The British Constituion: Key Words Flashcards

0
Q

Limited Government

A

A system in which the powers of government are subject to legal constraints, and checks and balances within the political system.

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1
Q

Bill of Rights

A

An authorities statement of the right of citizens, often entrenched as part of a codified constitution.

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2
Q

Fundamental Law

A

The law which forms the foundation of the government of a state.

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3
Q

Entrenched

A

Secured; difficult to change

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4
Q

Judicial Review

A

The power of senior judges to review the actions of government and public authorities, declaring them unlawful of they have exceeded their authority

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5
Q

Statue Law

A

Law derived from Acts of parliament and subordinate legislation

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6
Q

Common Law

A

Law derived from decisions in court cases and from general customs

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7
Q

Royal Prerogative

A

Discretionary powers of the crown that are exercised in the monarch’s name by government ministers

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8
Q

Conventions

A

Established norms of political behaviour rooted in past experience rather than law

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9
Q

Sovereignty

A

Legal supremacy absolute law-making authority that is not subject to a higher authority

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10
Q

Rule of Law

A

A system of rule where the relationship between the state and the individual is governed by law, protecting the individual from arbitrary state and action

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11
Q

Civil Liberties

A

Fundamental individual rights and freedoms that ought to be protected from interference by the state

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12
Q

Unitary State

A

A homogeneous state in which power is concentrated at the political centre and all parts of the state are governed in the same way

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13
Q

Union state

A

A state in which there are cultural differences and where, despite a strong centre, different parts of the state are governed in slightly different ways

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14
Q

Constitutional Monarchy

A

A political system in which the monarch is the formal head of state but the monarch’s legal powers are exercised by government ministers

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15
Q

Cabinet government

A

A system of government in which executive power is vested in a cabinet, whose members exercise collective responsibility, rather than a single office

16
Q

Parliamentary government

A

A political system in which government takes place through parliament, and in which the executive and legislative branches are fused

17
Q

Prime ministerial government

A

System of government in which the prime minister is the dominant actor and is able to bypass the cabinet

18
Q

Legislature

A

The branch of government responsible for making law

19
Q

Executive

A

The branch of government responsible for the implementation of policy

20
Q

Judiciary

A

The branch of government responsible for interpreting the law and deciding upon legal disputes

21
Q

Fusion of powers

A

He intermingling of personnel in the executive and legislative branches found in parliamentary systems

22
Q

Political Soverignty

A

Absolute political power

23
Q

Globalisation

A

The widening and deepening interconnectedness between peoples and societies across the world in economic political, social and cultural activities

24
Q

Popular Sovereignty

A

Supreme authority resides with people

25
Q

Referendum

A

A vote in which the electorate is asked to express its view on a specific issue of public policy

26
Q

Westminster model

A

A form of government exemplified by the British political system in which parliament is sovereign, the executive and legislative are fused and political power is centralised

27
Q

Governance

A

A form of decision making in which a wide range of institutions networks and relationships are involved

28
Q

Sleaze

A

In politics, behaviour characterised by low standards by low standards of honesty or morality

29
Q

Unitary State

A

The central government is supreme, and the administrative divisions exercise only powers that the central government has delegated to them.
The United Kingdom, for example, is a unitary state, as its constituent countries — England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland — have no power to challenge the constitutionality of acts of Parliament.