AP Comparative Government Review Questions (Great Britain & EU)
What is meant by "collective responsibility" in cabinet government?
All members of the cabinet take full responsibility for cabinet decisions
Which form of media does the British public depend on and trust the most? Why?
BBC/due to unbiased reporting
What are the issues for the EU in accepting new member states?
"Enlargement fatigue" has been caused by rapidly adding new member states and difficult integration of poorer economies, particularly in Eastern Europe. Turkey, for example, which has applied unsuccessfully to date for EU membership, has a large population with a much lower standard of living that makes full integration difficult. There are also cultural and human rights issues ref. its Islamic orientation unlike most EU countries and the legacy of its WWI era genocide of Armenians which the Turkish government continues to deny
Describe three referendums that took place in the UK between 2011 and 2016 and the results of each.
-Referendum on the Alternative Vote Method in May 2011: This was a UK wide referendum on the Alternative Vote Method to potentially elect MPs. This was favored by the LDP as it stood to gain more seats but opposed by Labour and Conservatives. The referendum failed to pass. In the succeeding 2015 election, the LDP lost the most seats due to its involvement in the unpopular economic policies of the Conservatives. - Referendum on the independence of Scotland. This was held in September, 2014 with 55% opposing independence and 45% in favor. - Referendum on leaving the European Union or "Brexit". This was held in June 2016 with 52% voting to leave and 48% voting to remain. David Cameron who supported the "remain" cause, stepped down as Prime Minister and was succeeded by Theresa May.
How long an interval is there between the issue of the Writ of Election and election day?
25 working days after the proclamation of elections
How many countries are presently EU members?
28
How do parliamentary and presidential systems differ in effectiveness of policymaking? Why?
A parliamentary system is more effective in policymaking due to the "fusion of power" between the executive and legislative branches. A presidential system is less effective in policymaking due to the "separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches which can lead to gridlock
What does the British Constitution consist of?
Acts of Parliament, Common Law, and Tradition/Conventions. It may be amended by an Act of Parliament
What is the process by which legislation is passed by Parliament?
Bills are introduced in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords, although approval by the Lords is not required. In the Commons the bill comes to the floor three times or three readings after which it is passed to the House of Lords which can add proposed amendments to the bills if accepted by the Commons
How is the judiciary in the UK similar to and different from that in the U.S.?
Both systems have an independent judiciary and utilize "legal precedent". Both systems have various levels in an appellate process leading up to a Supreme Court. However, the U.S. Supreme Court has the power of "judicial review" while the UK Supreme Court does not have that power due to the principal of "parliamentary supremacy"
Why did Britain decline to join the Euro? When, why and how did Britain choose to exit the EU? What are some challenges that Britain will face as a result of that decision?
Britain declined to join the Euro as it would have had to give up a large degree of monetary control especially in the setting of interest rates. In a nationwide referendum of June 2016 British voters chose to leave the EU i.e. "Brexit". There were many reasons including an unwillingness to increasingly cede sovereignty to EU decisions such as the sensitive issue of acceptance of refugees and the need to comply with other EU regulations. The effect has already been felt in a decline in the value of the Pound Sterling which may lead to inflation. The future negative impact may potentially be felt in a diminishment of British trade with and investment from EU member states.
Why did France and the Netherlands vote "No" on referenda for an EU Constitution?
Conservatives opposed it for a perceived liberal agenda. Liberals opposed it because it failed to address concerns about the "democratic deficit" in the EU's institutions
How did the Maastricht Treaty impact the European Union?
Created the modern organization of the EU and established the goal of a common currency, the euro, to replace national currencies of member states.
How did Margaret Thatcher become PM? What were some of the economic policies of Thatcherism?
Crippling union strikes in "the winter of discontent" in 1978-1979 and a financial crisis turned voters away from Labour to the Conservatives. Thatcherism replaced Keynesianism fiscal policies with monetary policies. The focus shifted from the welfare state and the culture of dependency to promotion of an enterprise culture: The result was privatization of nationalized industries, a steep decline in Britain's inflation rate, weakening of trade unions, but an actual increase in state expenditures. Thatcher was ousted in a party revolt after controversies about the poll tax and reduction in school lunch subsidies.
What was the name of the initial forerunner of the EU?
