英语国家概况Chapter 3.pptVIP

Chapter 3 Politics and Society Political System of Britain British government—An overview British Constitution British government—the legislature, the executive, the judiciary The Prime Minister Political parties leaders The Palace of Westminster Local government The role of the monarch The royal family Politics Parties The UK is not a kingdom in the real sense, for the monarch functions as the Head of State only in name. The country is a democracy in essence. The power to run the country rests with the elected Parliament, headed by a Prime Minister in association with the Cabinet. The parliament operates with a two-party system, one running the government, the other acting as the Opposition in the Parliament. The two major parties that have won all the elections since 1945 have been the Conservative Party and the Labor Party. Political Parties Political parties in England originated in the late 17th century when the parliament was divided over the issue whether the king or the parliament should have more power in the running of the country. The Whig Party believed in a strong parliament and was associated with the Protestant reformers. Later it was merged other political groups interested in reforms, thus forming the Liberal Party. The Tory Party supported the King and the Church of England, and became the Conservative Party when the 1832 Reform Bill enlarged the electorate, hoping to “conserve what is best in Great Britain” and thus attracting the new middle-class voters. Conservative Party The Conservative Party believes firmly in private ownership and free competition. E.g., Under administration of Margaret Thatcher (1975 on power), more than 2/3 of the state-owned enterprises were privatized and the number of private share holders tripled. She also adopted anti-union polices, strengthened ties with US, distances away from EU. The current party leader is David Cameron, the Leader of the Opposition, since 2005 Labor Party Originated around the turn