AP Comparative Government Unit 2: Great Britain
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
Investment made by a foreign company in the economy of another country.
Good Friday Agreement
an agreement to end the conflict in Northern Ireland signed in 1998 by Protestants and Catholics
Keynesianism
an approach to economic policy in which state fiscal policies are used to regulate the economy in an attempt to achieve stable economic growth; the Consensus Era
monetarism
an approach to economic policy that assumes a natural rate of unemployment determined by the labor market and rejects the instruments of government spending to run budgetary deficits for stimulating the economy and creating jobs; Thatcher Era
cultural heterogeneity
vast cultural differences and varieties in ethnicities, races, and tribes inhabiting the same nation or country
common law
A legal system based on custom, precedent, and court rulings
The National Health Service (NHS), which provides comprehensive and universal medical care, is considered exceptional because it provides fine, low-cost medical care to all British citizens as a right.
13. What is considered the jewel in the crown of the welfare state in Britain? Why?
unitary government
A centralized government in which all government powers belong to a single, central agency.
Conservative Party
A political party in Great Britain which developed from the Tories in the 1830s. One of the two major parties in the UK, it is generally more right wing, and more towards free-markets and the upper classes, advocates a mixed economy and encourages property owning
welfare state
A set of public policies designed to provide for citizens' needs through direct or indirect provision of pensions, health care, unemployment insurance, and assistance to the poor.
parliamentary system
A system of government in which the chief executive is the leader whose party holds the most seats in the legislature after an election or whose party forms a major part of the ruling coalition.
neoliberalism
A term used to describe government policies aiming to promote free competition among business firms within the market, including reduced governmental regulation and social spending.
The Third Way
A term used to describe the new and more central left-wing parties of the 1990s, most notably Britain's "New Labour".
plurality electoral systems
Advanced democracies are most likely to vary in therms of their promotion of...
Sinn Fein
An Irish republican political movement founded in 1905 to promote independence from England and unification of Ireland
Fusion of powers is a constitutional principle that merges the authority of branches of government. Parliament is the supreme legislative, executive, and judicial authority and includes the monarch, as well as the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The fusion of powers is also expressed in the function and personnel of the cabinet.
Britain has a system of fusion of powers. What does this mean?
Labour Party
British political party founded in 1900 with the help of trade unions to represent the interests of the urban working class; the main left-wing political party in the UK
rural England
British voters in which area would be least likely to vote for a Labour MP?
the government resigns and elections for new MPs are held
By tradition, if the majority party loses a vote of confidence, what must happen next?
David Cameron
Conservative Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016; took his party in a mainstream direction and appealed to youth; pushed for "Big Society"; overshadowed by austerity measures and political challenges; resigned after Brexit referendum
Margaret Thatcher
Conservative party PM from 1979 to 1990; blamed weal economics on socialist/collectivist policies; privatized business and industry and cut down on social welfare; tough on labor unions and returned to market force controls on economy
collective consensus
Cross-party British support for the welfare state that lasted until the late 1970s.
Britain is an island off the shores of Europe, which made it less subject to invasion and conquest, giving the country a sense of security. Due to this separation, many Britons feel that they are more apart from Europe than an intrinsic part of it.
Describe Britain's unique geography.
The centerpiece of the coalition government's economic policy was an overarching commitment to deficit reduction as the necessary precondition for stabilizing the economy.
Describe economic policy under the Coalition Government.
In a proportional representation system, the number of seats allocated to parties in parliament would closely approximate the proportion of votes cast for a given party. This system would more accurately represent the percentage of the popular vote that each party receives, giving minority parties more representation.
Describe electoral system using Proportional Representation (PR).
Britain's constitution is based on documents, common law, and customs.
Describe the British constitution.
Scottish MPs seem to have more power than MPs from other areas of the UK. For example, a Scottish MP has the right to vote on laws that might relate to England or Wales, but English and Welsh MPs cannot vote on some matters related to Scotland, in areas where policy has been devolved from the Westminster Parliament to the Scottish parliament.
Describe the controversy about the asymmetry in voting rights that devolution produces.
wide-ranging initiatives to empower ordinary citizens; shift power downward from state to communities and citizens
Describe the goals of David Cameron's "big society."
- caused by industrial revolution - Great Reform Act of 1832: 300,000 men gained suffrage - 1867: working class people - 1918: women age 28+, men age 21+ 1928: women 21+
Describe the gradual expansion of voting rights in the UK.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Developed in the Collective Consensus era, this was the TV and Radio Network in England, It was meant to be more educational and was generally kind to government officials.
promote full employment and economic growth
During the Collective Consensus, most Britons and all major political parties agreed that the government has the responsibility to...
diminished opportunity
Ethnic minorities disproportionately suffer _______ _______ in the United Kingdom.
