Chapter 4: Great Britain

Kesho-meter Absolute Monarchy Limited Monarchy Parliamentary Democracy

Key Terms / Events Lord Beveridge: The Abolition of Poverty Oliver Cromwell Robert Walpole GRADUALISM Collectivist Consensus

UNITED KINGDOM Why is the UK included in a course on Comparative Government?

UNITED KINGDOM 1. Incubator of Liberal Democracy 2. Gradualism and the Collectivist Consensus 3. One of world’s great powers and member of the UN Security Council 4. Political System is similar to others so a good starting point

UNITED KINGDOM Of course, times change. Today only 1 and 4 are correct still. So the best answer to the question is that historical connection which means we can learn how democracies develop by studying Britain.

Thinking About Britain 4 Key Themes – things that set Great Britain apart from other democracies 1. Gradualism – What?

Thinking About Britain 1. Gradualism – the belief that change should occur slowly or incrementally. This has allowed British Democracy to develop successfully without as much conflict as other countries.

BRITISH EVOLUTION The British were able to deal with each phase of democratic development separately and without devastating problems – the people reached a general consensus and avoided chaotic divisions in society – thanks mainly to Gradualism and their political culture

Thinking About Britain Key Themes: 2. The relative economic decline of the UK and its political implications EXPLAIN!

Thinking About Britain Key Themes: 2. GB is not a poor country but its economic growth has lagged behind its democratic competitors Germany and France have higher standards of living

Thinking About Britain Key Themes 3. The end of collectivist consensus What?

Thinking About Britain Key Questions 3. The collectivist consensus Cross-party support for the welfare state that lasted until the late 1970’s

Thinking About Britain Key Questions 4. How Conservative Gov’ts (Thatcher) in 1980’s and 1990’s redefined political life and brought about a renewal of a free market economy

Thinking About Britain Key Questions 4. Impact of “New Labour” and Tony Blair – WHAT?

Thinking About Britain Key Questions 4. Impact of “New Labour” and Tony Blair – Radical Reorganization and restructuring / adaptation of the Labour Party in order to survive

BRITISH EVOLUTION One divisive issue in British society is CLASS but it did not lead to long, intense conflicts

BRITISH EVOLUTION Does the UK have a single, written Constitution?

UNITED KINGDOM 1. NO but there is a “Constitution of the Crown” which refers to important documents created over time including common law precedents, legal codes, and customs

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” MAGNA CARTA

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” MAGNA CARTA – When and what significance?

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” MAGNA CARTA 1215 – King John agreed to consult nobles before important decisions on taxing and spending $$$

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” MAGNA CARTA 1215 Great Counsel (precursor to House of Lords) created from Nobles and churchmen

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” MAGNA CARTA 1215 LIMITED GOVERNMENT – King is no longer an absolute Monarch

UNITED KINGDOM 1. “Constitution of the Crown” Significance is that the broad outline of a state was in place with gov’t powers shared between King and Parliament

UNITED KINGDOM Next – – King Henry VIII brakes with Rome and forms Church of England -Start of a gradual shift to depoliticize the church and remove religion as a deeply divisive issue by early 1700’s

UNITED KINGDOM Next – Civil War of 1640’s – Cromwell overthrows monarch and beheads Charles I But by 1660 Charles II is back on throne but with more limited powers- forced to accept role of Parliament

UNITED KINGDOM Next – The Glorious Revolution of 1688 Clear that King would remain Anglican and would be accountable to parliament Created Constitutional Monarchy

UNITED KINGDOM Next – The British Bill of Rights of 1689

UNITED KINGDOM 2. “Constitution of the Crown” BILL OF RIGHTS – 1689 – Not your Father’s Bill of Rights – Why was this important?

UNITED KINGDOM 2. “Constitution of the Crown” BILL OF RIGHTS – 1689 – List of rights contained by Parliament not individual citizens Impact is important policy making power goes to Parliament including the power of the purse! $$$$$$$$$$$

UNITED KINGDOM 1701 Act of Settlement – created procedures for succession to Throne and asserted that King and Queen had to govern according to Parliament’s laws

UNITED KINGDOM 1707 – Queen Anne was the last Monarch to fail to give her royal assent to a Bill of Parliament Next, George I stopped going to cabinet meetings.

UNITED KINGDOM 2. EVOLUTION B. Ascendancy of Parliament – Who was Robert Walpole?

UNITED KINGDOM 2. EVOLUTION B. Ascendancy of Parliament – Who was Robert Walpole? 1 st PM to King George III – firmly established the power of the King’s PM

UNITED KINGDOM RESULT - Shaping of the Monarchy – the British Limited Monarchy dates back to the 13 th century

UNITED KINGDOM What 2 economic influences combined to make England a major power?

UNITED KINGDOM Imperialism / Colonial mercantilism The Industrial Revolution What was the big deal?

UNITED KINGDOM End of the Feudal System Trade worldwide leads to unprecedented wealth held by a new class of merchants and business people These groups want power over policy Peasants life changes – rural to urban

UNITED KINGDOM Next – 1832 – Great Reform Act – start of the evolution of taking power from small elite and giving it to workers / people It extended male suffrage by about 300,000

UNITED KINGDOM Next – 1832 – Great Reform Act – Significance? Showed that British elite was willing to adapt to changing circumstances rather than cling to power and risk revolution

UNITED KINGDOM Next – 1867 – 2 nd Reform Act Doubled the size of the electorate to 3 million 1 st modern political parties formed by leaders in Parliament who need support of new voters Leads to Party Leaders controlling electoral process today

UNITED KINGDOM Next – Representation of the People Acts of 1884 and 1885 – Expanded suffrage to the point where working- class males were now the majority of the electorate SO??

UNITED KINGDOM Next – early 20 th century – all men could vote – women can vote

UNITED KINGDOM 1911 – Final step in evolution of modern British Parliamentary Democracy as the House of Lords stripped of final real power

UNITED KINGDOM 1926 – Trades Union Congress organizes peaceful strikes over working conditions 1929 – Great Depression hits UK Then WWII

UNITED KINGDOM 1945 to Mid – 1970’s – The Collectivist Consensus WHAT???

UNITED KINGDOM 1945 to Mid – 1970’s – The Collectivist Consensus Cross-Party British support for the welfare state with an emphasis on class, consensus, and cooperation

UNITED KINGDOM Cross Party support for full employment, provision of social services to give at least a subsistence level living, cooperation with labor unions, and active gov’t intervention to secure economic growth

UNITED KINGDOM How did CC start? With Churchill during WWII in terms of planning out the war.

UNITED KINGDOM What is the 1942 BEVERIDGE REPORT?

UNITED KINGDOM 1942 BEVERIDGE REPORT – Commission set up by Churchill to overhaul the social services system – It called for a social insurance program for every citizen to get healthcare, unemployment, pension and other benefits to guarantee a subsistence level of income

UNITED KINGDOM 1948 – NHS Created – The National health Service

UNITED KINGDOM The CC would control UK for 30 years but it would NOT last. The end of the rapid economic growth in the late 1970’s and deeper political divisions would arise

UNITED KINGDOM 1979 – The Iron Lady comes to power!!!

UNITED KINGDOM D. Modern Britain Thatcher v. Blair Labour v. Tories / Conservatives

UNITED KINGDOM D. Modern Britain The Labour Party and Tony Blair