Theoretical approaches

Question 1

Structural

Answer 1

• The entrenchment of civil liberties in the US constitution means that liberties and rights are more protected than in the UK’s flexible constitution
• Parliament is sovereign, so ultimately decides what civil rights UK citizens enjoy. In the US the constitution is sovereign, not Congress, so landmark cases play a key role in delivering civil rights
• Different rules regarding political donations and spending have resulted in pressure groups spending far more on political campaigning in the USA

Question 2

Rational

Answer 2

• Individuals play a key role in civil rights campaigns in both countries. The infringement of an individual’s liberties or rights has provoked the spark for many campaigns, e.g. Roe v Wade
• Individual civil rights leaders have had a transformative impact on the political agenda. US civil rights benefited from MLK, whereas post war UK vil rights campaigns lacked a figure of the same political stature
• Some politicians decided to expand civil rights, e.g. Kennedy and LBJ, and UK parliamentarians did in 1967 when they passed the abortion act (and in N.Ireland in 2019)

Question 3

Cultural

Answer 3

• Both value individual liberty, US Bill of Rights, UK’s HRA
• Respect for rule of law generally underpins the protection of rights in both countries, and a culture of pluralism allows PG’s to campaign for rights and liberties. However, US political culture is typically more suspicious of govt control, as seen by larger anti lockdown protests
• Religious groups more prominent in US, rights with religious implications re more contraversial, e.g. abortion
• In both countries, some religious groups feel threatend by liberal values
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