Transcript Geography and Political Boundaries of the United Kingdom

Geography and Political
Boundaries of the United Kingdom
History
• Norman conquest in 1066
• Institutions developed which are characteristic of Britain:
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political, administrative, cultural and economic center in London;
a separate but established church;
a system of common law;
distinctive and distinguished university education; and
representative government.
Legitimacy
• The government of Great Britain has developed gradually, so
that tradition is a primary source of stability
• Great Britain’s constitution is unwritten having evolved from
different documents, common law, legal codes, and customs
often referred to collectively as the “Constitution of the
Crown” (Constitutional Monarchy)
• Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights are central documents in
the formation of the British “constitution”
Historical Evolution of British
Politics
• Magna Carta(1215) – King John agreed to
consult the nobles before he made important
decisions, in particular regarding taxes
– Limited government – restrictions on the monarch
began with the Magna Carta
– 1236 Parliament first used, by 15th century gained
right to make laws
Historical Evolution of British
Politics Part II
• English Civil War (1640s) – civil war between the supporters
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of King Charles I and Parliament (Roundheads).
Roundheads won, Charles I is executed
Oliver Cromwell leads during this time until Parliament
reinstates the monarch (Charles II)
The Glorious Revolution (1688) – officially established
Parliament as the ruling body of Great Britain. The agreement
signed between William & Mary and Parliament was known as
the Bill of Rights
– The “Revolution” also replaces the Catholic James II with the
Protestant William and Mary
– Oddly enough, Britons have also become more secular and religious indentification
has very little to do with voting behavior
Historical Evolution of British
Politics Part III
• 1750’s Industrial Revolution
– Great Britain evolves from feudal society to one
dominated by colonial mercantilism
– Imperialism
– Trade
British Expansion and Empire
• Foreign trade
• Sea power protected English trade and
opened up new routes
• British empire = roughly one-fifth to
one-quarter of the world’s area and
population.
• Colonies contributed to the UK’s
economic growth and strengthened its
voice in world affairs as well as
developing and broadening its
democratic institutions at home.
The Sun Never Sets
AP Comparative Government Watkins
Geography and
Political
Boundaries of the
United Kingdom
Great Britain—England,
Scotland, Wales
United Kingdom—add
Northern Ireland
Political Culture
Geography
• Island
• Small in size
• No major geographical barriers
• Temperate climate
• Short supply of fertile soil
Great Britain
• North of the boundary
– Liverpool, Glasgow,
Bristol
– Most beautiful, most
economically deprived
• South of the boundary
– Longer rivers, higher
density population
– Wealthiest and most
influential—LONDON
Regionalism in the UK
• English constitute 80% of the UK
• Britain viewed as fairly homogeneous until the
1960s
• Greater demands for cultural autonomy and
respect for cultural traditions evident recently
in the UK
• Idea of internal colonialism and electoral
growth of national parties
Regionalism in the UK
• Each country—own
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flag, own country, own
culture (even
language—Wales)
Unification under the
Crown
– Wales 1535
– Ireland 1542
– Scotland 1603
Wales
Wales
• Became subject to the King
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of England in 16th century
Located west of England
Plaid Cymru – Welch
national political party
Strong sense of national
pride reflected in their flag
and in their own language
Granted their own assembly
(devolution) in 1997 as part
of the “Third Way”
Welsh
Assembly
•First Parliament since
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•Referendum Vote
•2003—New Chamber
Scotland
Scotland
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History of resistance to English rule
Strong sense of national identity
Have their own flag
Recently granted their own parliament and
regional assembly (devolution)
• Scottish National Party – political party of
the region of Scotland
Scotland
• Scottish Parliament
– 129 members (SMD and
PROP)
– 40% women
• Scottish National Party
(SNP)
– SNP received 30% of
Scottish vote in 1974
Northern Ireland
• Created 1922
• 6 Counties in Northern
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Ireland—Ulster
Protestants v. Catholics
1968—Bloody Sunday
1972—British Governor
at Stormont
Northern Ireland
The Troubles
Sinn Fein and the IRA
The Real IRA
Ulster Unionists and Ulster
Defense Front
Northern Ireland
• Long history of conflict between England and Ireland,
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particularly over religion
After the English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell attempted to
impose Protestantism on the mostly Catholic Ireland
After WWI home rule was granted to Ireland except for the
northeast corner where Protestants outnumbered Catholics, 60%
to 40%
Home rule was granted largely because of the Irish Republican
Army (IRA) which used guerrilla tactics against British forces to
secure independence
Sinn Fein – political party of the IRA
In 1949 the bulk of Ireland officially became independent
Northern Ireland remains under British control
There continues to be a great deal of conflict between Catholics
and Protestants in Northern Ireland
1998 Good Friday Accord-Agreed to power sharing
– Fell apart after the IRA couldn’t prove they were disarming
British Political Culture:
Tradition and Antiquity
Also characterized by:
•Pragmatism
•Faith in the System
•Social Liberalism
Political Culture
• Political Culture—general political attitudes and
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orientation of the population. Refers to the
collection of political beliefs, values, practices, and
institutions that the government is based on.
