APCG QUIZ
What is the most important business organization?
The confederation of British industry.
What three major developments reduced the power of the British monarch (sovereign) and allowed it to develop democratic control before many other countries.
1. The crowning of King James I and the English Civil War in which Parliament executed the king 2. When James II inherited the throne from Charles II and he was Catholic. Parliament feared a return to Catholicism and subsequently exiled hi, 3. When George I was crowned, he was forced to work with a cabinet and a Prime Minister
What is a vote of no confidence? How does it work in the United Kingdom? How can a Prime Minister use that vote to his advantage (Tony Blair example)?
A legislative check on a government where the dead of gov. must have enough votes in favor to remain in power. If it fails, either cabinet must resign or new elections must be held. PM can use this to gain more seats.
In 2011 what referendum was called for by the British government? Did it pass?
A referendum was offered to the public to have them choose between the existing plurality SMD system and instituting a majority SMD system known as alternative vote (AV). It did not pass, failing over 2/3 of the votes
What task do the MPs (Members of Parliament) have?
Actively debates issues, participate in legislative committees, vote on legislation proposed by the gov, and have the power to remove the PM through a vote of no confidence. They also can sometimes propose legislation.
Does the British courts have a tradition of judicial review? If not, how come?
British courts do have a tradition of judicial review, not until recently tho. This is because the British parliament was always supreme: any law passed by the legislature was, by definition, constitutional. Thus, the role of the courts in the UK has been mainly to ensure that parliamentary statures have been followed.
Describe the elections for the House of Commons (voter turnout, how elections are ran, parties, etc.)
British voters select all 650 members during a general election. Usually with a 60-70% voter turnout. Campaigns usually last less than a month and people are more informed to watch each party stands for. Also, candidates are sometimes put on a certain district and represent it randomly.
What is the most salient social division in the United Kingdom? How is the education system a legacy of the British class system?
Class identity is the most salient social division in the UK. Education is a class system because it has channeled a minority of the British elite into so-called public schools (which are actually private schools) graduates of these elite schools go to elite universities like Oxford University and pursue jobs in government and have enhanced careers.
Describe Tony Blair's domestic reforms.
Devolved power to regional and local governments which created legislature in Scotland and Wales. Reformed the archaic House of Lords, established a Supreme Court and made the central bank independent.
At this time, describe the electoral system for the EU Parliament.
Elections take place every 5 years by universal adult suffrage
What three nations make up the island of Great Britain? What other county makes up the United Kingdom?
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland
What new divisions have been forming since the 1960s?Political consequences of these new divisions?
Former colonial subjects (primarily from Africa, West Indies, India, and Pakistan) have immigrated to the UK giving the UK an influx of racial diversity - this did not go over well with British society. As a result, racial tension between whites and non-europeans minorities has sparked conflict and anti-immigration sentiment. Lacking proportional representation, the British electoral system has limited the vote of nonwhite and far-right in most elections.
Why does the United Kingdom keep their monarch?
Great source of popularity, most of the British population want to keep the monarchy, brings a sense of tradition and elegance.
Tony Blair's "New Labour" and the Third Way had what goals/ideas?
He sought to rebrand the party and make his "Third Way" program from Thatcher's hard-edged alases-fairy policies and Labour's more traditional position as promoting a welfare state
What referendum was voted on in 1997 and what did it create?
In 1997 Scotland and Wales voted in referenda to create their own legislatures to address local issues, though their powers ARE NOT uniform
What reforms did Tony Blair enact to bring more power/voice to local government?
In 1997 Tony Blair restored considerable autonomy to municipal gov which allowed Londoners to directly elect a mayor w/ significant powers and allowed them to choose a representative for a Greater London Assembly
What reforms did the House of Lords go under in 1999? What future reforms might we see in the House of Lords?
In 1999 the Labour gov eliminated all but 92 of the hereditary peerages as a reform. It is possible that in the future the people night be directly elected.
Where do most people live in the United Kingdom?
In England and major cities
How is the United Kingdom a unitary state that behaves more like a federal state? How does the central government still hold more power?
It behaves more like a fed state bc it has devolved power to local governments (London, Wales, Scotland), but the central government holds more power because it has the power to limit or even eliminate local govs if and when it chooses too.
What did the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act do? How long are terms now?
It fixed the date of the subsequent elections for every five years beginning in 2015.
Describe the set-up of the House of Commons (how many members, length of term, how the room is set up).