EEC
Why are there concerns about Britain being an "undemocratic democracy"?
Elections choose only one part of the political system so that real political power rests in the hands of an indirectly and appointed executive. The House of Lords is also unelected. And FPTP results in under-representation by minority parties
How does Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) impact the European Union?
Established price supports for European farmers to meet foreign competition. This is still the largest expense for the EU
How often must parliamentary elections be called in Great Britain?
Every 5 years
How are the terms Great Britain and the United Kingdom different? Which of these is simply referred to as Britain?
Great Britain is England, Scotland, and Wales while the UK also includes Northern Ireland. The UK is simply referred to as Britain
What was the major political challenge for the British political system in the 20th century?
How to distribute the fruits of economic growth and welfare to the general public
What has been the major and most consistent challenge to the British political system from the 20th century to the present day?
How to distribute the fruits of economic growth and welfare to the general public.
How does the British government lose the confidence of Parliament, resulting in new elections?
If a bill fails to gain a majority in the House of Commons on a key vote
How else might elections be called?
If two-thirds of the Parliament vote for early elections. Also if the ruling party loses a vote of confidence triggering a general election
How is a parliamentary system different from a presidential system?
In a parliamentary system the legislative and executive branches are more interdependent with the executive emerging from the legislature. In a presidential system the executive and legislative branches are elected separately
Why is "party discipline" so much stronger in the UK Parliament than in the U.S. Congress?
In the UK it is the party that decides the district in which each MP will run for office, thereby determining their political fate and assuring greater compliance with the priorities of the party leadership. In the U.S. the party does not have this extent of power since candidates are chosen in primaries in districts where views may not coincide with those of the party leadership
Why is there an issue regarding monetary union without fiscal union in the Eurozone?
In the past EU member states have been able to borrow from public and private sources without accountability simply based on the assumption that their debt would be backed by the EU. The need for fiscal and monetary union is a key issue for the EU in order to limit irresponsible borrowing and spending.
What is the difference between collectivistic and individualistic political culture?
Individualistic political cultures emphasize that political parties should represent people rather than organized interest groups. By contrast, collectivistic political cultures tend to coincide with government programs aimed at benefitting large numbers of people
Why did Irish voters change their vote in a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty?
Irish voters became more familiar with the treaty's contents and altered their views in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis that negatively impacted the Irish economy
How does the Schengen Agreement impact the European Union?
It eliminated border controls between EU countries
Why is the EU a supranational organization?
It has authority to make laws that are binding on their member states
What are some of the geopolitical influences on the British form of government?
It is a island nation that has suffered few invasions and thus political stability/also encouraged trade, small size with few internal national boundaries making it easier to rule, temperate climate with abundant water and coal that helped Britain industrialize and develop politically
What are the European Commission's major responsibilities?
It is the primary originator, administrator, and enforcer of policies and represents the EU to the world
How does the Single European Act (SEA) impact the European Union?
It made provisions to remove trade barriers and to cut back on the unanimity principle in favor of a simple majority for all but decisions on admission
When the Labour Party was elected in 1945 what sort of economic and social policies did they follow and what were some of the results?
Keynesian economic policies/state interventionism/resulted in the welfare state: NHS, the dole, and other social services, nationalization of many key industries etc
Why did Labour lose the 2010 election? What is a "hung Parliament" and why resulted? What change in government occurred in 2015? Why?
Labour lost the general election as it was blamed for the economic recession and for the MP expenses scandals etc. No party won a majority in Parliament which is the situation of a "hung Parliament". The Conservative Party, under David Cameron, convinced the Liberal Democratic Party to join in a coalition government based on the promise of a referendum on possible adoption of the Alternative Vote Method for election of MPs, Members of Parliament
Why have refugees become an issue for the EU? What responses have been made to the refugee crisis?
Millions of refugees are moving into EU countries causing a variety of responses ranging from Germany's initial welcoming of many refugees to Hungary's building of a border fence to keep these refugees out
How does the EU differ from NAFTA?
NAFTA is just a trade agreement
Describe Tony Blair's "Third Way" as reflected in the policies of New Labour.