Political Culture is….
1. Emotional feeling about political world
2. Evaluation of government performance
– 1+2= individual adopting certain expectations of
government. Issue again is of legitimacy
Political Culture Part II
Insularity
• Feeling of separation, in particular from the
continent of Europe
• Sense of exceptionalism
• Has created friction with the EU
• Different from isolationism
Political Culture Part III
Noblesse Oblige
• Important tradition in British politics
• The duty of the upper classes to take responsibility for the
welfare of the lower classes
• Legacy of feudal times (Lords protected serfs)
• Reflected in willingness of British citizens to accept a welfare
state
• Margaret Thatcher’s administration challenged this by
significantly cutting social services and social welfare
programs
Political Culture Part IV:
Multi-nationalism
• Although Britain has a relatively large amount
of cultural homogeneity (Anglo/white) it is
divided into four nations
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England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland
Ethnic Minorities
• Make up about 8% of the British population
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Indian (23%)
Pakistani (16%)
Afro-Caribbean (13%)
Black African (11%)
Political Culture Part V:
Extension of Voting Rights
• Great Reform Act of 1832: About 300,000 men gained right
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to vote, House of Commons gained more power in relation to
House of Lords
Reform Act of 1867: electorate reaches 3 million, many
working class people allowed to vote
Representation of the People Act of 1884: electorate is
further expanded to make sure that majority of electorate is
working class
Women’s Suffrage: all women over the age of 28 and all men
over 21 granted the right to vote in 1918. By 1928, all women
over 21 allowed to vote.
Political Culture Part VI
• Collectivist Consensus
– 1945-1970s when both parties agreed to many policy goals
such as full employment, social services for all, working
with labor unions, government intervention for economic
growth
– Beveridge Report issued in 1942 which called for a social
insurance program that every citizen would be eligible for
National Health Service (1948) – created under the
leadership of the Labour Party
– Collectivist consensus did not survive because of a steady
decline in economic growth in the 1970s
Devolution
• British government is a unitary system (centralized control)
• Starting in the 1970s the Scots and Welsh made an aggressive push
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for certain political autonomy in their regions
Devolution – the turning over of some political power and autonomy
to regional governments
The Labour Party had supported the idea of devolution since the
1970s
Margaret Thatcher’s administration blocked the idea during the period
in which they controlled government
Under Tony Blair’s New Labour Party the idea of devolution was
revisited
In 1999, referendums in Scotland and Wales successfully passed, and
each established their own regional assemblies: powers of taxation,
education, and economic planning
In 1998, the Good Friday Agreement established a parliament for
Northern Ireland as well, but it was shut down by London in 2003
when violence broke out once again in the region of Northern Ireland.
Education & Political Elite
Recruitment
• “Public schools” originally were intended to train boys for
“public life” in the military, civil service, or politics (schools
are expensive and private)
• Majority of Britain’s political elites go to public boarding
schools
• Currently only about 65% of British 17-year olds are still in
school, the lowest number of any industrialized society
• Oxbridge (Oxford-Cambridge) – the most important portal to
membership in the elite classes and political recruitment is
through these two prestigious universities
Linkage Institutions
• Political Parties
• Interest Groups
• Media
– Print
– Electronic
Interest Groups
• Between 1945-1980, business interests and trade union
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organizations fiercely competed for influence over the policymaking process
Trade Union Congress (TUC) – represents coalition of
unions, had great deal of political power at one time and
government often consulted them on important policy
decisions – traditionally aligned with Labour Party
Coalition of Business and Industry (CBI) – a coalition of
business groups and private interests, usually supportive of the
Conservative Party
Media
• British newspapers reflect social class divisions
• They are divided between quality news and
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comments that appeal to the middle and upper
classes, and mass circulation tabloids that target
working and lower classes
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) – Sought
to educate citizens
– Usually respectful of government officials
– Had significant clash with Blair government in 2003-2004
over policies regarding the Iraq War
Labour Party
• Largest party on the “left” of political spectrum
• Began in 1906 as alliance between trade unions and social
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groups that were strengthened by expansion of workers’ rights
Traditionally labor union have provided majority of funds for
the party
Early history of the party defined by controversial “Clause 4”
that called for nationalization of the “commanding heights” of
British industry
Trade Union Council (TUC) – a coalition of trade unions
generally associated with the Labour Party, has traditionally
been a force in British politics
Growing moderation of the party reflected by removal of
clause in early 1990s
Labour Party in 1990s
• Shift in policies toward more centrist views
• Shift in political platform originated with Neil
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Kinnock, party leader in the 1980s
Moderate-centrist views have continued under
leadership of John Smith (1993-94) and Tony Blair
(1997-2007)
Tony Blair adopts “Third Way” platform and creates
“New Labour” Party
