends to be the dominant chamber. Composition of upper varies. May be directly elected or indirectly elected (appointed by ministers) or both. Upper provides checks and balances and greater scrutiny and revision of legislation. problems include conflict between the 2 can create legislative gridlock and indirectly elected upper house may frustrate the will of democracy

Front 12

Define the concept of parliamentary sovereignty

Back 12

The doctrine that parliament has absolute legal authority within the state. Parliament can make law on any matter it chooses, its decisions may not be overturned by any higher authority and it may not bind its successors. Parliamentary sovereignty is a legal theory concerning the location of law-making authority. But EU membership and devolution raises questions about how meaningful it is in practice

Front 13

What is a motion of no confidence?

Back 13

The House of Commons can remove the government by defeating git in a motion of no confidence. The Fixed term Parliaments Act (2011) states that parliament will be dissolved if the government is defeated on a motion of no confidence and no alternative government is approved by the commons within 14 days

The only government defeat on a motion of no confidence since 1924 occurred when James Callaghan's Labour government lost by 1 vote in March 1979

Front 14

What is a frontbencher?

Back 14

An MP who holds a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Front 15

What is a backbencher?

Back 15

An MP who does not hold a ministerial or shadow ministerial position

Front 16

What is a division?

Back 16

A vote in parliament

Front 17

What is the whip?

Back 17

A party official responsible for ensuring that MPs turn up to parliamentary votes and follow party instructions on how to vote

An instruction to vote that is issued to MPs by political parties

Front 18

Describe the house of commons

Back 18

Democratically elected chamber consisting of 650 members of parliament. Each MP is elected in a single member constituency. In the chamber the governing party(ies) sit on the benches to the right of the speakers chair and members of opposition parties on the li