Brit Study Guide PDF

LOGIC FLOW OF STUDYING FOR TEST Quizlet link Background - The United Kingdom Government is the Oldest Liberal Democracy in the world. Their parliamentary governmental structure can be called the Westminster System, which has been modeled and implemented worldwide, particularly in e...

LOGIC FLOW OF STUDYING FOR TEST Quizlet link Background - The United Kingdom Government is the Oldest Liberal Democracy in the world. Their parliamentary governmental structure can be called the Westminster System, which has been modeled and implemented worldwide, particularly in ex-British colonies. The British government functions highly on traditional legitimacy as there is not much-written documentation of their government, compared to other countries such as the United States. - Due to the United Kingdom's old age, it has experienced many historical events. However, for governmental structure, there are events in particular that have shaped the current parliamentary system. - Magna Carta: Created by lords throughout the land, and signed in 1215 by King John. The principle that the king and his government were not above the law, and created a limited monarchy. - Henry VIII: wanted a divorce but the catholic church would not grant him the ability to do so, he called on Parliament to pass laws taking England out of the Catholic Church. Validates Parliament as a ruling power, and begins the formation of the Church of England. - English Civil War (1642-1651): where the absolutist King Charles I sought to raise taxes without asking Parliament, leading to the English Civil War. Those against the absolutist rule won. King Charles I was ultimately executed by his own people, who were being led by Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell established the Commonwealth of England, the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic. This lasted for about 10 years then the United Kingdom went back to a monarchy, however, the power of the crown was forever weakened. - King James II (1685-1688): James II wanted to return England to its Catholic roots, fearful of absolute rule Parliament banished him. After the banishment Parliament enacted the Bill of Rights, making them the supreme governing power. Serves as a key turning point to a constitutional monarchy (monarch sharing power with government entities). - Appointment of King George I: A strategically appointed (of German royalty) King who knew little English, and had to rely heavily on his cabinet and prime  minister. Establishing the role the prime minister plays today, the power of Parliament continues to expand. - The emergence of Common Law, a system based on local costumes and precedent rather than legal code. Applies to everyone. No one is above the law. - The United Kingdom government functions on an uncodified/liquified constitution meaning that their constitution is not written. This allows for change, in the form of amendments, to more easily be proposed and instated. Rulings build on top of each other as originally anything that was passed was deemed constitutional, and became the norm. - Despite this being the traditional method in more recent times people have wanted written documents to ensure their rights are being protected. - The European Convention on Human Rights was written in 1998 and served as a basic set of constitutional liberties (similar to the Bill of Rights) - In addition, in 2009 the United Kingdom formed their first ever Supreme Court (UKSC). This was done under the Constitutional Reform Act of 2005. Governmental Organization - The government of the United Kingdom's governmental structure functions on a single-member district system (SMD) based on a plurality system, a flawed system as the representative structure is not accurate, for example, a party could finish second place in every district but have no representation in Parliament. The elective and ruling process of the United Kingdom is also known as a majoritarian rule, meaning that the majority are the decision-makers. - Parliament: name for the overarching governmental body of the United Kingdom. The people who create the laws. - Crown: used to have immense power, now head of state and serving more as a figurehead (used as a formality), essentially a well-paid civil servant, only having power in a deadlock, must follow parliamentary decisions. The current monarch is King Charles III, and one before was Queen Elizabeth II. Has to give the stamp of approval on a bill to create it into a law. - Prime Minister: is ultimately responsible for the policy and decisions of the government. As leader of the UK government the Prime Minister also: oversees the operation of the Civil Service and government agencies. chooses members of the government. Assembles his own cabinet, selecting 20 to 21 members from the House of Commons, usually people who have experience and respect. The Prime Minister's vote only counts as one, carrying the same weight as an MP. - Cabinet: members of the House of Commons who were appointed by the current Prime Minister. Cabinet members have significantly more power compared to the President's  cabinet in the United States. The cabinet gets the last say on bills (proposed laws) from the House of Commons, as they get sent to the cabinet to be reworked/debated. - Shadow Cabinet: the leaders of the minority/opposing party to the majority party, follow the majority party serving as a check to their power - House of Commons: made up of 650 members of parliament (including the Prime Minister, and Cabinet). Elected from local legislative district elections. Receives proposed bills from Civil Service members, or creates them themselves, which they then send to the Cabinet to review/tweak. Have a final vote on the bill. - House of Lords: Originally formed from the aristocratic families, King John signed the Magna Carta. Has continuously lost power over time, and currently consists of four subcategories. - Hereditary Lords: aristocratic families who pass down the ability of lordship to their kids. Lost all ability to have power in participation in government due to the House of Lords Act passed in 1999 - Lords Temporal: about 26 members, heads of the Church of England - Law Lords: top lawyers and law scholars who serve as judges and jurors for the government - Life Peers: distinguished members of society who are given life appointments - Recommended by