Contemporary British Culture and Society
For Final
Chapter 1 Introduction
A1 Geography continued IONA ?– The British Isles土
A 1 Geography cont. *n.a.土
National Flag The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland WALES cont.
Culture:
One thing that marks Wales out from the rest of the Britain is the survival of Welsh as a living language.
Welsh food is not well-known. They eat laverbread (a mixture of seaweed, oatmeal and bacon served on toast), Rarebit (cheese on toast with the added flavor of mustard and beer).
NORTHERN IRELAND cont.
Culture:
Perform a dance known as the “jig” which they do to Irish folk music.
Very festive people and dance on various occasions.
Meals are based around meats like lamb, beef, and pork.
Main meal is usually lunch, not dinner.
SCOTLAND cont.
Culture:
Greatest Scottish accomplishments come in the form of science, literature, and philosophy.
Bagpipes are very famous in Scotland.
Social gathering known as ceilidh were very popular in the traditional culture in which folk stories were told.
Today, stories are substituted for drinking and dancing.
Scots are known primarily for game dishes like smoked salmon and venison
A2 Population
UK 59,289,194
England 51,138,831
Wales 2,903,085
Scotland 5,162,011
Northern Ireland 1,685,267
A2 Population
continued Densi ty
UK
average
243/km2 England
376/ km2 Scotland
65/km2
Wales
141/km2
N.
Ireland
122/km2 France
106/km2
US
27/km2
A 4 Class
The United Kingdom is increasingly described as a classless society.
However many people still believe society is ordered in terms of class and that discrimination occurs between classes.
Everything a Briton does and says is influenced by class.
Accent*, vocabulary*, job*, hobbies* and types of relationship all fit into the class structure.
A 5 50 Years of Change
The 1950s – a time of great changes in fields of economy, culture, politics.
The 1960s – a decade of young rebellious young generation
The 1970s – a decade of strikes and recession
The 1980s – a decade of Thatcherism
The 1990s – a decade of great expectation
A 5. The Devolution 土
Jeremy Johnson has been a building labourer since he left university after obtaining a degree in electronics. This was the only job he could get at the time but now he enjoys the physical work and he has decided to continue in the building industry. He says he is middle class.
Which class would you say he was in—the middle class or the working class? why? There is no definite answer to the question. There is a subjective perspective ( what class attachment the individual feels) and an objective perspective (which class the individual is allocated to by statisticians).
The purpose of the activity is to impress upon the students that class is an indefinite concept in Britain.
Chapter 2 Family & Personal Relationships
A 1 The Family cont. One-parent families & their dependent children 土
Sociological Explanations of the Increase in Divorce
Can you work out any reasons to explain why in modern world, the divorce rate is increasing all around the world?
Sociological Explanations of the Increase in Divorce
The value of marriage
Conflict between spouses
The ease of divorce
Women, paid employment and marital conflict
Income and class
Age
Marital status of parents
Background and role expectations
Occupation
Contemporary British Culture and Society
Chapter 3 Family & Relationship ( 2 )
A 2 Parents and Children Chinese vs British
Chinese parents are more protective and controlling.
The main qualities appreciated in parents and shared by young people in Britain and China alike may be that they are understanding and supporting in crises, allow freedom of action within a framework of constraints and, more pragmatically, offer financial support and contributions. For many young people, parents are obviously a primary source of advice about personal as well as more general problems, especially in relation to employment
Chapter 4 Education in UK
A1 Change & Reform in Schools
Before 1870 schools were set up by churches, 40% of children aged 10 attended From 1870 onwards government took responsibility for education. (why?)
It was in response to changes caused by industrial revolution and movement for social & political reform
The 1944 Act in England& Wales gave all children the right to free secondary education The tripartite system – at end of primary education children are selected by means of streaming. Those on the top stream (20%) went to grammar schools. The rest went to secondary modern and technical schools
A 1 Change & Reform cont
The National Curriculum in England and Wales is divided into four Key Stages (KS), three core subjects (English, Mathematics and Science) and nine non-core foundation subjects.
