英美概况unit 6.docVIP

Unit 6 the Politics of Great Britain and America Great Britain: 6.1 Government and the Commonwealth I. Constitution 国体 Great Britain (UK) is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch as the head of state British Constitution is made up of: Statutory Law (成文法) Common Law (判例法) Conventions (习惯法) 1 Statutory Law passed by Parliament example the Magna Carta (1215) the Bill of Rights (1689) the Reform Act (1832) the European Communities Act (1972) the European Communities (Amendment) Act (1986) 2. Common law deduced from custom or legal precedents and interpreted in court cases by judges 3. Conventions rules and practices which do not exist legally, but are regarded as vital to the working of government II. Government 1. The Legislature Basic Structure of UK Central Government (1) Parliament Parliament the law-making body of Britain one of the oldest representative assemblies in the world Strictly speaking, the parliament consists of the King or Queen, the House of Lords (上议院), the House of Commons (下议院) (2) Queen Queen Elizabeth II Born: April 21, 1926 Queen since June 2, 1953 Queen Elizabeth II is a “constitutional monarch” Although she is officially the head of state, the country is actually run by the government and led by the Prime Minister. Q. What powers does the Queen have? She reigns but does not rule! Theoretically, she is the source of all government powers: an integral part of the legislature head of the executive, executive and judiciary branches the commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Crown “supreme governor” of the Church of England In reality, her role is “ceremonial, unpolitical and symbolic”: State opening of the Parliament Royal assent to new law Meeting with the Prime Minister at Buckingham Palace Pay state visits to Commonwealth countries as head of state and non-Commonwealth countries on behalf of the British government (3) The House of Lords often referred to as “the Upper House” The Lords Spirit