PM, King/Queen confirms - Supreme Court: Created in 2005, reviews whether or not a bill is constitutional or not. Compared to the United States they play a small role. Functioning of Government - Process of a Bill: - A bill either works its way up through the ranks of Civil Service members where it then gets presented to an MP, or any member of parliament can create a bill. It then gets sent to the Cabinet to be altered and rewritten after that it gets sent to the House of Lords to be rewritten, this process goes on for three readings by the House of Commons. After it gets debated and then approved by each House of Parliament and has received Royal Assent, it becomes law and is known as an act. - - Collective Responsibility: an entire cabinet must be unified and take responsibility for a policy, if they are unable to do so they are expected to resign from their position. - A counter-example of this is a backbencher rebellion where an MP or multiple openly defy their party. - Example: John Major joining the EU  - Collectivist Consensus: ideology or idea shared by most Britons after World War II, stating the government needs to narrow the gap between the rich and poor, led to the creation of a welfare state. Results in public policies designed to provide for citizen's needs through provisions of pensions, health care, and unemployment insurance. - Example: National Health Service - Five caring issues Food, Housing, Healthcare, Jobs, Education - Common Law: A body of rulings made by judges or very old traditional laws that become part of a nation's legal system. - The common law is written in the Magna Carta, it is based on traditional values. - Hung Parliament: when no single political party wins a majority in the House of Commons. Relatively uncommon, the last hung parliament was in 2017. Need for coalition government. - Commonwealth: an alliance for peace and economic prosperity of 56 independent countries, almost all of which were formerly under British rule. The origins of the Commonwealth come from Britain's former Empire. - Vote of no Confidence: parliamentary procedure used to remove a sitting government from office if it loses the support or confidence of the majority of legislators. If the vote happens then it triggers a snap election. - Example: Checks and Balances (not many) - Shadow Cabinet/Backbenchers - Five Year Term, for every MP - Vote of no Confidence - Supreme Court: has the ability to declare bills unconstitutional - Snap Elections: an election that is called earlier than the one that has been scheduled, triggered by a vote of no confidence impacting all MPs, happens two weeks after the vote of no confidence. Rishi Sunak. - Prime Minister Cannot Create Executive Orders Governmental Figures/Parties PMs since Thatcher & Party Alignment Margaret Thatcher, Conservative 1979 - 1990 John Major, Conservative 1990-1997 (only PM since WWI who didn’t graduate from college) Tony Blair, Labour 1997-2007 Gordon Brown, Labour 2007-2010 David Cameron, Conservative 2010-2016 (coalition government with LibDems) Theresa May, Conservative 2016-2019 Boris Johnson, Conservative 2019-2022 Liz Truss, Conservative 2022-2022 (spent less time in office than head of lettuce) Rishi Sunak, Conservative 2022-2024 Keir Starmer, Labour 2024-present Kings/Queens King John - Signs Magna Carta King Henry VIII - Separated from the Catholic Church and created Church of England King Charles I - Only monarch to be executed Queen Elizabeth II - Last Monarch King Charles III - Current King Governmental Parties/Entities - The three main parties are the Conservatives, the Labor Party, and the liberal democratic party. The single-member district system favors two large parties, similar to how the United States governmental structure favors the Republicans and Democrats. - Conservative (Tories): The original political party supporting the monarch, won the 2015 election by a landslide, embracers of democratic rule, “big society” - Labor Party: formed in 1900 as an outgrowth of the trade union movement, rose to power during/after WWII, created the British welfare state, sought to give common British people a voice in Parliament, practiced moderation with a favorable rule for everyday people, - New Labor Party: reformed version of the Labor Party, focused on the balance of welfare and government spending/intervention, known as the Third Way. Created by Tony Blair. - Liberal Democratic Party: third most popular party, well behind the Conservatives and Labor, formed in 1988 through the merger of the Liberal Party and defectors from the Labor Party, allied with the Conservatives in 2010, The party emphasizes individual freedom and focuses on collective equality, supporters of European integration.  - Liberal Party (Whigs): original political party against the monarch system, (focused on the common person), able to push the 1832 Reform Act (expanding voting abilities), displaced by the Labor Party. - United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) the Reform UK: relatively biggest advocate for Brexit, led by Nigel Farage, the main advocate of Brexit, nationalists. - Scottish National Party (SNP): campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom and for Scotland's membership in the European Union, with a platform based on progressive social policies and civic nationalism. - Sinn Féin: A political party in Ireland that wants unity of the entire island, by the process of a referendum and election they want Northern Ireland to join them. - Quangos: policy advisory boards or other entities appointed or approved by the government that bring government officials and affected interest groups together to create policy. - Examples: Forestry Commission and the British Council. - Trade Union Congress (TUC): a confederation of the United Kingdom's largest trade unions, and most powerful interest group, aligned with the Labor Party. They have lost power over time due to less member participation and legislation passage. - Confederation of British Industry (CBI): counterweight to TUC. Advocates for the businesses as opposed to the workers. They favor conservative governments, one with less government intervention. Big Dogs Policies of Margret Thatcher (Conservative) Rent-to-own Council Housing Program: due to the poor quality of state-issued housing Thatcher invents the policy that you pay what you can afford in rent, and while you are doing that