STUDENT NOTES 1 CH. 2 – THE UNITED KINGDOM AND GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND

Overview: The Big Picture System of Government: Parliamentary System Distribution of Power: Unitary Electoral System: Single Member District Plurality Constitution: Unwritten constitution Legislature: Bicameral—House of Commons & House of Lords Current Prime Minister: David Cameron Current Ruling Party: Conservative Party Major Political Parties: Labour, Conservatives, Liberal Democrats

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: GEOGRAPHY Great Britain = England, Wales, and Scotland United Kingdom = Northern Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland (NEWS) Offshore island adjacent to Europe –Creates feeling that Britons are separate from but a part of Europe –Complicates relations with European Union

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS  One Crown but five nations  United Kingdom –  England  Wales: ¼ speak Welch  Scotland: separate legal, religious, educational institutions  Northern Ireland (6 counties): remainder of Ireland rebelled against Crown in 1916 and a separate Irish state in Dublin in 1921.

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - ENGLAND Largest region of Great Britain Makes up 2/3 of the land mass English have dominated the other nationalities historically, and still hold a disproportionate share of political power West Lothian Question

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - SCOTLAND History of resistance to English rule 1707 Act of Union Strong sense of national identity Own parliament and regional assembly (devolution) Scottish National Party – political party of the region of Scotland

SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS - WALES Became subject to the King of England in 16 th century Located west of England Plaid Cymru – Welsh national political party Strong sense of national pride reflected in their flag and in their own language Granted their own assembly (devolution)

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: THE ENVIRONMENT OF POLITICS – NORTHERN IRELAND The Irish Republican Army (IRA) used guerrilla tactics against British officials and citizens Sinn Fein – political party of the IRA Under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, the IRA decommissioned its weapons in exchange for some self rule An assembly was created for Northern Ireland (devolution)

I. INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS: DEVOLUTION British government is a unitary system (centralized control) Starting in the 1970s the Scots and Welsh made an aggressive push for political autonomy in their regions Devolution – the turning over of some political power and autonomy to regional governments