the UK Flashcards
the case + development democracy
- one of the oldest (majoritarian) democracies
- Westminster-Whitehall model (exported to new democracies + former british colonies)
UK known for gradual democratization (the spike = general suffrage for most subjects)
in general moderate country: biggest parties are both center
culture and nation
The British Isles -> UK is not contiguous: not one stretch of country, areas are separated
islands -> strong transatlantic relations + naval army
- British Isles: England + Scotland + Northern Ireland + Wales -> UK
cultural cleavages: strong British identity but cleavages:
- Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland see themselves as diff from England/UK
- e.g. olympics: each cultural group had own team (was allowed bc diff group influential in history soccer) = tough negotiations -> this year everyone fought together under the UK
England (st. George)
84% population
center in the center-periphery conflict : this is what other groups see themselves distinct from
Scotland (st. Andrew)
Northern Ireland (st. Patrick)
Wales
~5% population
Historical developments
*rewatch lecture bc it sucked
king was out of money -> had to ask for money for war -> Magna Carta = establishment of a council of barons to advise the king and ensure he adhered to the charter
- still, e.g. king James absolutist tendencies -> civil war -> 1649 establishment Cromwell Republic
Cromwell republic turned into a dictatorship
Bill of Rights = more power to parliament (glorious revolution)
Treaty of Union = brought Scotland in
Acts of Union = brought Ireland in
reform act (led by parliament) = increase suffrage
empire and loss of empire: UK not known for starkest violence in anticolonial efforts (unlike France)
- UK remains attached to the colonies: Commonwealth games
Commonwealth
modern monarchy of the UK is still formal/ceremonial monarchy of the commonwealth realms
cleavages: religion
= not a dominant cleavage, but growing with migration now
- historically: not big cleavage bc Henry VIII created the Anglican church -> church controlled by the state
exception: religion important in Northern Ireland = catholic-protestant divide
- catholic minority (indigenous population before protestant colonizers) = poor = overlapping cleavages
- irredentism: Northern Ireland wanted to join the rest of Ireland
- inequalities protestants and catholics reduced over time, but still tensions (brexit stirs it up)
- cleavage overlaps with class + pro-irish/pro-british + region
- protestants remained dominant: gerrymandering
- violence -> UK came in with power sharing agreement
class cleavage
= central cleavage
politically relevant after the extension of suffrage (1918+1928)
- conservatives = pro-monarchy
- liberal = anti-monarchy
- labour = workers party
this cleavage somewhat weakened with dev welfare state
rural urban cleavage
not that big: marriage between them
centre-periphery cleavage
only region that doesn’t want more regional autonomy is England
Wales and Northern Ireland are poorer than the center + diff cultural identity -> want more autonomy
areas that are richer also want more autonomy sometimes (politicians: we are wealthy: we could be viable as an independent state + don’t want to pay for other regions)
devolution of power especially under labour governments (conservatives are usually against)
- conservatives = slippery slope argument: if you give them regional autonomy, they will start wanting more, eventually the system will collapse
- liberals = nah won’t happen
Westminster-Whitehall model
majority rule and parliamentary sovereignty
*UK: no constitution: there is jurisprudence -> gov. can make any decision with simple majority (no matter how constitution al the issue may seem)
de jure = no unicameralism: house of lords has over time seen its power diminished
changes last 30 years (labor govs) = devolution of power -> quasi-federal system
2009 supreme court -> judicial review: can judge if a proposal is not constitutional (bc proposals can’t go against international laws, which have the same value as constitutions)
parliament
we often call the UK unicameral bc its higher chamber is not powerful
House of Commons
- 650 members
- 5y terms
- sit opposite each other
- practice of politics = strong party loyalty: whips tell you what you need to vote for
fixed terms in parliament act (2011) = elections no longer called by prime ministers, but occur every 5y (exceptions: vote of no confidence OR 2/3 majority wants reelection)
House of Lords
- 800 members
- hereditary spots + appointments by Monarch
- can delay legislation + used to be house of appeal + can ask questions
government and prime minister
cabinet often one party
- exceptions: Lib-Lab pact 1978-179, 2010-2015 conservative libdem + 2017-2019 conservative minority with DUP support
- Libdem 2011= liberals wanted referendum about electoral reform (didn’t end up being the full PR reform they wanted, plus the public voted no)
now: labour party gov + prime minister Starmer
- cabinet depedns on parliamentary confidence (vote of no confidence)
- collective responsibility, but prime minister very dominant
- cabinet members remain members Lower House
Iraq war = example prime minister can ban parliament when they want to: Tony Blair threatened to call a referendum and threatened to call reelections if he lost
Brexit
UK liked to blame the EU for shit
Cameron (pro-EU) called for referendum to resolve the matter once and for all, people voted leave -> Cameron resigned
May triggered Article 50 = allows to exit EU
Brexit delays -> May resigns
Brexit and UK politics
- insularity -> more atlantic relations -> Brexit
- majoritarian democracy: referendum key tool
- regional (and age and education) cleavage: some areas more reluctant to leave than others
- transnational cleavage: migration, losing power to higher international institutions
