STUDENT NOTES 1CH. 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 identityOwn 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 16th 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