It has 650 members from individual districts in the UK. Elected for a max term of 5 years, gov and opposition parties face each other in tiny rectangular chamber. The backbenchers (other MPs) sit behind their leads. A politically neutral speaker of the house presides.
Describe the House of Lords (how many members, different titles, etc.)
It has of 800 members who have been appointed. Some are appointed for life, for their service or because of their qualifications. Some are of the aristocracy/hereditary peers (dukes, earls, barons, etc.)
Describe British civi society. How influential are interest groups?
It houses various groups articulating special interests. They license public policy and public opinion, but are less prevalent because the parties re more disciplined.
What is one thing lauded because of the lack of a written constitution?
It is lauded for its unparalleled flexibility and responsiveness to the majority, meaning it can easily be changed in a quick fashion as opposed to when a written constitution is in place.
Where does religion remain a source of conflict in the United Kingdom? Briefly describe the fighting that occurred between these two groups and the political issues that exist today.
It remains a source of conflict in Northern Ireland. 48% of the population identified as Protestant while 45% identified as catholic. This religious divide was compounded by both national and class differences, and Catholics were discriminated against in terms of employment. This turned to war in the 1960s between the Irish Republic Army and Britain, with the goal of the IRA to unify the region with the Republic of Ireland. This is known as The Troubles, which has claimed nearly 4,000 casualties,
David Cameron led a coalition government after a hung parliament. Big Society was the idea associated with Cameron's policies. How did the 2015 election signify another major change in UK politics?
It shifted the electorate on polices from government spending to immigration
Describe how the United Kingdom's geography has influenced its history and politics.
Its geography has protected it from the Nazi invasions, but has made it hard to control the US colonies before they broke away
The UK does not have a written constitution. What makes up its laws and rules?
Its laws and rules are made of a number of written documents and unwritten rules that most British Citizens views as inviolable. Examples include the Magna Carta which sets a precedents for limits on monarchial power. Other docs include 1689 Bill of Rights and 1707 Act of Union. Also consists various acts of Parliament, judicial decisions, customs, and traditions. Due to concern over lack of formal constitution, the European Convention on Human rights was imposed, which stated protections of basic rights.
What church did King Henry VIII create? What was the impact of this creation on religion and politics in the United Kingdom (two consequences)?
King Henry VIII created the Anglican Church. Religion: it led to a religious institution that was weaker and less autonomous than its counterparts in other European countries. Politics: Henry VIII's reliance on Parliament to sanction the changes strengthened and legitimized Parliament's power
common law
Legal system based on custom and precedent rather than formal legal codes
Describe who makes up the Cabinet. How are they appointed and what qualifications do they need?
Made up of 20 members from the lower house and some from the Lords. Generally the PM appoints the people to positions. The qualifications needed: must be all members of parliament
Describe the domestic policies of Margaret Thatcher. What was some of her controversial decisions?
Margaret Thatcher steered the country toward a more free-market economy but allowed some companies to go bankrupt and defeated many powerful trade unions. She also had the poll tax which moved tax burden from property owners to all citizens
What national identity exists in the United Kingdom? How has devolution dealt with nationalist desires?
National identity of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Devolution has given the nations a sense of power in order to deal with their national desires.
How are the members of the new Supreme Court appointed (or will be in the future)?
New members if the new Supreme Court will be appointed by a commission rather than being members of the House of the Lords.
collective consensus.
Postwar consensus between the Uk's major parties to build and sustain a welfare state
What duties do the cabinet ministers have? What are the most important cabinet members (job titles and description)?
Preside over individual government departments and are responsible for answering to parliament. Most important cabinet members are the Foreign Office, Home Office and the Exchequer.
Define quangos. What is their role in British government?
Quasi-autonomous non governmental organizations that assist the government in making policy
Describe the electoral systems in the recently devolved regional parliaments.
Scotland and Wales have adopted a mixed PR-SMD electoral system and Northern Ireland uses a system known as single-transferable votes, similar to the AV system
Three recent Prime Ministers have greatly transformed UK politics. a. Margaret Thatcher: how did her government put an end of the postwar collective consensus?
She cut taxes and ended many social welfare programs in the UK
define majoritarian. what does this mean for UK politics?
Term describing the virtually unchecked power of a parliamentary majority in the UK political system. What this means for UK politics is that the majority party in the UK can enact policies with few checks from other branches of government.
What is the Good Friday Agreement?