British National Party
Extreme right party in Britain that formed in 1982. It is against immigration into the UK.
Act of Union 1707
Formally unified England with Scotland and formed a common Parliament of Great Britain that replaced the two separate parliaments of Scotland and of England and Wales.
By joining the EU, Parliament accepted significant limitations on its power to act. It acknowledged that European law had force in the UK, without requiring parliamentary assent, and that European law overrode British law. A desire to escape the economic and legal burdens imposed by the EU that prompted Brexit.
How did joining the European Union limit Parliament's power?
Shadow Cabinet
In systems like Britain's, the official leadership of the opposition party that "shadows" the cabinet; members of the opposing party who would form a government if they were in power
Tony Blair
Labour Prime Minister, 1997 to 2007; pushed to modernize the Labour party and expand its political base; led several reforms and emphasized "third way"; downfall was Iraq War
austerity
Measures taken by governments in an attempt to reduce expenditures
backbenchers
Members of a parliament who are not in the government or shadow cabinet.
Euroskeptics
People opposed to the UK's membership in the EU and the expansion of the EU's power.
Beveridge Report
Published during WWII, it suggested a social insurance program that made all citizens eligible for health, unemployment, pension, and other benefits.
civil servants
Since nearly all legislation is introduced on behalf of the government and presented as the policy directive of a ministry, ________ ________ in Britain do much of the work of conceptualizing and refining legislation.
- Brexit and the challenges associated with it - Questions about the role of the monarchy and the House of Lords - Questions about the balance of power: Britain's executive overpowers Parliament - Concerns about the prime minister's tendency to bypass the cabinet on crucial issues - Bias in the electoral system privileges the two dominant parties
Summarize the major political challenges facing the UK:
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The British Cabinet minister responsible for financial and economic matters and in charge of the Treasury.
Whitehall
The British civil service, a wide street in London stretching from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament, Main British government offices
revision, block
The Lords serves mainly as a chamber of ________: The Lords can debate, refine, and delay - but not ________ - legislation
devolution
The creation of the office of mayor and a general assembly for London and the Scottish and Welsh assemblies are all a part of a trend in the British political system toward...
proportional representation
The alternate vote called to referendum by the Liberal Democrats in 2011 proposed changes that would put more emphasis on...
Conservatives and Liberal Democrats
The coalition government that formed after the election of 2010 drew its leadership from the...
Parliamentary Sovereignty
The doctrine that grants the legislature the power to make or overturn any law and permits no veto or judicial review.
the admission of several eastern European countries into the EU
The influx of eastern Europeans into Britain after 2004 was stimulated primarily by...
the Iraq War
The international event that most seriously challenged the popularity of the Blair government was...
The Glorious Revolution
The last successful revolution in British history which removed James II in 1688; resolved long standing religious conflict, as the replacement of the Catholic James II by the Protestant William and Mary ensured the dominance of the Church of England.
create a mostly-elected chamber
The main objective of the Labour government's reorganization of the House of Lords between 1999 and 2010 was to...
referendum
The name given to the political process in which the general public votes on an issue of public concern.
The principle of Parliamentary Sovereignty
The policymaking power of Britain's Supreme Court is mainly limited by...
post industrial society
a society in which the economic emphasis is on providing services and information
vote of no confidence
Vote taken by a legislature as to whether its members continue to support the current prime minister. Depending on the country, a vote of no confidence can force the resignation of the prime minister and/or lead to new parliamentary elections.
pensions, healthcare, unemployment insurance, assistance to the poor, National Health Service
What are some aspects of the British welfare state?
Ethnic minority communities have experienced police insensitivity, problems in access to the best public housing, hate crimes, and accusations that they are not truly British.
What are some problems that ethnic minority communities have experienced?
- Devolution to Scotland and Wales - Elected mayor and council for London - Removal of hereditary peers' voting rights in House of Lords - Incorporated Convention of Voting Rights into British law - Eliminated part of Clause IV of Labour party's constitution which committed party to "common ownership of the means of production and distribution" - Freedom of Information Act
What are some reforms that took place under Tony Blair?
The cabinet's key functions are a responsibility for policymaking, supreme control of government, and coordination of all government departments.
What are the key functions that the British cabinet exercises?
1. To pass laws 2. To provide finances for the state by authorizing taxation 3. To review and scrutinize public administration and government policy
What are the three main functions of the House of Commons?
(1) The prime minister must gain the support of a majority of the cabinet for a range of significant decisions, notably the budget and the legislative program (2) A vote of no confidence in the House of Commons
What are the two ways a prime minister's power is checked?
