The-United-Kingdom-of-Great-Britain-and-Northern-Ireland.ppt

TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland,PartOneABriefIntroduction,I.TheEffectsofitsImperialRolethefiftyormorecountriesthroughalooseandvoluntaryorganizationcalledtheCommonwealthofNations,Multiracialpopulation:1in20areofnon-Europeanethnicity(India,Parkistan,theCaribbean)II.DifferencesthatdividetheUnitedKingdom:,thedistinctionbetweenthe4constituentparts:England,Scotland,Wales,andNorthernIrelandReligiousdifferencesEconomicallydivided:asocietywithaclassstructure,Regionaldifferences:the“highland”and“lowland”Scots;culturaldistinctionbetweennorthandsouthEngland(thesouthismorewealthy)Thedifferencebetweenthecapitalandtheprovinces(theroleofLondon),III.TheUKhasbeenamemberoftheEUsince1973,anditisamemberoftheGroupofSeven(theUnitedStates,Britain,Germany,France,Japan,ItalyandCanada),IV.BasicfactsaboutEngland1.CulturalandeconomicdominanceofEngland:largestinsize,thelargestpopulation,2.Britishhistoryhasbeenahistoryofinvasions:1)Beforethe1stcenturyADBritishwasmadeupofmanytribalkingdomsofCelticpeople;,2)In43ADBritishwasinvadedbytheRomanEmpire,andbecamepartoftheRomanEmpirefornearly400years;,3)ThenitcameunderthreatfromGermanicpeoples-theAngles,andtheSaxon;kingArthurandhisExcalibur;roundtableknights;,4)Fromthelate8thcenturyon,raidersfromScandinavia,theferociousVikingsthreatenedBritainsshores;KingAlfredthegreatturnedinthetideinthesouthagainsttheVikings;,5)ThenextinvadersweretheNormans,fromnorthernFrance,whoweredescendantsofVikings;WilliamtheConquerorin1066crossedtheEnglishChannel,andbecameWilliamtheFirstofengland;theTowerofLondon;,3.ThenextfewhundredyearsfollowingtheNormaninvasioncanbeseenasaprocessofjoiningtogetherthevariouspartsoftheBritishIslesunderEnglishrule.Atthesametimepowerwasgraduallytransferredfromthemonarchtotheparliament.,1)CharlestheFirstsattempttooverruleparliamentinthe1640sledtoacivilwarinwhichparliamentaryforceswerevictorious,andthekingwasexecutedin1649.,2)Englandwasruledbyparliamentsleader,OliverCromwellfor11years,andthenthemonarchywasrestored.,3)FurtherconflictbetweenparliamentandthekingledtotheremovaloftheScottishhouseofStuartfromthethrone,andWilliamandMarywereimportedfromHollandtotakethethrone(1688,the“BloodlessRevolution”),thusfinallyestablishingparliamentsdominanceoverthethrone.,4.TheBritishcharacter:arichlyunconventionalinteriorlifehiddenbyanexternalconformity.V.BasicfactsaboutScotland,1.ScotlandisthemostconfidentofitsownidentitybecauseithaspreviouslyspentasubstantialperiodofhistoryasaunifiedstateindependentoftheUK.,2.ThelargestcityisGlasgow,anditscapitalisEdinburgh.Bothcitieshaveancientandinternationallyrespecteduniversitiesdatingfromthe15thcentury.,3.HadriansWall:astonewallwhichtheRomanemperorHadrianorderedtobebuiltacossthenorthofEnglandin122ADfromtheeastcoasttothewest,inordertodefendRomanBritainfromattackbynortherntribessuchasPicts,theoriginalScottishcelts.,4.TheHighlandsandtheLowlands-aculturaldivide1)TheHighlands:mountainousareas,esp.thoseinthenorthofScotland;peoplespeakbothEnglishandScottishGaelic,theoldcelticlanguage.,2)TheLowlands:thecentralpartofScotlandwhichislowerthanthelandsurroundingit5.TheBattleofBannockburn(1314)ledtotheindependenceofScotlandfor300years.,6.In1707ScotlandjoinedtheUnion,whichwasfollowedbytworebellionsin1715and1745,andScottishhighlandclanculturewaseffectivelydestroyedatthistime.,VI.BasicfactsaboutWalesThecapitalofWalesisCardiff.19%oftheWelshpopulationspeakWelsh,aCeltictongue.TheyarealsofluentinEnglish.,Coal-miningandsteelusedtothekeyindustriesforWales.SouthWaleshasbeenverysuccessfulinattractinginvestmentfromabroad-particularlyJapanandtheUS.,In1536,WaleswasbroughtintotheUK.VII.BasicfactsaboutNorthernIreland,1.NorthernIreland(oftencalled“Ulster”afteranancientIrishkingdom)issmall,butitissignificantbecauseofthepoliticaltroublesthere.ItscapitalisBelfast.,2.Irelandhasbeendividedbyalongandbloodyconflictasaresultofitscolonialhistory.Until1921thefullnameoftheUKwas“TheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandIreland”.,3.Oneofthekeyissuesinlate19thcenturyBritishpoliticswasacampaigninparliamentforwhatwascalled“homerule”-IrishpoliticalcontrolofIrishaffairs.,4.TheEasterRisingin19165.TheProvisionalIRA(IrishRepublicanArmy)6.SinnFein(“OurselvesAlone”),7.ReligiousconflictsbetweentheIrishandtheBritish:1)ThemajorityofIrishpeopleweredescendantsoftheoriginalCelticpeople.,2)MostIrishpeopleremainedCatholics,whilemostBritishpeoplehadbecomeProtestants.,3)PeoplefromScotlandandNorthernEngland,whowereProtestants,wereencouragedtoemigratetothetroublesomenorthofIrelandinthe17thcentury,andtheythoughtofthemselvesBritishandwishedtoremainapartoftheBritishstate.,8.PartitionofIrelandin1921:Thesouthern26countieswouldformanindependent“freestate”,whilethe6north-easterncountieswouldremainapartoftheUK.Thisended700yearsofBritishruleinsouthernIreland.,9.NorthernIrelandhaditsownparliamenttodealwithNorthernIrishaffairs.AboutathirdoftheNorthernpopulationwasRomanCatholic,andtheywerediscriminated.,10.IRAsviolenceinthe1970s:TheIRAcarriedoutacampaignofbombingandshooting.TheProtestantsformedtheirownillegalparamilitarygroupsandtookrevengeonCatholics,oftenmurderingindividualsatrandom.,11.BloodySunday:OnJan.30,1972,468peoplewerekilledinNorthernIreland,including13Catholics,byBritishsoldiers.,12.TheGoodFridayAgreement:Asaresultofmulti-partynegotiations,theGoodFridayAgreementwasapprovedon10April1998.,ThisagreementassurestheloyalistcommunitythatNorthernIrelandremainspartoftheUKanditwontchangeitspoliticalstatusunlessthemajorityofthepeopleofNorthernIrelandagree.,Underthetermsoftheagreement,NorthernIrelandshouldbegovernedby3separatejurisdictions:thatoftherepublicofIreland,thatofGreatBritainandthatofitsownelectedexecutivegovernentof10ministers.,PartTwoTheGovernmentandPoliticsoftheUK,I.TheGovernment1.TheMonarchy:theancientdoctrineofthe“divinerightofkings”.,1)Forathousandyears,Britainhashadahereditarykingorqueenastheheadofstatewithonebriefexception,whentheRoundheadssucceededinoustingthemonarch,CharlesIin1642.,2)ThemonarchsunwillingnesstoreceiveadvicefromprominentmenledtomanybattlesbetweenthekingandotherpowerfulgroupsliketheChurchandpowerfulland-owningfeudalbarons.,3)In1215,KingJohngrantedthefeudalbaronsandtheChurchacharteroflibertyandpoliticalrights,stillknownbyitsmedievalLatinnameofMagnaCarta,4)TheroleofthemonarchtodayisprimarilytosymbolizethetraditionandunityoftheBritishstate.,TheQueensotherroles:headoftheexecutive,anintegralpartofthelegislature,headofthejudiciary,commanderinchiefofthearmedforcesand“supremegovernor”oftheChurchofEngland.,2.TheParliament1)Traditionally,medievalkingsweresupposedtomeettheirownroyalexpensesoutoftheirownwealth.,2)Bythe13thcentury,kingsfoundtheycouldnotmakeendsmeetinthisway,andsotheywidenedtheGreatCounciltoincluderepresentativesifcounties,citiesandtownstogetthemtogivehimmoney.,3)In1407HenryIVdecreedthatallmoneygrantsshouldbeconsideredandapprovedbytheCommonsbeforeconsideredbytheLords,aformulawhichisalmostthesametoday.,4)In1689ParliamentpassedtheBillofRightswhichensuredthattheKingwouldneverbeabletoignoreParliament.,5)TheHouseofLordsconsistsoftheLordsSpiritual(theArchbishopsandbishops),andtheLordsTemporal.,Peersspeakandvoteasindividuals,notasrepresentativesofthegreaterinterestsofthecountry,andtheydonotreceivesalaries.,6)ThehouseofCommonsconsistsofabout650MembersofParliament(MPs).MPsreceiveasalaryofabout31000ayear.,7)ThefunctionsofParliament:topasslaws,tovotefortaxation,toscrutinizegovernmentpolicy,administrationandexpenditure,andtodebatethemajorissuesoftheday.,3.TheConstitution:BritainhasnowrittenConstitution.Therearestatutelaw,thecommonlawsandconventions.,4.ThePrimeMinisterandCabinet,1)WhileCabinetministerswereappointedbythesovereign,theyhadtohaveenoughsupportintheHouseofCommonstoenablethemtopersuadeParliamenttopasslawsandvotefortaxes.,2)In1832,whenasystemforchoosingtheHouseofCommonsbypopularelectionreplacedthemonarchsjobofappointingrepresentatives,themodernpoliticalsystemwasborn.,3)MPsassmebledthemselvesintogroupswhicheventuallywouldbecomepoliticalparties,organisedgroupswhichpresentedtheirpoliciesandideastotheelectorateforapproval.,4)ThepartywiththemostsupportersintheCommonsformsthegovernment,andbytradition,theleaderofthatpartybecomesPrimeMinister.,II.Politics1.GeneralElections,1)Generalelectionsareveryimportantbecausetheyprovideopportunitiesforpeopletoinfluencefuturegovernmentpoliciesandtoreplacethoseincompetentpoliticalleaders.,2)Anyonewhoiseligibletovotewith500poundsasdepositcanstandasanMP.Britishpeoplearerepresentedinparliamentbyoneof651membersofparliamentrepresentingthe651geographicalareasor“constituencies”intowhichtheUKisdivided.,3)Afteragovernmenthasbeeninpowerfor5yearsithastoresignandholda“generalelection”.,4)Theelectoralcampaigns:beforeageneralelection,inordertomaketheirideologiesandpoliciesknowntothepublic,thepoliticalpartieswouldstarttheirelectoralcampaigns.,2.ThePoliticalParties1)TheLabourpartyisthenewestofthethree,createdbythegrowingtradeunionmovementattheendofthe19thcentury.,Itbelievesthattheroleofagovernmentistotransferwealthfromrichertopoorerbymeansoftaxingthericherandprovidingsupportthepoorer.,2)TheConservativePartyspentmosttimeinpower.BasicallytheConservativesareseenasthepartyoftheindividuals,Itprotectstheindividualsrighttoacquirewealthandtospendithowtheychoose,andsofavouringeconomicpoliciessuchaslowtaxes.Theyreceivetheirfundingfrombigcompanies.,ThedifferencebetweenthelabourpartyandtheConservativePartyisoneofdegree,notanabsolute.,3)TheLiberalDemocraticPartyisthethirdbiggest,andmaybeseenasapartyofthe“middle”,occupyingtheideologicalgroundbetweenthetwomainparties.,3.ClasssysteminBritishsociety1)MostoftheBritishpopulationwouldclaimthemselvestobeeitherofmiddle-classorworking-class,2)Classdivisionsarenotsimplyeconomic,theyareculturalaswell.Peopleofdifferentclassesmaydifferinthekindofnewspaperstheyread,inthewaytheyspeak,andinthekindofeducationtheyreceive.,3)WhatisdistinctiveabouttheBritishclass-system,andwhatmarksitasdifferentfromtheAmericansocialstructure,isthatithasretainedahereditaryaristocracy.,4.EthnicrelationsintheUK1)Around5%ofBritishcitizensarefromnon-Europeanethnicgroups.SouthAsiaandCaribbeancountries,2)TheimmigrantsfromotherpartsoftheworldhasgreatlyenrichedBritishculture.Butethnicrelationsarealsosometimestense,3)Theimmigrantpopulationisnotwell-offeconomically.Theyfaceproblemsofunemployment,under-representationinpoliticsandunfairtreatmentbypoliceandbythejusticesystem.,PartThreeTheUKEconomy,I.AbsoluteDeclineandRelativeDecline1.Bythe1880stheBritisheconomywasdominantintheworld,producingonethirdoftheworldsmanufacturedgoods,halfitscoalandiron,halfitscotton.,2.TheUKhasexperiencedaneconomicdeclinesince1945.Butthisisarelativedeclineratherthananabsoluteone.,3.Thereasonsforthedecline1)Britainhadgoneheavilyintodebtinordertofinancethewar.,2)TheformerBritishcoloniesbecameindependentoneafteranother,leavingBritainasjustamedium-sizedEuropeancountry,withapopulationonlyonefifththesizeoftheUS.,3)Beforetheprocessofdecolonisationwascompleted,Britainhadtomaintainanexpensivemilitarypresenceinmanyoverseaslocations.,4)DuringthewarBritainsindustrysurvivedcomparativelyunaffected,whichmeanstherewerelowratesofinvestment.,II.Recenthistory1.Aparticularlybadperiodinthe1970s:highratesofinflation(25%);manyworkersstrikes;thefallinthevalueoftheUKcurrency,2.Inthe1980s,whentheConservativepartyunderMargaretThatcherwasinpower,anextensiveprogramofprivatisationwascarriedout.,3.OverallitissecondonlytotheUSasadestinationforinternationaldirectinvestment,anditisthesecondbiggestinternationalinvestorintheworld(1995).,III.MainsectorsoftheUKeconomy1.primaryindustries,suchasagriculture,fishing,andmining,2.secondaryindustries,whichmanufacturecomplexgoodsfromthoseprimaryproducts(producing22%ofnationalwealth),3.tertiaryindustries(services),suchasbanking,insurance,tourism,andthesellingofgoods(producing65%ofnationalwealth),IV.“TheCity”ItreferstothehistoricareaatthecenterofLondon.Itisoneofthebiggestfinancialcentersintheworldwiththegreatestconcentrationofbanks,insurancecompaniesandbusinesses,V.TheaerospaceindustryintheUKItisthethirdlargestintheworld,producingthefullrangeofaerospaceproductsfromcivilandmilitaryaircraftstomissiles,satellitesandjetengines.,PartFiveBritishEducationSystemI.ThepurposeoftheBritisheducationsystem,Notonlytoprovidechildrenwithliteracyandotherbasicskillstheywillneedtobecomeactivemembersofsociety,butalsotosocialisechildren.,Childrenaretaughtpracticalskills,buttheyalsolearntherulesandvaluestheyneedtobecomegoodcitizens,toparticipateinthecommunity,andtocontributetotheeconomicprosperityofanadvancedindustrialeconomy.,II.Therelationshipbetweeneducationandsocialclass1.Classinequalitycanbeerasedorcontinuedaccordingtoeducationalpolicy.,2.Educationalopportunitiesforworking-classandmiddle-classpeoplecanbeverydifferent.3.InBritain,theaccentyouspeakwith,theclothesyouwear,andtheschoolsyouattendareallmarkersthatidentifyyoursocialclass.,4.Toattendthe“right”schools(thefamousboyspublicschoolslikeEtonandWinchester)andthe“right”universities(OxfordandCambridge)isstillthesinglebestwaytoguaranteeasuccessfulcareer.,III.ThemajorchangesthathavetakenplacetotheBritisheducationsystem1.Thegovernmentsdecisiontobecomeincreasinglyinvlovedintakingresponsibilityfortheeducationofchildren.,2.DuringWWII,thegovernmentbeganplanningtoreconstructtheeducationsystem,whichwouldemphasizeequality.,3.Inthe1960s,comprehensiveschoolswereintroducedalloverthecountry,whichendedthedivisionbetweengrammerschoolsandvocationalschools.,4.In1976BritisheducationwasthefocusofanewcontroversywhenthwLaborpartystarted“theGreatEducationDebate”aboutnationalstansardsandstyledofteaching.,5.In1989theConservativeGovernmentofMargaretThatcherintriducedaNationalCurriculum,whichhasreintroducedcompetitionbetweenschools.,V.Thepresenteducationsystem,1.ThefunctionoftheBritisheducationsystemItisrunbythestate,whichprovidesfunding,overseesstandards,andtriestomakesurethatallBritishchildrenreceiveaqualityeducation.,2.StateschoolsTheyarefundedbylocalandcentralgovernment.About93%ofpupilsreceivefreeeducationfromthissector.,3.IndependentschoolsTheyarecommonlycalledpublicschools,whichareactuallyprivateschoolsthatreceivefundingthroughtheprivatesectorandtuitionrates,withsomegovernmentassistance.,4.Grammarschoolsselectchildrenattheageof11,throughanexaminationcalled“the11-plus”.Thosechildrenwiththehighestmarksgotogrammarschools.,VI.Highereducation,1.Britishuniversitiesarepublicbodieswhichreceivefundsfromcentralgovernment.ThisdiffersfromtheUS,2.TheUKhasonlyoneprivatelyfundeduniversity,theUniversityofBuckingham.,3.OxfordandCambridgedatefromthe12thand13thcenturies.InOxfordandCambridgetheBAconvertstoanMAseveralyearslater,uponpaymentofafee.,4.Universities,reflectingthetrendthroughouttheeducationsystem,havetraditionallybeenratherelitist.,5.TheOpenUniversitywasfoundedin1960sforpeoplewhomightnotgettheopportunityforhighereducationforeconomicandsocialreasons.,PartSixBritishForeignRelations,I.FactorsthatinfluenceBritishforeignpolicyitshistoryitsgeopoliticaltraitslong-termphysicalseparationfromtheEuropeancontinent,3.itsrelationshipwiththeUnitedStatesII.Howforeignpolicyismade1.ThePrimeMinisterandCabinetdecideonthegeneraldirectionofBritainsforeignpolicy.,2.TheMinistryofofDefenceisresponsibleforensuringBritainsdefenceandmaintainingBritainsinvolvementinitsmilitarytreatycommitments.,3.TheDepartmentofTradeandIndustryisconcernedwithformulatinginternationaltradepolicyandmanagingBritishcommercialrelationswithothercountries.,4.TheTreasurymakesdecisionsonhowmuchmoneyotherdepartmentscanhaveeachyear.,III.BritainandInternationalInstitutions1.BritainisoneofthefivepermanentmembersoftheUnitedNationsSecurityCouncil.ItisthesixthlargestcontributortotheUNsbudget.,2.BritainisthememberoftheEU.ItjoinedtheEECin1973,giventhatBritisheconomic,politicalandmilitaryinterestswerealreadydeeplyboundupwithotherEuropeancountries.,3.BritainisalsoamemberoftheCommonwealth,avoluntaryassociationofstateswhichismadeupofmostlyformerBritishcolonies.Thereare50membersoftheCommonwealth.,4.ThekeystoneofBritishdefencepolicyisitsparticipationintheNATO.95%ofBritainsdefenceexpendituregoestomeetingNATOrequirements.,PartSevenTheBritishMedia,I.Popularityandfunctionsofthemedia1.ThemediaarecentraltoBritishleisureculture.,2.Thefunctionsofthemedia:entertainmentprovidingpeoplewithinformationaboutpoliticalandsocialissues,providingweatherreportscarryingadvertisementsforeducationalpurposes,providingaforumforpeopletowritelettersorphoneintoexpresstheirviewsorseekadviceengenderinganationalculture,II.Britishnewspapers1.Inthelate18thandearly19thcentury,moreandmorenewspapersbegantoappear,2.TheObserver,firstappearedin1791,istheworldsoldestnationalweeklynewspaper.3.TheTimes,beganpublishingin1785,istheUKsoldestdailynewspaper.,4.Thewatchdogfunction,keepinganeyeonthegovernment,isoneofreasonswhyafreepressisconsideredsoimportanttothefunctioningofparliamentarydemocracy.,5.Thisroleisfrequentlycriticisedbecausethepowerofthepresshasusurpedthepowerofparliament.(favorablecoverage;notobjective),6.Businesspeoplewerequicktorealize“thepowerofthepress”toinformpotentialcustomersabouttheirproductsandservices,andsotheadvertisingbusinesswasborn.,7.Newspapersarebusinessesthatexisttoearnmoney,notpublicservicesdesignedtoinformthepopulation.,8.Britishnewspapercultureisunusualintheextenttowhichclassandeducationaldifferencesarereflectedinthenewspaperspeopleread.,9.Thequalitypress:theyrefertosomeofthedailynationalpapers.Theycarrymoreseriousandin-deptharticlesofparticularpoliticalandsocialimportance.,10.Thetabloids:(thegutterpress)theyrefertosmallformatnewspaperswithcolorphotosandcatchyheadlines.Theyareinterestedinscandalsandgossipusuallyaboutfamouspeople.,11.“FleetStreet”:Until1980s,almostallthenationalnewspapershadtheirheadquartersonoraroundFleetStreetinLondon,III.Thebroadcastmedia-televisionandradio1.Themessagesandinformationwhicharesentovertheairwavesintopeopleshomes,carsandworkplacesreachvirtuallyeveryone.,2.Britishpeoplewatchnews,entertainment,andsports;theyalsowatchcomedy,dramaandgameshows,andweatherforecasts.,3.Amer