HISTORY• First country in Europe to develop a limited monarchy
• Sun never set on the empire
• Growing old gracefully
• Traditional Legitimacy = hereditary ruling family had the right to rule
• Constitution of the Crown = evolved documents, common law, and customs
• Rational-legal Authority = system of well-established laws and procedures
• Magna Carta – limited government
• The Bill of Rights – rights of Parliament
• Common Law – officials and courts set precedents for governance
GRADUAL EVOLUTION• Shaping of the monarchy
• Ascendancy of Parliament
• Industrial Revolution
• Colonialism
• Political Shifts
• Welfare State
• Thatcherism
• Third Way
• Big Society
POLITICAL CULTURE• Nationalism = pride in being British
• Insularity = feeling of separation from Europe
• Noblesse Oblige = duty of the upper class toward the lower
• Welfare State = government responsibility toward the masses
• Cultural Homogeneity = one accepted union
• Multinationalism = different people and pasts
REFLECTION•Great Britain or Little England
• Free Market or Welfare State
•Nationalism or Insularity
• Reform or Revolution
•Multi-cultural or Homogeneity
GRADUALISM• 1832 – Great Reform Act
• 1867 – Reform Act
• 1884 – Representation of the People Act
• 1918 – Women’s Suffrage
• Loss of Imperial Power
• Collective Consensus
• Beveridge Report
• NHS
LEADERSHIP• Margret Thatcher
• John Major
• Tony Blair
• Gordon Brown
• David Cameron
• Ed Miliband
• Neoliberalism
• Third Way
• Big Society
NATIONAL IDENTITIES• England
• Wales
• Scotland
• Northern Ireland• 40% White European
• 23% Indian
• 16% Pakastani
• 12% Afro-Caribbean
• 10% Black African
POLITICS OF PROTEST• Distinct Minority/Majority Cleavages
• Social Class Differences of Muslim
• Pakistani Muslims
• Opposition to the Iraq War
• Lack of Integration of Minorities
• Decreasing Support for Labor Unions
• Increased Violence Over Northern Ireland
• Thatcherism
• New Labour
• Protests Over Iraq War
REFLECTION• Liberal or Conservative
• Home Rule and Solidarity
• Civic Culture or Politics of Protest
• Social Class and Regional Factors
• Gradualism or Revolution
POLITICAL PARTIES• Labour
• Conservative
• Liberal Democrats• Plaid Cymru
• Scottish National
• Sinn Fein
• Democratic Unity
• British National
• UK Independence
ELECTIONS• Plurality = candidate with the most votes wins, winner-take-all, first-past-the-
post
• Regional elections – proportional representation
• EP elections – direct election
• Interest Group Pluralism: Competition
• Neo-corporatism = interest groups that take the lead or dominate the state
• Quangos = quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organizations
• Cozy Media
• BBC: British Broadcasting Corporation, arm of the government
• Scandal and recent investigations
GOVERNMENT • Unitary – central authority in London
• Parliamentary – no separation of powers between MPs and PM
• Collective Cabinet – MPs with executive function over agencies
• First Among Equals – PM becomes head of government from within Parliament (head of state is the monarchy)
• The Government = PM, cabinet, front benchers• Back-benchers are lesser MPs
• Loyal Opposition = second party out of power• Shadow Cabinet in opposition face the government
CURRENT PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES
• Evolving relationship between government and economy
• Transparency in government
• Relationships with the European Union
• Terrorism and cohesion
• Relationships with the US
• Devoluiton and constitutional reform
REFLECTION• UK government structures and US government structures
• Labour and Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties
• The Government and the Parliament
• House of Commons and House of Lords
• Devolution and Constitutional Reform
• EU and US
HISTORY IN COMICS
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qj2vpp9Wf4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBnkTpxnNH4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YptNONmnXH0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edhuXbE_nBk