A 1 Reform & Change Key Stages and Tests 土
The Key Stages are age-related: KS 1 goes up to age seven, KS 2 from seven to eleven, KS 3 from eleven to fourteen (pre-GCSE) and KS 4 from fourteen to sixteen (preparation for GCSE and equivalent vocational qualifications) -
A 3 Institutions of Higher Education Cambridge
Cambridge University was founded in 1209 by students fleeing from Oxford after one of the many episodes of violence between the university and the town of Oxford.
A 3 Institution of Higher Education Oxford
Oxford University. Legend has it that Oxford University was founded by King Alfred in 872. A more likely scenario is that it grew out of efforts begun by Alfred to encourage education and establish schools throughout his territory. There may have been a grammar school there in the 9th century. A grammar school was exactly what it sounds like; a place for teaching Latin grammar. The University as we know it actually began in the 12th century as gatherings of students around popular masters. The university consisted of people, not buildings. The buildings came later as a recognition of something that already existed. In a way, Oxford was never founded; it grew.
A 3 Institutions of Higher Education Oxbridge
The Boat Race between Oxford & Cambridge started June 10, 1829
The event is now a British national institution, and is televised live each year. The race has been won by Cambridge 77 times and Oxford 71. The 2003 race was amongst the closest in history, with Oxford winning by less than a foot. One entertainment for spectators is the possibility of a boat sinking. This has occurred on three occasions; to the Oxford crew in 1925 and to Cambridge in 1859 and in 1978. The race is currently run over a four mile and 374 yard stretch of the River Thames between Putney and Mortlake in London.
Click here
A3 Institutions of Higher Learning Crisis Universities in crisis
In most universities resources are spent on day-to-day teaching and research. At the same time academic salaries have stalled: plumbers earn more than professors; research staff are paid less than school dinner ladies. So top academics are fleeing to the US and there are chronic shortages of teaching staff in areas such as law, computing, maths and computers
A3 Institutions of Higher Education Crisis
How has all this come about?
It boils down to a simple equation: government funding has remained static over the past few decades while the number of students has skyrocketed. As a result, Britain would now have to spend ￡ 3.5bn a year just to bring the amount it spends per student up to the EU average.
A 4 Further Education & Training YTS
Objectives of Youth Training Scheme:
To give a training opportunity to school leavers who did not get a job or go on to university
To ensure that these young people learn how to transfer the skills they learn in one job to another
Critiques: 1. artificially reduce unemployment figures 2.reinforce young people’s status as determined by their class background 3. jobs are not guaranteed after training
Questions:
What do you understand by the term streaming? Is it a reasonable system?
In many British schools, children are grouped together according to their ability, and this is known as “streaming”. The word ‘stream’ can be used as a noun (i.e. She is in the top stream/the A stream.) and as a verb (i.e. The school streams its pupils.)
As for whether it is a reasonable system, different people may have different opinions. Some people may not think it fair to put children into groups according to their ability, while others may think it helpful to promote competition among children.
Contemporary British Culture & Society ( 5 )
Chapter 5 Work
A 4 Unions & Management
Trade unions: first formed in the early stages of the Industrial Revolution, by groups of industrial workers who suffered from extremely low pay and bad working conditions
There are four types of union:
General Unions, which represent workers in a range of industries.
Craft Unions, which represent workers from a group of industries who share a particular skill
Industrial Unions, which represent workers in a particular industry whatever their skill is, e.g. The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM)
White Collar Unions, which represent non-manual workers e.g. The National Union of Teachers (NUT)
A 4 Unions & Management
Pros.
they are essential for protecting the interests of employees who might otherwise get a raw deal from powerful employers or in industries which are declining and where redundancies are highly likely.
unions played an active part in persuading the government to pass the Health and Safe Act
they offer a range of services, particularly through the TUC.
Cons
trade unions make excessive wage claims
union elections are undemocratic
unions have become too powerful and should have their ‘wings clipped’.
they undermine the competitiveness of British industry because of restrictive practices & opposition to technological progress
What are the similarities and differences between getting a job in Britain and in China?
