Comparative politics - the Legislatures Flashcards
Structure of the legislatures
Similarities:
- Both legislative houses are bicameral
Differences:
- Legislative in US is fully elected; the House of Lords in the UK is appointed
- Federal system in the US means that there are legislatures in each state, whereas the UK is quasi-federal and has devolved legislative powers
- Separation of powers more separated in the US, with the legislative being independent and the UK executive sitting within the legislature, with the ability to vote
Composition of the legislatures
Similarities:
- Congress and Parliament are made up of predominantly white males
- Both have a Christian presence; many members in congress are Christian (overrepresented in comparison to the population as a whole) and prayers occur before the House of Parliament sits. Both are legislatures in multicultural/diverse countries so there is still work to be done in order for the legislatures to accurately represent the public
Differences:
- Senators must be 30, congressmen/women must be 25. In the UK, members of Parliament must be 18
- Senators and congressmen/women must reside in the state they represent; MPs can live anywhere
Powers and functions
Similarities:
- Both houses initiate legislation
- Both houses must approve legislation
- Both initiate changes to the
constitution
Differenes:
- Legislation in the UK passes regardless of the Prime Minister’s approval, unlike in the US where the - President has the power to veto (though Congress could override his veto, so it could be argued that their power is alike to Parliament’s)
- Congress has the power to declare war, but the PM possesses the royal prerogative to do so (however, it has recently become conventional for the PM to gain Parliament approval)
- House of Representatives can impeach a public official
Comparative politics
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VZJkpghPA2-NSAT5HIoe9iql2Mdq97huSIma0gYPKJY/edit#slide=id.p13