New Labour's "Third Way" sought to find a middle ground between Thatcher's enterprise culture and Labour's social welfare state in order to appeal to the wider British electorate in the middle of the political spectrum. Blair revised the Labour Party's constitution removing the most radical pro- union language. Some Constitutional reforms by Blair included: - signing the EU Convention on Human Rights that gave Britain a "de facto" Bill of Rights.* - establishing the UK Supreme Court so as to have an independent judiciary.* - changing the House of Lords to eliminate most hereditary peers and replace most with Life Peers, thus making that institution more accountable. - passing a Freedom of Information Act to increase transparency and make the government more accountable i.e. modification of the Official Secrets Act. - devolution of some powers to Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. - allowing elections with proportional representation in Northern Ireland so as to secure representation for the Catholic minority and secure the peace there ref. the "Good Friday Agreement". Also some amount of PR in Scotland and Wales. *based on input from the EU
Must MPs reside in the districts that elect them? What are "safe districts"?
No. The party determines the district a candidate will run in. Party leaders run in "safe districts" or districts their party has won regularly
What are some other economic and demographic issues for the EU?
Older EU members have opposed redirection of development funds to new members and this has increased friction between new and old members. Future rates of growth in the EU will face pressures due to a demographic issue: By 2015 more people will be dying in Europe than being born. By 2060 the median age will rise to 47.6 years. Pensioners will account for 30 percent of the population in 2060 with fewer working age people to support them.
What is "parliamentary sovereignty"?
Parliament can make or overturn any law
Why is Parliamentary Supremacy related to the general absence of "judicial review" in Britain?
Parliament reigns supreme and its laws cannot be overturned by the judicial branch i.e. the UK Supreme Court
What is the nature of political change in Britain? Explain some of the most significant developments, pointing out related political concepts.
Political change in Britain is characterized by "gradualism". These developed from a long series of political changes: 1066 unification under the Normans, Magna Carta of 1215 began the tradition of limited government and rule of law, Civil War and Glorious Revolution of 1688 confirmed the principle of parliamentary supremacy, Great Reform Act of 1832 began the process of expansion of suffrage
How may the PM and the cabinet be challenged?
Prime Minister's Question Time gives an opportunity for the Loyal Opposition to challenge the PM on issues, thus providing some accountability. Also a "vote of confidence" that the ruling party loses will result in the PM and his/her cabinet's resignation.
What are "Quangos"? Why have these developed?
Quangos stand for "quasi-non- governmental organizations which can combine governmental and private sector expertise. They also enable cabinet ministers to distance themselves from more controversial areas of policy
Why is the PM and cabinet so powerful in Britain?
The PM is head of his party and his cabinet ministers are senior party officials able to enforce party discipline i.e. to get backbenchers to vote along party lines
How does the election of the Prime Minister in Great Britain differ from the election of the President in the U.S.
The Prime Minister is elected as an MP by one district and becomes PM as a result of being party leader. The President is elected by all U.S. citizens
What are some major social cleavages that represent challenges for Britain? Note an example of conflicts that have occurred as a result?
Socioeconomic class race and region, are major social cleavages. Examples of related conflicts have included the London transit system bombings of 2005, the Totenham riots of 2011, and the Scottish referendum on independence in 2014
How has Britain's political spectrum been changing?
The Conservatives have moved more towards the center while the Liberal Democrats are struggling to maintain its centrist position and Labour has moved more to the left
What was the result of the 2015 General Election?
The Conservatives won a narrow majority in Parliament thus avoiding a coalition government. Labour and Liberal Democrats lost seats to the Scottish National Party which replaced the Lib Dems as the 3rd largest of the parties
How does the European Court of Justice (ECJ) differ from other national courts in the EU?
The ECJ has the power of judicial review that supersede those powers of the national courts of EU member states
Describe the origin of the European sovereign debt crisis.
The crisis arose when countries like Greece borrowed extensively and spent funds on social benefits, public sector workers, public works etc. As a result Greece was unable to repay loans in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis. Similar issues appeared in other EU countries such as Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Ireland
Why did the Labour Party lose the election in May 2010? Why did that election end up in a "hung Parliament"? What condition did the Liberal Democrats make for joining a coalition and what was the outcome of the related referendum?
The main problem for Labour was the economy due to the severity of the economic recession for which it was blamed. Nonetheless, no party captured over 50% of the seats in Parliament which resulted in a "Hung Parliament". The Liberal Democrats agreed to join a coalition government with the Conservatives. Their requirement in joining the coalition was that a referendum be held on the "Alternative Vote" electoral method. The referendum failed to pass in May 2011.
