1. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no Chapter 4: Two texts The Anglo-American World: Political Influence Riches and Rags

2. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Parliamentary Democracy  The national assembly decides both the laws and who shall execute them  Britain developed a ”constitutional monarchy” over centuries  The prime minister is appointed by the monarch, but responsible to Parliament  All citizens have the right to vote for representatives

3. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Presidential Democracy  The President is elected separately from Congress and presides over the government  The system of separation of powers was created in 1787  The President, Congress and the Supreme Court set limits for one another’s power  All citizens have the right to vote for state and federal office holders

4. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Exerting influence  Influence has been exerted through emulation, colonization and imposition  British influence has moved from colonization to emulation  American influence has moved from emulation to imposition  Both systems continue to exert an influence today

5. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – America and Emulation  American influence was first felt in South America  Basic elements – a constitution, an elected president, a national assembly and a supreme court  Many other countries have also been influenced by the American model  Norway’s Constitution of 1814 reflects the American Constitution’s separation of powers

6. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Britain and Colonization  Britain had two kinds of colonies - of settlers and of indigenous peoples  Early independent colonies pioneered the Westminster system  Basic elements: –head of state as figurehead –prime minister responsible to national assembly –democratically elected national assembly with two chambers –a loyal opposition  Most former British colonies adopted this system

7. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Imposition and Emulation  Democracy was successfully imposed on Japan and West-Germany after the Second World War  Anglo-American democracy emulated by eastern European nations after the Cold War  Imposing presidential democracy has sometimes been a failure – i.e. in Vietnam, Iraq  Emulating parliamentary democracy sometimes also fail – i.e. in Zimbabwe, Burma

8. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – India’s Mix  India is a parliamentary democracy with a prime minister  It is also a republic with a president elected every four years  It has a written constitution like the US  The British heritage of the rule of law is protected by an American-inspired Supreme Court

9. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Britain as Economic Model  Britain invented the free-market and industrial system of production  Became center for world-wide networks of trade  Countries around the world copied the British system  The US and other countries eventually surpassed the British

10. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – America as Economic Model  Invented the immensely productive post- industrial consumer economy  Established a new globalized consumer economy  Became a model for countries around the world, including former enemies  Continues the dominant economic influence of the Anglo-American world

11. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Challenges and Responses  Great Britain’s growth outpaced by its European partners in the EU  The United States outcompeted by its global rivals Japan and Germany  Both lower taxes and reduce government to become more competitive  Both economies regain strength in the global free market

12. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Poverty  Despite great riches, neither country has eliminated poverty  Britain has one of the largest welfare systems is the world  The US has had various programs to eliminate poverty  Both countries have relatively high rates of poverty compared with wealthy nations

13. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Welfare  Both countries distinguish between the deserving and undeserving poor  Both countries view poverty as avoidable through individual efforts  Both countries use a liberal welfare model, targeting specific groups and needs  Both countries use less money on welfare than comparable nations in the EU

14. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Increasing Inequality  Some critics blame poverty on increasing inequality  The gap between the rich and poor has increased in the US  It appears to be a built-in characteristic of the free market system  Critics fear the creation of a permanent underclass

15. © 2008 http://access.cappelen.no The Anglo-American World – Defenders and Critics  Defenders point out that all citizens of the UK and US have been getting wealthier  Every year hundreds of thousands of people move to these countries for better lives  Critics fear endless uncontrolled growth may hurt the environment, if successful  They worry that inequality will increase in an already unequal world