The Westminster Model Flashcards
Westminster model: Elitist, Traditional, Historical
- Thought of as an elective dictatorship. Dominance of cabinet.
- Centralisation, elite idea of where power should be.
- Bottom-up vs the top-down
British Political Tradition and the WM
BPT prioritises an elitist approach to governing
UK has an uncodified constitution, very conventional
Dependent on customs
Prioritisation of top-down responsibility
What has lack of revolution meant?
There has been little to disrupt the class boundaries. Reliant on customs and traditions.
WM as a model for democracy?
Vision of democracy in the WM is limited and elitist. A top-down process from government to society. Old boys club and extreme lack of diversity. Autocratic use of power, ie Truss budget.
Is the WM majoritarian or consensual?
Majoritarian: power concentrated in the centre
Post 1970’s context
A decline in class voting, greater electoral vocality, regional disparities in voting beh and an undermining of the two-party system. Winter of Discontent – Labour decline in popularity
Beginning of Thatcherism politics during this time as well. Much more volatility and polarisation bt the parties. Thatcher disliked by majorities in Scotland & Wales creating more regional disparity. Being ruled by the votes from England.
Tried to heavily reduce civil service and outsource gov responsibilities.
Colonial legacies of the WM
The model was exported to lots of different British colonies.
Ie, Indian Penal Code (IPC 1862)
Criminalization of homosexuality (Legal now but same sex unions are not)
Used as a template across the B Empire and still exists in many former colonies.
Section 377 repealed in 2018, but criminalization remains in 63 jurisdictions, almost half part of the commonwealth.
Human rights?
Challenges to the WM
Globalization and grass root movements.
Governance not government. Government is the institution of power whereas governance is the decision made by political actors
Under Thatcher, a change in the expectation of service delivery. Efficient like practices to create a more business-like model.
Increase in non gov actors in political governance & delivery, removing levels of accountability.
How has devolution challenged the WM?
Importance of the Western Model is that power is centralised. Often the idea of devolution is neglected by the wider media and doesn’t feature in the debates. Often still conceived that the UK is a very unitary state. New Labour implemented many devolution policies.
How has internationalism challenged the WM?
Supernational institutions & agencies
Impact this has on domestic pol decisions
Increasingly global challenges such as climate change, the middle east, terrorism, global financial crashes etc.