What are among some of the principal functions of Parliament?
voicing ideas and political values, scrutinizing administration, and voting on legislation
What is the Treaty of Lisbon and how did it change the structure and balance of power among EU institutions?
This treaty, introduced in 2007 came into effect in late 2009. It strengthened the role of Parliament, putting it on an equal footing in decision making with the EU Council, sought greater involvement of the parliaments of member states, allowed for the withdrawal of EU member states, and established positions/terms of an EU President and a foreign secretary so as to better represent the EU internationally and coordinate policymaking
Why are there relatively few female MPs in the House of Commons? What issue does this point to?
Traditional socialization patterns and lack of role models inhibit women from active political involvement which points to broader gender inequality issues
What is "Whitehall"? What are some of its characteristics?
Whitehall is the name for Britain's civil service so called because of its headquarters location in London near Parliament and the PM's residence. Whitehall is a hierarchical organization with promotion based on merit. Its senior career civil servants, called permanent secretaries, often have technical expertise and advise cabinet secretaries and the PM. Whitehall utilizes local government to implement policies established by Parliament
Describe three different electoral systems used in Britain including how these work and for which elections.
a) First Past the Post or FPTP is used for national elections of MPs to the Westminster Parliament. This consists of elections in single member districts in which the candidate who wins the plurality of the vote wins the seat. (b) Proportional Representation or PR is used for elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly in which votes are cast for a party and seats won are proportionate to the percentage of votes received by each party. (c) The Additional Member System (AMS) is used to elect the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the London Assembly. It is a hybrid voting system of part FPTP and part PR. Voters have two votes-one for a candidate and one for a party. When all the votes are in, each constituency returns a winner in typical FPTP style. If a candidate was standing for a constituency as well as on a party list, the name is taken off the list with everyone below moving up the list. The additional members are then allocated proportionally to the percentage of votes the party has received.
What are some issues for the government that may negatively affect Britain's political culture in the future?
austerity budgets negatively affecting families, nationalistic divisions such as Scotland's 2014 referendum on independence, terrorism, the potential negative economic impact of Britain's exit from the EU
How do MPs advance their careers?
by serving a lengthy apprenticeship as backbenchers including distinguishing themselves in debates supporting party initiatives
How are civil liberties protected in Britain?
by strong cultural traditions highlighted by specific legislation
What is the concept of codecision and how does this work within the context of EU institutions?
codecision is the process by which the EU Parliament and the Council of Ministers each decide on proposals initiated by the Commission
Define "supranationalism"
efforts on the part of two or more countries to limit their sovereignty by establishing new decision-making structures over and above their national governments
Which has historically been the strongest party on the left, in the middle, and on the right of Britain's political spectrum?
left: Labour, Middle: Liberal Democrats, Right: Conservatives
What are some of the social cleavages in Britain today?
race, region, and socioeconomic class
What has been the most important determinant of political attitudes and party support in Britain in the past? Why?
socioeconomic class/due to the fact that education, occupation, dialect etc have been shorthand for class....traditionally working classes associated with labor and middle and upper classes with Conservatives
By what name is the EEC still known as today?
the Common Market
Which EU institution can be considered to be its executive branch which main administrative authority?
the European Commission
Which EU institution represents the interests of the European population and is the only directly elected EU institution?
the European Parliament
Why were the Conservatives able to regain power in 1951? What was the period of the 1950s referred to in British politics?
through "collectivist consensus" or state centered policies that were in line with the Labour Party...the following period was known as "The Collectivist Age"
Why was it formed and still its primary focus?
to expand economic cooperation which is still its major objective
Why does Britain have a small number of women MPs in Parliament?
traditional socialization patterns and absence of many role models that inhibit women from political involvement
Define civic culture and explain why this historically has pertained to Britain.
trust in government, deference to authority, willingness to obey the laws and allow the government some autonomy. This comes out of a tradition of "working class deference" to political elites and the expectation of "noblesse oblige" by these elites
How would you briefly describe the nature of the British state?
unitary state with its government centralized in Westminster Palace in London that is characterized by a Parliamentary or Westminster system with a fusion of powers of its executive and legislative parts. Devolution has permitted some decision making in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland