Political Systems: Definitions

• The lecture notes summarize textbooks and do not replace reading source material.
• The lecture notes often provide background information for context

Terminology Definitions

• Monarchy: Rule by a monarch, hereditary or constitutional.
• Dictatorship: Originally a Roman office for emergencies, now refers to absolute power unrestricted by law.
• Oligarchy: Government by a small group of people.
• Plutocracy: Society ruled by the wealthy, essentially an oligarchy.
• Kleptocracy: Corruption among those in power.
• Totalitarianism: Overwhelming state control over public and private behavior.
• Pluralism: Acceptance of diversity, allowing peaceful coexistence of different views.
• Republic: State without a monarch, often associated with democratic principles.
• Democracy: Government by the people or elected representatives with social equity.
• Direct democracy exists in the form of referendums or plebiscites.
• Representative democracy uses elected officials
• Liberal Democracy: Decision-making limited by the rule of law and individual rights.
  • Social liberals advocate for state intervention to uplift the poor.
• Socialist Democracy: Varies from social liberalism to far-left communism.
• Fascism: Dictatorial government exalting the state and militarism, with a mixed economy
• Communism: Classless society with abolished private ownership, state irrelevant in theory.
• Postmodernism: Scepticism towards grand narratives and objective reality. The proponents of post-modernism were the French intellectuals Derrida and Foucault.
• Separation of Powers: Powers of governance divided among executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Precursors to the South African Constitution

• The history of the United States and the United Kingdom's constitutional systems have been examined for comparative purposes
• The South African constitutional was profoundly affected by South Africa's time as a collection of British colonies
• The constitutional and political systems of the United Kingdom and the United States of America had a profound effect on constitutional thought in modern times and on South African constitutionalism in particular.
• The countries provided model governmental structures for liberal democracies in the form of "Parliamentary" and the ‘Presidential systems.
• Most written constitutions have some common features to that of the United States
• It was the first constitution of the modern areaa and the oldest written constitution still in operation

The United Kingdom

• The United Kingdom's system grew out of a long evolutionary process:
• Began in the dark ages, marked by Magna Carta
• Culminating in the “Glorious Revolution"
• Declaration of Rights (or ‘Bill of Rights’)
• Act of Settlement of 1701
• Enlightenment theorists such as Voltaire and Montesquieu based their ideas off of it.

The United States

• Was based more on theory and principle than that of the British had been.
• In 1215, King John faced a revolt by the majority of his senior barons.

The Origins of Parliament

• The fall of the Western Roman Empire lead to its disintegration
• The armed forces of the Roman state comprised permanent ‘standing' armies of formally trained soldiers living in barracks
• The loss of moneyed economy meant this kind of professional force could not be maintained in Western Europe The economy resulted in the adaptation of a new social order, the "Feudal System", to maintain the military forces.
• The feudal system was a social and economic system to support military service under monetary absences
• The system resembled that of a pyramid, with the king at the apex and serfs at the base.

Feudal England

• Existed informally from the late 800s AD, but created formally in 927 AD.

Magna Carta - 1215

• A fundamental change occurred in the 13th century leading to the development of ‘Parliament.” Magna Carta was a document outlining the rights of barons and limited the monarch's power.

Parliament

• The Great Council became parliament when England's lords and gentry demanded their rights.
• A baron called Simon de Montfort was in revolt against Henry III By the beginning of Edward I's reign in 1272, the `great council' has divided into two houses
• The upper house, which became the House of Lords, consisted of aristocrac
• The lower house was occupied by the gentry – the knights and ‘burgesses', also known as the ‘Commons'

The affect of religion

• Christendom was almost constantly at war with the Islamic world
• 634 AD - Start of the Arab invasion of the Eastern Roman Empire and almost constantly at war since then.

The Divine Right of Kings

• In late 15th century Europe, noble power diminished so royal power could rise as they lost militarized dominance
• The nobility ceased checking monarchal power, so it led to the theory that kings are ordained by God.

Tudor "Absolutism" 1485 - 1603

• the time Tudor period, parliament appeared to be largely consenting to the wishes of The Tudor Monarchs whom upheld parliamentary authority
• Tudors obliged to work w Parliament and due to Tudor encouragement
  • In fact influenced House of Commons during Tudor period grew at the expense of House of Lords.

