British_Political_System

1、Chapter FivePolitical SystemReview Why the Constitutional Monarchy can be preserved in Britain?Objectives nTo be clear about the meaning of Constitutional MonarchynTo understand the basic structure of British governmentnTo be clear about the major political parties of BritainnTo be clear about the p

2、rocess of general electionContents lConstitutional MonarchylGovernment lPolitical PartieslGeneral Election (presentation)Activity (10 mins):Basic Structure of UK Central GovernmentYou can consult Page 32-36Basic Structure of UK Central GovernmentMonarch The Legislature The ExecutiveThe JudiciaryThe

3、HouseOf CommonsThe House Of LordsPrime MinisterCabinetMinistersassistantsCivil LawCriminal LawSelf-studyConstitutional Monarchy The United Kingdom still keeps an old-fashioned government established on the basis of constitutional monarchy（君主立宪制）（君主立宪制）: the head of the state is a king or queen. In p

4、ractice, the Sovereign （君主）（君主） reigns（统治）, but does not rule（管理）; the country is governed, in the name of the Sovereign, but by His or Her Majestys Governmenta body of ministers who are the leading members of whichever political party the electorate（全体选民） has voted into office, and who are responsi

5、ble to Parliament（议会）（议会）.Constitutional Monarchy Constitution UnwrittenThree main parts MonarchPower Duties ImportanceUnwritten Constitution It is misleading to describe the British Constitution as unwritten, because it is not written down in one single document as “the British Constitution”, or ra

6、ther, it is not systematically codified into a single document.不成文的宪法 构建一部完善的成文宪法典，是当代立宪的潮流。但是英国人从经验主义的观点出发，对制定成文宪法的作用感到怀疑。詹宁斯在谈到这一点时说“任何人都可以草拟一部宪法，但只有在与政府有关者可能遵守它的时候，它才能成为宪法；如果他们不遵守它，那它就不是什么法。” 英国人仍然自豪的坚持着不成文的宪法形式。这种立宪方式可以及时的把进步成果用法律的形式巩固下来，并很方便的加以改变。而英国历史上唯一的一次成文立宪的实验（政府约法）最终以独裁统治而告终，更加坚定了英国人走不成文宪

7、法的道路。 Activity -Discussion Britain has no written Constitution?Three main parts Statutory Law （成文法）Magna Carta (1215)Bill of Rights (1689)Reform Act (1832)European Communities Act (1972, 1986) Common Law（判例法） Conventions（习惯法）More details on page 31Common Law the common law has in itself a number of

8、historical sources which were, prior to Conquest, embodied in local custom. The unique contribution of the Norman Conquest, was to unify these local customs into one system of law common to all men, for this reason termed the common law. Walker & Walker, The English Legal system, London l976, p.3The

9、 Monarch Queen Elizabeth II Real name: Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor Birth: 21 April 1926 in London Children: 3 sons, 1 daughterRoyal Family British Royal FamilySecurity video frame grab of Englands Princess Diana (R) leaving the Hotel Ritz from back entrance, minutes before she was killed in a c

10、ar crash.Power Head of the executive An integral part of the legislature Head of the judiciary Commander-in-chief of all the armed forces Temporal head of the Church of EnglandThe official title Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and

11、 of Her other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith.Question for discussion Is the sovereign the most powerful person in Britain?Royal duties: Visiting many parts of Britain each year to inaugurate scientific, industrial, artistic and charitable works of natio

12、nal importance; Paying state visits to foreign countries; Undertaking tours of other countries in the Commonwealth, of which the Queen is the head.The importance of the monarchy Its effect on public attitude; It is used to represent the continuity and adaptability of the whole political system; It i

13、s used as a symbol of the unity of the whole country, an acceptable bound among the peoples who retain many regional and cultural differences.GovernmentnThe LegislatureParliament House of LordsHouse of CommonsnThe Executive Prime MinisterCabinetAssistants to the ministersnThe JudiciaryParliament Hou

14、se of LordsThe House of CommonsThe QueenNon-electedElectedThe SovereignnThe sovereign formally summons a House of Lords, dissolves Parliament and generally opens each new annual session with a speech from the throne.The State Opening of Parliament Wednesday November 26, 2003nFrom Buckingham to Westm