The Good Friday Agreement is the historical accord in 1998 between Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland that ended decades of violence
What role does the House of Lords play in British politics? What was historically their most important role and how has that changed since 2009?
The House of Lords has no actual veto power over legislation, but can delay it for up to one year and occasionally persuades govs to amend legislation. Historically, its last role was their service ad the UK's court of last appeal and its legal experts are sometimes called upon to improve legislation. In 2009, a law was passed that created an independent Supreme Court thus depriving lords of their judicial influence.
How did the Labour Party transform the United Kingdom after World War II?
The Labour Party made the UK into a welfare state with the nationalization of healthcare, coal, and other utilities and service sectors
What is the importance of the Magna Carta?
The Magna Carta forced British monarchs into submission of the law and limited their powers
Describe the Prime Minister in the UK political system. Why are they the most powerful heads of government in modern democracies?
The PM is chosen by the majority ruling party and is head of gov. They are the most powerful head due to the fact that they can control the legislation, and can get rid of any amends that the House of Lords adds to a bill
Describe the United Kingdom's demographics. Where do most immigrants come from?
The UK is becoming more diverse and many immigrants come from within the UK and eastern EU
The UK has what is known as parliamentary sovereignty. what does this mean for its constitutional rule?
The democratically elected lower house of the legislature can amend any aspect of the constitution by a simple majority vote.
What two factors have allowed the traditionally weak court system to become more politically involved?
The fact that British governments have sought legal interpretations that would support their actions, and the embracement of international laws, such as the adoption of the European Convention on Human Rights in 1998, which codified for the first time in the UK a set of basic civil rights have allowed the traditionally weak court system to become more politically involved.
Define noblesse oblige
The inferred responsibility of privilege propose to act w generosity and nobility toward those less privileged.
What two factors democratized Parliament?
The introduction of political parties in the 18th century who challenged the monarch The expansion of suffrage policies which allowed more people to vote
What is one concern because of the lack of a written constitution and how have citizens attempted to remedy this?
The lack of a written constitution has alarmed human rights advocates and has given rise to demands for a more formal constitution or, at the very least, written constitutional protections of basic rights. They have tried to remedy this by increasingly appealing to European laws to protect their rights.
Why are the British more socially and morally liberal than citizens of the United States? Examples?
The postwar goals of an expanded franchise, full employment, and the creation of a welfare state has led to social and moral liberalism. Ex: economic decline during the 1970s swung the pendulum back toward personal freedom, which spurned consensus politics, rejected socialist redistributive policies, and advocated privatization.
Describe the many roles of the Prime Minister.
The roles of the PM include being head of gov, head of the largest party in the lower house, selects individuals for the cabinet and have few checks and balances, must maintain the support of fellow members of parliament, must have a weekly PM's Questions on tv, and must guide party to victory in general elections
What is the rule of primogeniture? How has it recently changed?
The rule of primogeniture is that the oldest son (or daughter if there were no sons) inherited the throne. This has changed through the abolition of male precedence in royal succession. The eldest born is the one to inherit the throne, regardless of gender.
What are the consequences of this electoral system?
The system favors and helps maintain the dominance of the two main political parties and the system also penalizes smaller parties
What is the most important British interest group?Who do they usually favor in electoral politics? Why have they declined in importance in recent years?
The trades union congress. They have usually favored the Labour Party but support is fading because people don't belong to trade unions as much as before.
How does the British FPTP electoral system help out parties like the Scottish Nationalist Party but hurts the Liberal- Democrats?
These parties have been concentrating enough votes in some districts to win seats in the legislature
How did both Thatcher and Blair terms in office end?
They both resigned without having ever lost an election
Describe the House of Commons electoral system.
UK uses a SMD system based on first pass the post. Each constituencies elects one MP and is based on pulsation
What is the Crown? Describe its role in UK government. What does the monarch do today?
What is the Crown? Describe its role in UK government. What does the monarch do today? The crown refers the British monarchy and sometimes the British state. In the UK government it is seen as the head of state and makes up one of the main branches of government in the UK. The monarch today is essentially a paid civil servant: the government allocates a budget to cover the royal family's expenses, and the queen spends much of her time
What is a backbencher?
a MP who does not hold governmental office or shadow government office
define 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
What is the Commonwealth?
it is a regional organization that involves all previous British colonies. they seek economy and cultural cooperation. Includes UK and 54 former colonies who are closely tied through economic and some cultural ties