Was led by Gordon Brown
“Third Way”
• Moderate
• Centrist alternative to “Old Labour” Party on left and
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Conservative Party on right
Initiated by Tony Blair in the late 1990s
Attempting to redefine and balance following policy issues:
– Evolving relationship between government & economy
– British relationship with EU
– Balancing act between the United States and European
Union
– Devolution
Labour Party and Tony Blair in
1997
• Won 418 of 659 seats
• Signals demand for
constitutional change
– Devolution
– Elected Mayor of London
– Removal of voting rights of
hereditary peers in House of
Lords
– Freedom of Info. Act
– Electoral Reform
Conservative Party
• Dominant party in Great Britain between WWII and
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late 1990s
Main party on the right
Traditionally pragmatic as opposed to ideological
Historically has supported a market controlled
economy, privatization, and fewer social welfare
programs – symbolized by Margaret Thatcher in
1980s
Under Prime Minister John Major (1990-1997)
gravitated towards center and away from Thatcherism
Conservative Party II
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Characterized by Noblesse Oblige
Power centered in London
Party organization viewed as elitist
Leadership must submit to annual leadership elections
Weakened by division of party in late 1990s:
– Traditional Wing(one-nation Tories) – values noblesse
oblige and elitism, supports Britain’s membership in EU
– Thatcherite Wing – strict conservatives, support full free
market, known as “Euroskeptics”, feel EU threatens British
sovereignty
Thatcherism
• Rightist reforms instituted by Margaret Thatcher in 1980s
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Privatized business and industry
Cut back on social welfare programs
Strengthened national defense (staunch anticommunist)
Got tough with labor unions in response to Labour Parties
distinct movement left, which had strengthened labor unions
politically
Returned to market force controls on the economy
Resisted complete integration into the European Union
Replaced property tax on houses with a poll tax on individual
adults
Froze income tax increases
Foreign policy dominated by securing British interests
internationally
“T.I.N.A”
Thatcher
and MAJOR
Liberal Democratic Party
• Alliance between the Liberal and Social Democratic Parties
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during the 1980s
Formally merged in 1989 into Liberal Democratic party
Attempted to create strong “in the middle” compromise to the
two dominant parties
Won a party high 26% of vote in 1983, but because of singlemember district plurality system only secured 23 seats in
Parliament
Secured only 62 MP seats in 2005 even though they won 22%
of the popular vote
Also managed to gain support in reference to their stance on
issues such as health, education, the environment, and the Iraq
War
Other Parties
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Scottish National Party
Plaid Cymru – Welch nationalist party
Sinn Fein – political arm of the IRA
Democratic Unionist Party – led by
Protestant clergymen
Elections
• Members of Parliament (MPs) are the only national
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officials that British voters select
Elections must be held at least every 5 years, but
Prime Minister may call them earlier
Officially elections occur after the Crown dissolves
Parliament, but that always happens after the Prime
Minister requests it
Power to call elections very important – the Prime
Minister always calls elections when they think that
the majority party has the best chance to win
Elections II
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“Winner-take-all” system
Single-member district plurality system
Each party selects a candidate to run for each district
“First-past-the-post” winner (or winner take all)
MPs do not have to live in the district in which they are
running, therefore party selects who runs in what districts
• Party leaders run from safe districts – or districts that the
party almost always wins
• Political neophytes are selected to run in districts the party
know it will lose
• They are usually happy just to receive more votes than the
party usually gets in that district
Voting Patterns
• Conservative Party
– Middle and upper classes
– Educated
– Residents of England, mostly rural and suburban areas
• Labour Party
– Traditionally supported by working class
– Residents of urban and industrial areas (Manchester, Liverpool,
Newcastle)
– “Third Way” centrist policies have made Labour Party appealing to
Scots, Welsh, and the poor
U.S. vs British Elections
• Great Britain
• United States
– Parties are less powerful
– Members must live in districts
– Party leaders run in their
respective districts
– Individual votes for four
officials on national level
– Between 30 and 60 percent of
the eligible voters actually vote
– First-past-the-post, singlemember districts; virtually no
minor parties get representation
– Party determines who runs
where
– Members usually don’t live in
their districts
– Party leaders run in “safe
districts”
– Individual votes for only one
official on the national level
– About 70 to 80 percent of the
eligible voters actually vote
(number was less in 2001 &
2005)
– First-past-the-post, singlemember districts; some
representation from minority
parties, but still less than if they
had proportional representation
Current Events
• 2001,2005 Election
• New Labour Again
• Change in Conservative
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Leadership
Blair being to presidential
Gordon Brown new PM
Rise of David Cameron
Election of 2010
• Elections were held May 6th 2010
– The Conservatives won more seats, but were @ 20
seats short of a full majority of 326
– The first hung Parliament since 1974
– Gordon Brown resigns on May 11 to the Queen and
asks her to call David Cameron
– Cameron announces a coalition government begin
formed with the Liberal Democrats and appoints Nick
Clegg as the Deputy Prime Minister
Election Results for House of
Commons