Parliament Seizes Power

• Stuarts a Scottish Dynasty, that believed in the divine right of Kings
• 1642 tension led to crisis. then to civil war bc differences in the predominantly Protestant British Society, Between Puritans v Anglicans

Petition of Right- 1628

• King Charles I had particularly troubled relationship with Parliament. he had dissolved Parliament twice in 1626 because it attempted to impeach his Minister Buckingham for corruption and incompetence

The English Civil War and the "Commonwealth"

• The King was forced to recall Parliament after an 11 yr hiatus, however not resolved resulted in Cival war final parl victory 1651 In 1648, Parliament ends monarchy and results in an end to it

The Restoration of the Monarchy - 1660

• Reestablish Monarchy in a couple restriction of the monarchy where Charles agreed in 1641 in particular provisions of the petition of Right

The Glorious Revolution and the Bill of Rights

• Charles II had no legitimate Heir was taken over by his bro James VI & II 1685

The Consolidation of British Constitution + the intro of Parl Monarchy

• 1689- 1714 Gov became extremely complex for time
• impossible King run Gov alone assist Ministers privvy council The Lord treaser The Seceratary etc No longer merely Advisors each ran dept of State
• 1689, King had act support Parliament only obtained ministers had support Parlament
• 11Th, King made the leader part the majority Parliament premier gov Minister selects others for Cabinet
• Rapidly stopped being cabinate meeting actual gov premier cabinet

The US Constitution

Constitutional Influences

• The sources of influence to the US constitution = British practices precedents ideas

British practices, precipitants and ideas

• The colinus who resolved from Britton had grown under English common laws Brit institutions. Montagus theores regarding seperation Powers develoepd his undertsandin how British oped

Misgivings about government

• Drafers were profoundily suspicious/government. Answer to what percoieved was himited Gov
• *The founding American fathers, also felt that they knew how to create limited government by using 1. Strict separation of pwers and 2. Checks and Balances
• Drafers US constitution provide for separation/ cabinet, in order to create. independence Between. Those bodies avou interfernce future. USA . exctutive not legislator USA. President. Elected. Congressional election evedy 2 years therefore a president party . House and representatives

United States of America

• North Amer colonizes made Spain brittish dutch frech. Initial Eng colonies during Liz. First Eng fail w colonists Dead; Jamestown
• James - better funding 1607 1st successful coloy Jamestown in Virgina. - most colorst lost yr
• trip hazard strange diff planets; planters not successful; often starvation: Colonist ofton city background.

Compaines and Charters

-. Success Jamestown due better finding allowed More frequent support From Eng

• Discovesy cah'sh crop easy grow tobacco funding due ultilzation new dutch inventor

Differences between the US and British Constitutions

• Incorporation united state const into o document Legal sepremacy In place parliamentary Sovereignty: provision more definite

Two Methods for creating Constitutions

• Finally main way systen Dev illus two main way which Constit
• In Case Britain no plant constructers theou volvement creation. Time change added addited adapt to deal with moments

Early History and the Union Constitution

• Khoisan and early Bantu Settle - Area was become South - Africa original popular kolsan groups
• Hunter, Gatherer Sam Bushwan Pastral khol hotterhots Until Display Absorption. The southern Bonito Tribes Migrated From West Afre
• Southern Banta Group . Ngunt + stotho speakers crossed the timpopo sometime. I Millenium
• C1000 Southern Bantu intro agriculture therefore Clima Geopraphee Determinaed Direction migrate we Terminate the on Orange

###. The Dutch Settlement at the Cape.

• meantime Dutch East Indian Company(Doe)had taken posses Cape 1652

The British Occupation

• 1790's then French Revolution Wars Nethereads Inva ded Occupies The French . Brit war 1795 To prevent, occupare ###. The Great Trek and the Boer Rebublic's
• many boreo in the caper dissalitesified britsh Rule- 1836 LEFT
• Mfecane' After ultimate successful crash - 245 7477- estab Republic in the less polar area Natal South. Zululand

the formation Union South - Afri and the National convention

    -     Alter, Boer War Brit control Southern - Afri Took Steps Union
    - Territoes which the basuter swand Zivel.
    - A racal Exclusive constitution and Westminster model is agreed.

###. Basic feature union constitution

• . Westminster top constitution 16 Bicameral parlament(two hours) House the Sembely Member select by election directly Senator - Number nominate select perovinal legister House the Sembely. Unitary seat not federal the colony retin provincer with there . but ho proviso ordinance conific with National
• Parliamentary Scvereighty - Parliament could amend, make of Urmaker 7.1 choose little construnt at the organ subordinate.