1. Democracy

2. What is Democracy? Is democracy in the eye of the beholder?
Soviets said they had “true democracy”
No social classes, guaranteed employment, etc.
U.S. and Europe had a ruling elite which competed to dominate the populace
The West criticized Soviet style one-party control and lack of civil liberties

3. Democracy “Political power resides with the people” How?
Direct or indirect participation in policymaking
Direct – people may vote on policies and governing decisions
Indirect – people may elect representatives in government, but do not vote on policy (also called republicanism)
Participation (elections, pluralism, etc.)
Competition
Liberty
Emphasis on rights has led to the creation of a new more specific term – liberal democracy

4. Democracy Social democratic regimes vs. liberal democratic regimes
Social democrats emphasize collective welfare over individual rights
Both are still democracies, since both hold the basic tenets (i.e., participation, competition, liberty)

5. Democracy Rule of Law Participation
Concept originated in England with Magna Carta (1215 AD)
All individuals are subject to the political system regardless of their position of power
Participation
Suffrage rights are open to all adult citizens with few restrictions

6. Electoral Systems How to divide constituencies
Single-Member District system (also called plurality system or first-past-the-post system)
Used in U.S., United Kingdom, Nigeria
Country is drawn into geographic constituencies
Election chooses one person to represent that constituency
Only the candidate/party with the plurality receives representation
All losing candidates/parties receive no representation for votes they received, no matter how much or little they lose by

7. Electoral Systems How to divide constituencies
Single-Member District system (also called plurality system or first-past-the-post system)
Variation of SMD – Majority SMD system
Used in France
First round determines top 2 finalists for the office
2nd round is a “runoff” to ensure the winner receives a majority of the vote

8. Electoral Systems How to divide constituencies
Proportional Representation system (also called Multimember District system)
Used in most democracies
Voters cast a ballot for a party, not a candidate
Whatever % of the vote the party receives, the party will win that % of seats in the legislature
Party publishes a ranked list of candidates
ex. If they win 70 seats, the top 70 names on the list go into the legislature

9. Electoral Systems How to divide constituencies Mixed System
Used in Mexico, Germany
Legislature is chosen partially by SMD, partially by PR
Voters are given two ballots, one to elect a candidate for an SMD seat, one to elect a party for the PR seats

10. Direct Democracy
Some elements of direct democracy appear in some societies
Referendum – public vote on a particular policy issue
ex. European countries held referendum votes on whether to ratify the EU constitution or not
Initiative – referendum initiated by the public
ex. Propositions in Arizona can be written by voters
Plebiscites – nonbinding referendum just to get the public’s opinion on an issue

11. Political Parties Necessary? Functions of parties in modern democracy
Bring together diverse groups and ideas to create majority rule (called interest aggregation)
Express those ideas in a way the public and political system can understand (called interest articulation)
Prevent tyranny of majority, since factions can exist within parties
Means to hold politicians accountable by the electorate and fellow elites in the party
Political symbol, or shorthand to identify basic values tied to a candidate

12. Separation of Powers Head of State vs. Head of Government
Head of State – symbolizes and represents the people
Head of Government – handles day to day tasks of governing the state
Could be the same person, or separate

13. Head of
State
Head of Government
United Kingdom
Monarch
Prime Minister
Russia
President
China
Mexico
*President*
Iran
Supreme Leader
Nigeria

14. Separation of Powers Presidential vs. Parliamentary System
Voters choose chief executive by direct vote
Separate legislative and executive institutions (including “checks and balances”)
Usually unite head of state and government
Used in U.S., Mexico, Nigeria, Iran (if you believe in Iranian “elections”)
Parliamentary
Voters elect parliament, majority party in parliament elects prime minister
Prime minister and cabinet control most legislation, though parliament retains the right to remove the executive through a vote of confidence
Can separate head of state and government
Used in United Kingdom

16. Separation of Powers Presidential vs. Parliamentary System
Semipresidential System
Legislature elects a prime minister who serves as head of government
Voters separately elect a president who holds certain powers (ex. foreign affairs, power to dismiss prime minister, call national referenda)
Question of who is in control depends on each issue (or who currently occupies each post…)
Used in Russia (Ha! Really?), France

17. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Where Big Ben is the only thing marking forward progress

19. Summary of Britain’s Significance
First country with a limited monarchy
Early 20th century, undoubtedly the world’s greatest superpower
Empire is lost, but still retains global significance and influence
Part of EU, yet not fully embracing being “European”

20. Sovereignty, Authority, and Power
Sources
Long, very gradual tradition
Original belief in Divine Right of a family to rule gave monarchs power over people
Constitutionalism
No written constitution, but a long series of compacts and acts of Parliament has formed an understood “Constitution of the Crown”

21. Components of British “Constitution”
Rational-Legal Authority
Magna Carta (1215) – limited power of the monarch, guaranteed trial by jury, consent of Parliament to raise taxes
The Bill of Rights (1688) – expanded policymaking power of Parliament relative to the crown
Common Law – (opposite of code law) customs and precedent have strong bearing on the law in addition to written rules

22. Historical Evolution of Political Traditions
The monarchy – once powerful, then limited, now powerless and ceremonial

23. Oh, woe is me!

24. Historical Evolution of Political Traditions
The monarchy – once powerful, then limited, now powerless and ceremonial
The Parliament
English Civil War (1640)
Glorious Revolution (1688)
Prime Minister becomes firm Chief Executive in the 18th Century
Challenges of the Industrial Revolution (18th and 19th Century)
Diminishing Empire in the 20th and 21st Century
Strong welfare state became a burden, led to backlash of “Thatcherism”

