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13 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is Collective Responsibility? |
Convention that calls for a minister to resign if he/she publicly disagrees with a decision made by cabinet. |
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What is Individual Ministerial Responsibility? |
Convention that implies ministers are responsible to parliament for the policies and actions of their department.
Ministers should therefore resign if something bad happens within their department. |
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What is Cabinet Government? |
The cabinet operates as the Senior Executive Organ, controlling the policy-making process over all major government decisions.
The prime minister will operate as 'first among equals' (primus inter pares) |
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What is Prime Ministerial Government? |
It suggests the prime minister has displaced the cabinet as the centre of the executive.
It entails the prime minister dominating the policy-making process, and exerting influence over all policy decisions.
Cabinet gives advice and support. |
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What is 'Spatial Leadership'? |
The tendency for prime ministers to distance themselves from their parties and governments by presenting themselves as 'outsiders' or developing a personal ideological stance.
('Thatcherism', or 'Blairism') |
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What is Presidentialism? |
The idea that prime ministers are increasingly resembling presidents. Largely the same as prime ministerial government however the cabinet is further sidelined by the tendency for the pm to appeal directly to the people. |
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What are the Powers of the Prime Minister? |
• the power to hire and fire • the ability to manage the cabinet • leadership of the party • institutional supports • access to the media |
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What is Patronage? |
The ability to appoint, sack, promote and demote all ministers in the government. • allows the pm to appoint people loyal to him/her • means people owe their positions to the PM and therefore are more likely to remain loyal and supportive. |
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What are three different types of leadership? |
Laissez-faire leaders - people who are reluctant to interfere in matters outside of their political responsibility. 'Hands off' approach.
Transactional leaders - leaders who act as 'brokers' and intent to uphold the political face of government.
Transformational leaders - leaders who inspire or who are visionaries. Usually very ideological. |
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What are the main constraints of the prime ministers power? |
• the cabinet • the party • the electorate • the media • the pressure of events |
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How does prime ministerial power change under a coalition? |
Prime ministers become much more vulnerable to pressures exerted by another party or other parties. |
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What are the arguments for fixed term parliaments? |
Electoral Fairness - removes an unfair advantage of the governing part at election time, removing the power to call an election when it is most beneficial to them.
Avoids needles speculation - the media will focus less on the date of an election (because it's fixed) and more on the work being done by the government.
Greater stability - uncertainty about the date perhaps caused an unstable political and economic environment. Governments now have time to develop their policies. |
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What are arguments against fixed term parliaments? |
Still benefits to the government of the day - governments can still shape their policy to perhaps manipulate public opinion come election time. Lowering taxes before an election for example.
Longer campaigns - election campaigns become longer, perhaps beginning one or two years in advance of the election.
Over-long terms - five years is longer than most other places, and leads government to be less responsive to the electorate. |