Contemporary British Culture & Society ( 6 )
Chapter 6
A 2 Leisure at Home
The most common leisure activities among people in the United Kingdom are home-based, or social, such as entertaining or visiting relatives and friends
Watching television is by far the most popular leisure pastime; Britain's regular weekly dramas or 'soap operas' have more viewers than any other programme. Other regular pastimes include listening to the radio and to recorded music, reading books, gardening, do-it-yourself home improvements and doing puzzle.
Pop and rock albums are the most common type of music bought, and pop is by far the most popular form of musical expression in Britain
Language & Culture
Variations in terminology used to describe people watching leisure entertainment Soccer -- crowds, suggesting “amorphous”
Rugby -- spectators, “dispassionate onlookers”
Cinema --audiences, more sophisticated, listen
TV -- viewers, denying passivity of TV ”couch potato”
Theatre -- theatre- goers, some form of dynamism
Opera -- opera buffs, uniform worn by smart regiments
Conclusion The Defining Factors of Identity
Education, work, and leisure are defining aspects of British cultural identity. Schools place a distinctive stamp on their pupils – a past pupil will be defined as a product of Shrewbury School or King Street primary.
This pattern is repeated in the work arena. People define themselves by their schools and their work functions.
Contemporary British Culture and Society
Chapter 7 HOLIDAYS & TOURISM
UK - Cotswolds (in southwestern England, is a range of limestone hills famed for its beautiful scenery and attractive houses built in local Cotswold stone. The area has many historic buildings, and tourism is the main industry. The Cotswolds extend from near Bath, in Avon; northeastward through Gloucestershire; nearly as far as Stratford-upon-Avon, in Warwickshire. The highest point is Cleeve Cloud, 1,083 feet (330 meters) above sea level. Cleeve is near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on the range's western edge. Most of the Cotswolds are rolling hills.)
From Stratford to Bath and Oxford
The Cotswolds stretch from Stratford upon Avon in the north to Bath in the south. From Gloucester in the west to Oxford in the east, the rolling hills are full of story book English villages. And we have added Shakespeare at Stratford upon Avon, the dreaming spires and colleges at Oxford and the Georgian city of Bath. Heritage of Scotland
Robert Burns was Scotland's greatest poet and many would say that he was the world's greatest ever poet.
Burns was born at Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland on 25 January 1759 and died in Dumfries on 21 July 1796. In less than 37 years of life he accomplished more than most people do in a normal lifetime
Some of his work, such as Auld Lang Syne (The good old days) is among the most familiar and best-loved songs and poems in the English language
Scotland My Love is like a Red, Red Rose Burns
0, my love is like a red, red rose, that's newly sprung in June. 0, my love is like a melody, that's sweetly play'd in tune.
As fair thou art, my bonnie lass, so deep in love am I, And I will love thee still, my dear, till a' the seas gang dry.
Till a' the seas gang dry, my dear, and the rocks melt wi' the sun! And I will love thee still, my dear, while the sands of life shall run.
And fare thee well, my only love! And fare thee well awhile! And I will come again, my love. Tho it were ten thousand mile!
Scotland
BURNS NIGHT
It is celebrated on January, 25th, the birthday of Robert Burns
In the evening people eat typical Scottish food, such as “Haggis” (a special kind of sausage in a sheep’s stomach) and drink whisky while bagpipes music is played
and some of Burn’s poems are read aloud.
Chapter 8 Crime & the Police
A 4 The Causes of Crime土
A 6 The Police
The Metropolitan Police Force – 1828 by Sir Robert Peel. Headquarters at Scotland Yard. Bobby, nickname for a British policeman.
Home Secretary responsible for the Met.
The Metropolitan Police Force is the main law-enforcement agency in the Capital and the biggest police force in the country, employing over 35,000 people.
There are other police forces in London - the City of London Police, the British Transport Police and the Royal Parks Constabulary - but the Met is the main player Metropolitan Police Service
A 6 The Police
What are their responsibilities?
The Met Police are responsible for policing the majority of Greater London. The basic street-level policing of London is carried out by Borough Operational Command Units (BOCUs), which Londoners will recognise as their local police force. The Met also undertakes many national tasks, like protection of royalty and the Capital's diplomatic community, as well as having certain counter-terrorism duties.
The Two Branches of the Local Police
The uniformed branch who patrol on foot or by car and whose uniform is easily recognised; navy-blue suits and distinctive shaped helmets
The plainclothes police, who investigate serious crime, and are known as the CID (Criminal Investigation Department)
A 6 The Police
The Role of the Police
The police may be seen as having two roles in society, each with a different emphasis and image.
Maintenance of order - where the police provides a service to the community. A Service
This is known as community policing and requires the cooperation of the local community and favours an image of the local ‘bobby on the beat’ who is known and recognised by the public in a particular area.).
Law enforcement - where the police are considered as a force with a primary function of enforcing the criminal law. A Force
A 6 The Police
Police Powers & Limitations
Police officers are normally unarmed, but they do carry a truncheon (short thick club). In Northern Ireland police officers carry firearms for their protection, but this is seen as unusual circumstances.
can stop and search people on the street? if they suspect a person is carrying stolen goods or offensive weapons which may be used for burglary or other offences. ? can arrest suspects with a warrant from the local magistrate and for serious offences such as murder or kidnapping a suspect can be arrested without a warrant.
Suspects rights are protected in various ways –
Detention, treatment and questioning
Charging
Bail
A 6 The Police
Rights of the suspect
to have someone outside the police station told of his/her arrest
to consult a solicitor
Moreover, a suspect in custody should not
be forced to answer questions — they have the right to remain silent (N.B. Recent changes in the law have meant that silence under police questioning may be interpreted negatively by a jury, i.e. as a sign of guilt.)
be forced to make a statement against their will
be induced to make a statement by means of threats or by being promised something, such as bail, for instance.
A 6 The Police
Code of Practice.
Citizens are allowed to complain about the conduct of any police officer and any wrongful treatment they may have had from the action of the police
To ensure a thorough and independent investigation of any such complaint the Independent Police Complaints Authority supervises any such inquiry.
Police officers breaking the law in the course of their duty can be prosecuted and even dismissed from the force
The discipline codes are designed to prevent abuse of power and to maintain public confidence in police impartiality.
Chapter 9 Justice and the Law
A 1 Introduction – Basic Principles of English Law
Basic principles of English law:
The Rule of Law
Natural Law and
Natural Justice
The Rule of Law is an aspect of the British Constitution.
It involves:
The rights of individuals are determined by legal rules and not the arbitrary behaviour of authorities.
There can be no punishment unless a court decides there has been a breach of law. Everyone, regardless of your position in society, is subject to the law.
A 1 Introduction –Basic Principles of English Law cont
Natural Law: A system of universal moral and ethical principles that are inherent in human nature and that people can discover by using their natural intelligence (e.g., murder is wrong; parents are responsible for the acts of their minor children)
Natural Law is higher than Man-made law.
Natural Justice -- where there are no other guidelines legal decisions should conform to what the courts can deduce as natural law. It is a reflection of prevailing moral view of society.
Basic principles
The rule of law
----everybody is subject to the law
----laws must not be arbitrary
----a person is innocent until proven guilty
Natural law
----a law is higher than a man-made law
Natural justice
----reflection of the prevailing moral view of the society
A 1 Introduction – Sources of British Law
Common Law (The system of laws originated and developed in England and based on court decisions, on the doctrines implicit in those decisions, and on customs and usages rather than on codified written laws.) – decided by judges, their decisions in cases after considering the customs and practices of the people involved. This kind of law has evolved long before Parliament became the main law-making body. Statute Law (A law established by legislative enactment.) – made by Parliament Case Law (Law based on judicial decision and precedent rather than on statutes.) – has evolved through decisions in actual trials
European Union law
A 1 The Supremacy of Parliament
Parliament can pass, repeal and alter any of Britain’s laws. This is one of the major powers that a government has .