25. Political Culture Geography
Island
Small - Little fertile soil and short growing seasons
Temperate climate, but cold, chilly, and rainy
No major geographical barriers
Nationalism – great deal of pride in being “English”, or “Scottish”, or “Welsh”
Insularity – feeling of separation from the rest of Europe

26. Political Culture Cleavages Social Class
Not as strong as in the past, but still very significant

27. This photo was taken outside of Lord’s cricket grounds in 1937, and came to symbolize the class divide in England

28. Political Culture Cleavages Social Class Multi-Nationalism
Not as strong as in the past, but still very significant
Noblesse Oblige – a term for the upper classes’ willingness to embrace the welfare state and support the poor
Formerly duty of lords to care for serfs
Multi-Nationalism
Lots of cultural homogeneity, but there are Scots, English, Welsh, Irish, Protestant, and Catholic living together and insisting on some local sovereignty

29. Political Culture Cleavages
Ethnic Minorities (comprise less than 10% of British population)
Largely young, increasingly Muslim
Tight restrictions on immigration imposed by Thatcher kept in place by Labour Party
Many reports of unequal treatment by police, most minorities are disaffected and unemployed
Poorly integrated into British society

30. Institutions
Linkage Institutions – provide people with a connection to government and the political process
Political Parties
Originally Liberal (Whigs) vs. Conservative (Tories)
Emergence of voting rights for commoners gave rise to Labour vs. Conservative (still Tories)
Liberal Democrats emerged as a third party to compromise between Thatcher Conservatives on the right and Labour on the Left
Undermined by Blair’s “New Labour” movement

31. Ed Miliband
David Cameron
Nick Clegg

33. Institutions
Linkage Institutions – provide people with a connection to government and the political process
Elections
646 constituencies each elect an MP (Member of Parliament)
Party leaders run in “safe” constituencies, MPs often aren’t from their district
Winner-take-all, “First-Past-The-Post” – only winner gets to take office
Plurality – no majority necessary
Party with Parliamentary majority chooses the Prime Minister, who “forms a government”

36. Institutions
Linkage Institutions – provide people with a connection to government and the political process
Regional Elections
Devolution – Blair policy under Good Friday Agreement allowing regional parliaments to exercise some local authority
Proportional representation in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales respective parliaments
Mayor of London is now directly elected for the first time

37. Institutions
Linkage Institutions – provide people with a connection to government and the political process
Interest Groups
Pluralist system with some patterns of neo-corporatism
Quangos – gov. agencies act as interest advocates and policy advisors in many cases, fusing the relationship between interest group and state

38. Institutions
Linkage Institutions – provide people with a connection to government and the political process
Media
Available media outlets reflect social class divisions in readership/viewership
BBC was created during the collectivist era to educate citizens on politics
Heavily regulated by government (ex. – no ads can be purchased for parties or candidates)

39. Institutions State Institutions
Unitary state, power concentrated in London
No “separation of powers”

40. Institutions Cabinet and Prime Minister, The Executive
Cabinet members are MPs chosen by Prime Minister, who is “first among equals”
Collective responsibility – cabinet members all share policy responsibility, and members resign if they do not support decisions of the PM

41. Institutions Parliament, The Legislature
House of Commons, the “Lower House”
Holds all meaningful power in Britain
Majority party chooses PM, makes all policy
Minority becomes “loyal opposition”, sitting directly across the aisle during debate
Shadow Cabinet – group of minority party MPs who would be in cabinet if they were the majority
Backbenchers – MPs who are less influential sit further back in Parliament

42. Prime Minister and Cabinet Shadow Cabinet
Speaker of the House
Backbenchers
Backbenchers
Prime Minister and Cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
Other minority parties

43. And now… Question Time for the Prime Minister!

44. Institutions Parliament, The Legislature
House of Commons, the “Lower House”
Vote of Confidence
If a key issue is brought up for a vote and the PM and cabinet lose, they resign and call for new elections immediately by tradition
The House of Lords, the “Upper House”
The original parliament, now nearly meaningless
Can delay legislation, debate technicalities, and add amendments
Amendments may be deleted in Commons by a majority vote

45. Institutions Parliament, The Legislature
House of Commons, the “Lower House”
Vote of Confidence
If a key issue is brought up for a vote and the PM and cabinet lose, they resign and call for new elections immediately by tradition
The House of Lords, the “Upper House”
567 “life peers,” appointed by PM for achievement and service to Britain
92 “hereditary peers,” whose seats were passed down through family connections
Blair and Labour substantially reduced number of hereditary peerages

46. Supporters of the Opposition Party
The Sovereign
Supporters of the Opposition Party
Neutral Members
Supporters of the government

47. Institutions The Bureaucracy
Powerful force in policy formation, implementation
Bureaucrats are experts, ministers are likely not, so ministers take direction from top bureaucrats informally
Bureaucrats stay in place from government to government

48. Institutions The Judiciary Limited in authority compared to U.S.
Parliamentary sovereignty – principle that Parliament has the final say
Courts can strike acts of government that violate common law or previous acts of Parliament, but rule very narrowly
May not impose “judicial review” on Parliament, PM, or cabinet
Judges are usually independent, apolitical
Expected to resign at age 75
Highest court formerly the Law Lords, but a new Supreme Court has been created (2009)

49. 3 Major Steps in the British Judiciary
Supreme Court
Appeals
High Courts
Appeals
District Courts