DD211 Tutorial 4 Dr John connolly

Agenda Questions so far? Block 4: Political institutions in liberal democracies TMA 4

Exercise 1 What is the state?

The state Defining features Associated characteristics The state is: a unified set of institutions controlling a given territory and distinct society making and enforcing collectively binding decisions monopolizing the legitimate use of force seeking sovereignty operating in a distinct public realm deciding citizenship and controlling entry Associated characteristics The state claims to advance common interests is accepted as legitimate by significant groups has a developed bureaucracy and tax system operates with a constitution and legal system is recognized as a state by other states

Institutions of a democratic state What is a constitution? The executive, the legislature and the judiciary form the three key institutions of government. What are these and their roles and functions?

Comparing and contrasting the UK and the US systems See handout for Arend Lijphart’s model The UK and the US have very distinctive forms of political system. According to Arend Lijphart, each is a different example of two different types of liberal democracy. The UK unitary/parliamentary system and the US federal/presidential system can helpfully be seen as part of a broader distinction between majoritarian and consensus democracies (Lijphart, 1999).

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Similarities between political leaders in liberal democracies? the contemporary focus on individual leaders resulting from the ongoing and deepening personalisation of politics being the chief diplomat and principal politician, charged with proposing and vetoing policies, communicating and winning support for their agendas, seeking votes, winning elections, maintaining high approval ratings and managing their government and administration their location within structured bureaucracies that possess powers which complement but also constrain their powers their need to work with other executive and legislative actors, which arises from power-dependent relationships among a somewhat differentiated polity above all, the fact that all chief executives, prime ministerial or presidential, are often as reactive as they are proactive, having to respond to problems and crises, exercise and share power, delegate authority, win the support (or avoid the disapproval) of powerful interests, appease key electorates, communicate policies, and negotiate all sorts of political and economic obstacles.

Institutions of a democratic state: What about multi-level governance? In what ways have the institutions of the British state been affected by the devolution and EU membership?

Elections, Parties and Political Participation What are the ways to participate in politics? What are the opportunities for and potential routes of political representation? Are we witnessing an era of political apathy?

TMA 4…