15、inster nSovereigns Entrance at WestminsterHouse of LordsnThe Lords Spiritual (non-hereditary peers)ArchbishopsProminent bishops of the church of EnglandnThe Lords Temporal Hereditary peersLife peersnThe Lords of Appeal (non-hereditary peers)Functions of the House of LordsnLegislative functionTo exam

16、ine and revise bills from the house of commonsnJudicial functionTo be a legal capacity as the highest court of appealHouse of Commons nThe House of Commons consists of 646 elected Members of Parliament, 529 represent English constituencies, 40 Welsh ones, 59 come from Scotland, and 18 from Northern

17、Ireland. Members of Parliament (MPs) can also be classified according to the parties to which they belong, as well as the constituencies they represent.The House of CommonsMr. SpeakerMr. SpeakernContrary to what the title would imply, the Speaker of the House of Commons does not speak - that is, he

18、or she does not make speeches or take part in debates. The office has been held continuously since 1377 and originally the Speaker spoke on behalf of the Commons to the Monarch, hence the name. He has more powers than the Lord Chancellor and rank only next to the Prime Minister.n“May it please Your

19、Majesty, l have neither eyes to see, nor tongue to speak in this place, but as the House is pleased to direct me, whose servant I am here, and I humbly beg Your Majestys pardon that I cannot give any other answer than this to what Your Majesty is pleased to demand of meParliaments main functions nDe

20、bating nMaking LawsnSupervising the governmentnSupervising the finance.More details on page 34 The Prime Minister The Cabinet ministers Assistants to the ministers (the Privy Council) the leader of his party in the House of Commons the head of government he has the right to select his cabinet, hand

21、out departmental positions, decide the agenda for cabinet meetings which he also chairs. he can dismiss ministers if this is required he directs and controls policy for the government he is the chief spokesman for the government he keeps the Queen informed of government decisions he exercises wide p

22、owers of patronage and appointments in the civil service, church and judiciaryThe principal government departmentsThe Treasury 财政部Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods 农业、渔业和粮食部Ministry of Defence 国防部Ministry of Post and Telecommunications 邮政和电信部Department of Education and Science 科教部The prin

23、cipal government departmentsDepartment of Health and Social Security 健康和社会安全部Department of Trade and Industry 工贸部Foreign and Commonwealth Office 外交和联邦事务部Home Office 内务部Scottish Office, Welsh Office and Northern Ireland Office 苏格兰、威尔士和北爱尔兰事务部Department of Energy 能源部The Civil Service Department 文官部lTh

24、e Cabinet is appointed by the Prime Minister. The senior positions within the Cabinet are usually appointed by the Prime Minister within hours of an election victory lIn British Politics, all Cabinet members are serving MPs or peers lThe most senior members of the Cabinet are the Deputy Prime Minist

25、er, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary .lThere has never been a set number for posts within the Cabinet. The most common figure for a Cabinet is 22 lCollective responsibility lIndividual ministerial responsibilityMore details on page 35 The Privy Council includes all m

26、inisters and ex-ministers, the holders of certain offices outside the political executive and some other people to whom membership has been given as an honor. Members of the Privy Council are entitled to the prefix, “ the Right Honorable”, before their names.The JudiciarylThe Lord ChancellorlThe Hom

27、e SecretarylSecretary of State for Scotland lSecretary of State for Northern Ireland2-party system(17th c)Whig Tory Conservative PartyLiberal PartyPragmatismIndividualism EgalitarianNationalization Labor PartySystemnThe UK has a first-past-the-post system (FPTP or FPP) with a single member constitue

28、ncy and simple majority - winner takes all. Constituencies/SeatsnEach party or registered organization offers a candidate for each seat. The country is divided up into 646 constituencies. England 529, Scotland 59, Wales 40, Northern Ireland 18 CandidatesnFrom one of three major political parties, a minor party or other independents registered with the Electoral Commission. One Independent MP was returned at the 2001 General Election - Mr Richard Taylor (Wyre Forest). Winner nThe candidate with the most votes in their constituency becomes the Member of Pa