By the 1970s, Britain was struggling economically, with no growth and political discontent as investments declined and trade union agitation increased. Industrial unrest in the winter of 1978-1979 demonstrated the Labour party's inability to manage the trade unions and discredited the Keynesian welfare state.
What conditions in the 1970s led to the Labour Party losing support and the Conservatives gaining support under Margaret Thatcher?
Low costs, a business-friendly political environment, government-sponsored financial incentives, reduced trade union power, and a large pool of potential nonunionized recruits
What factors contribute to the UK being the most highly regarded location in Europe for FDI?
tradition (crown) and rational-legal authority
What forms of legitimacy is the British state based on?
Winner-take-all systems are praised for increasing the chances that a party or coalition of parties will gain a majority of parliamentary seats and form a stable government.
What is the advantage of a first-past-the-post / plurality system?
Winner-take-all systems tend to exaggerate the size of the victory of the largest party and reduce the influence of regionally dispersed lesser parties. They are criticized for not giving adequate representation to minority opinions.
What is the disadvantage of a first-past-the-post / plurality system?
reducing the role of government in people's lives
What is the main goal of neoliberal policies?
Quangos are typically part of the state in terms of funding, function, and appointment of staff, but operate at arm's length from ministers. They take responsibility for specific functions and can combine governmental and private-sector expertise. They also enable ministers to distance themselves from controversial areas of policy.
What purpose do quangos serve?
Unions, spurred by the industrial revolution, called for reforms like increased suffrage, pension system (established 1900s), and child labor laws
What role did unions play in social reform in the 19th century?
In 2009, the UK Supreme Court was created, which serves as the highest court of appeal, removing that authority from the House of Lords.
What was the dramatic change to the British judiciary in 2009?
- Aimed at reducing welfare state and reducing the deficit - Affected the NHS, welfare, and education
What were the goals of British austerity measures?
reigns but does not rule
When describing Britain's constitutional monarchy, it is said that the monarch...
Immigrants, asylum seekers, and Muslim communities
Which group tends to be a bigger target of alienation/discrimination in the UK?
Liberal Democrat Party
Which of the following political parties won 23% of the popular vote in the election of 2010 but only won 57/650 seats in the House of Commons?
When a single governing party has a majority of seats, it can control the legislative agenda and pass legislation at will. Because of this, the Commons does not legislate in a meaningful way, and its real function is to assent to government legislation.
Why is the outcome of legislation in Parliament seldom in doubt?
Westminster model
a form of democracy based on the supreme authority of Parliament and the accountability of its elected representatives; named for the Parliament building in London.
coalition government
a government formed jointly by more than one political party; may be formed when no single party has a clear working majority
hung parliament
a parliament in which no single party has majority control in the House of Commons
question time
a period during a parliamentary session when members of Parliament may ask questions of the ministers
loyal opposition
a role that the party out of power plays, highlighting its objections to policies and priorities of the government in power
Constitutional Monarchy
a system of government in which the head of state ascends by heredity but is limited in powers and constrained by the provisions of a constitution
Alternate Voting (AV)
allows voters to rank candidates on the ballot in order of preference
Scottish National Party
centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence
life peers
distinguished members of the society who are given lifetime appointments to the house of lords
Law Lords
five members of the House of Lords who serve as Britain's highest court of appeals
collective responsibility
in a parliamentary system, the concept that all cabinet members agree on policy decisions and that all will be responsible for the results
hereditary peers
members of the House of Lords appointed by the monarch and whose title automatically passes down to their sons.
Speaker of the House
non-partisan MP who decides who speaks during debate/questions, keeps order, and votes only in the case of a tie
quangos
quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations; semi-independent agencies with regulatory power over a particular policy area or industry
UK Independence Party
slightly more popular than the British National Party, this party is opposed to British membership in the EU.
"Constitution of the Crown"
the "constitution" of Britain that evolved over time composed of: 1. important documents 2. common law 3. tradition/customs
first-past-the-post voting system
the election process for representatives in the House of Commons; it means winner take all; the candidate who receives the most votes is elected and there is no need for a majority nor an element of proportional representation
Plaid Cymru
the nationalist party in Wales that advocates more rights for the Welsh people, including use of the Welsh language
monarch, prime minister
the state is run by the ________ and the government is run by the ________
Nick Clegg
the telegenic and media-savvy leader of the Liberal Democrats during the 2010 election; provided Britons with a fresh and honest alternative to the status quo
devolution
the transfer of powers and responsibilities from the federal government to regional subunits
Liberal Democrats
third largest political party and main center party in the UK; underrepresented in parliament compared to the number of votes they received