some of your rent is put toward a mortgage on the house. This incentivizes people to take better care of their houses as now they own the property and are not just renting it. In addition to the quality of housing increasing (and incentives to own a house, which impact employment) the government also has more time and resources available. Neoliberalism: Believed that collectivism contributed to Britain's economic decline. Due to this fact, she implemented a new renewed laissez-faire policy, cutting taxes, reducing social services, deregulated markets, and decreasing government spending Policies of Tony Blair (Labor) The Third Way: is Tony Blair’s groundwork for the economic system of the “New Labor Party.” It sought to be a mix of laissez-faire capitalism and collectivist economics. He chooses to keep some of the collectivist policies (social safety net) including; healthcare, education, housing, jobs, and food funded by taxes, British refer to the system as the caring issues. He is only able to really address two and a half of the five. He also works with the neo-liberals to create a well-rounded socio-economic structure New Growth Theory: a system seeking to keep high-level talent retained in the UK, specifically England. Students take a test, and whatever they are good at is their “talent,” if they major in their talent then their university is paid for by the government, with the clause that they stay in the UK for the next three years. There were incentives for both employees and employers to work for/hire kids from universities. Expands the UK economy and education available to people. House of Lords Act of 1999: solidifies the House of Commons superiority over the House of Lords, making them mainly editors of bills. Mainly impacts Hereditary Lords the most as a new set of rules are imposed upon them; cannot vote or delay legislation, cannot initiate ideas, and have to pay a fee to keep the title. These changes weeded out Hereditary Lords those who were not that bought in and earned the House of Lords respect. Devolution: letting the local people/government make local decisions. Parliament gives power to sub-national governmental bodies, granting Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland their own local governments. Also turned the Bank of England into an independent company, in which they can set their own rates. Iraq: Blair’s worst decision as it ultimately led to his demise as prime minister. The logic behind supporting the war was “Two sons common mother” in reference to the relationship with the US. Good Friday Agreement Policies of Theresa May (Conservative) (2008) Neoliberal economic policies have led to the United Kindom to outpace the economies of Europe, however, they have seen an increase in economic inequalities - Inequality in the UK has a regional element. South is growing much faster than the North - As a result of this Tereasa May decided to focus on government spending to lessen this gap, this had the consequence of putting government revenue and spending out of whack, and started running a large deficit (similar to the US). Significant Modern Events Good Friday Agreement (1998): Marks the end of the Troubles (1968-1998), a decades-long conflict between unionists (mostly Protestants) and nationalists (mostly Catholics) in Northern Ireland. What led to the agreement: Decades of violence: The Troubles, characterized by bombings, shootings, and other acts of violence, had claimed thousands of lives. In addition, political deadlock and international pressure forced an agreement to happen. Major players in the agreement: British Prime Minister Tony Blair Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern George J Mitchell (U.S. serving as mediator) Unionist leaders: David Trimble, Ian Paisley Nationalist leaders: Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness Major outcomes of the agreement: Establishment of a devolved Northern Ireland Assembly with power-sharing between unionists and nationalists. Dual Citizenship Recognition of the Irish Republic's right to claim Northern Ireland, while also recognizing the unionist desire to remain part of the United Kingdom. Establishment of a North-South Ministerial Council to promote cooperation between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Commitment to disarmament by paramilitary groups on both sides (IRA Decommissions) Brexit: Britians argued that being a part of the European Union threatened key aspects of British sovereignty. Over the course of history British are lukewarm about the EU, as there was distrust in the Union that the British were losing more than they were gaining. 2015 migrant crisis, British does not like the open borders policy of the EU (tipping point) To secure votes David Cameron pledged that if he and the Conservatives were to be elected (2015) they would hold a national referendum on British membership of the EU. This happened. Cameron to negotiate new terms with the EU (2016) and then have an “in or out” referendum by the end of 2017. In the end, the vote was 52/48 to leave the EU Within a day of the outcome, Cameron took responsibility for the “loss” and resigned (despite putting the referendum into motion) Replaced by Theresa May (Originally Pro EU) appoints outspoken Brexit members to her cabinet, and totally takes over. Later replaced by Boris Johnson who also favors Brexit. Other Stuff Celtic Fringe: the United Kingdom's northern and western perimeter Areas of the UK where languages such as Celtic, Germanic, etc. were dominant due to past Viking invasions. Refers to Scotland and Wales, which were not conquered by the Angles and Saxons. Social Division is mostly separated by socioeconomic class as the region is racially and religiously homogeneous. Plantation: putting protestants in Northern Ireland Glorious Revolution: 1689-1690 the establishment of the current British regime Keysenonism: focuses on government spending to control the economy. Monetarism: is an economic school of thought which states that the supply of money in an economy is the primary driver of economic growth. Keynesianism vs Monetarism: Keynesianism focuses on government spending to control the economy. Monetarists believe in fighting inflation by adjusting the amount of money in circulation. Keynesians acknowledge some value in monetarism's effect on GDP but feel that monetary adjustments take too long to be felt.