Parliament also has the power – after going through its own parliamentary processes – of altering its own laws.
In theory there is nobody that can declare a law passed by Parliament as unconstitutional
But decisions of the European Court must be accepted in UK.
A 1 Introduction -- Two branches of law
Civil law -- defines and enforces the duties or obligations of persons to one another. (The body of laws of a state or nation dealing with the rights of private citizens.) Criminal law -- by contrast, defines and enforces the obligations of persons to society as a whole. (Law that deals with crimes and their punishments.)
Courts
cont
Magistrates’ Court
The overwhelming majority of the public who come into contact with the court system will do so with the Magistrates’ court,and there are more than 700 magistrates’courts in England and Wales. It is rare for the sort of cases dealt with in these courts to grab the nation’s attention,or hit the headlines. However, these courts
are a vital cog in the wheel of justice, and nearly all of the UK’s criminals will pass
through their doors.
Courts cont
The Crown Court
The Crown Court deals with all indictable cases,which are serious offences triable before a judge and jury,and these include murder, rape, serious assault, kidnapping, conspiracy, fraud, armed robbery,and Official Secrets Act offences. These offences cannot be tried at the magistrates’ court.
Courts
cont
?
?The High Court
?The High Court is a civil court and has the authority to hea
r any civil case in England and Wales. It handles everythin
g from libel and litigation to shipping cases and divorce. Alo
ng with the Court of Appeal, it is based at the gothic buildin
g of the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand,London, but
also sits at 26 towns around the country.
Courts
cont
Court of appeal
If a convicted person feels he or she has not had a fair trial in the Crown Court/High Court and has been wrongfully convicted,or that the sentence imposed by the judges is unfair,then he or she can take their case to the Court of Appeal,where more senior judges will consider the merits of their case.
Potential or Possible Advantages of the Jury System
The system is the chief bulwark of the common man against abuse by the state or by individual members of the legal system.
It gives the public a part to play in the legal process and makes the ordinary people gain a sense of involvement.
Jurors usually have more first-hand qualification than any judge to form a valid opinion upon facts connected with the daily life of ordinary people.
The system ensures that the judgment of guilt or innocence is made by the accused’s equals, not by a judge whom many will see as being out of touch with ordinary people and no better at making judgments about facts.
Potential or Possible Disadvantages of the Jury System
Jurors may have a lot of difficulty following arguments and/or evidence in a complex case.
Evidence shows that gender or race discrimination and prejudice still exist among some jurors.
Juries are likely to be influenced by one dominant personality among their members and also, by the impression they pick up from the judge’s summing-up, rather than solely from the facts presented to them during the hearing.
Jurors are more easily swayed by emotional witnesses’ accounts or barristers’appeals, and sometimes do not pay as much regard to facts or documentary evidence as expected.
In which court or tribunal would you expect the following cases to be heard? Shoplifting
Drunken behaviour
Murder
Bank robbery
Company fraud
Divorce
Vandalism (depends upon seriousness)
In which court or tribunal would you expect the following cases to be heard? Shoplifting Magistrates’ Court
Drunken behaviour Magistrates’ Court
Murder Crown Court
Bank robbery Crown Court
Company fraud Crown Court
Divorce County Court/High Court
Vandalism (depends upon seriousness) Magistrates Court/Crown Court
Chapter 10 Beliefs
The Reformation (A 16th-century movement in Western Europe that aimed at reforming some doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church and resulted in the establishment of the Protestant churches)
Immediate Causes
? Merchant wealth challenged the church.
? German and English nobility disliked Italian domination of the Church. ? The Church’s great political power and wealth caused conflict.
? Church corruption and the sale of the indulgences (The remission of temporal punishment still due for a sin that has been sacramentally absolved.) were widespread and caused conflict.
The Reformers
Martin Luther
? Believed in salvation by faith alone
? Posted the 95 theses
? Led the movement that gave birth to the Protestant
Church
John Calvin
? Believed in predestination
? Expanded Protestant movement
King Henry VIII
? Dismissed authority of the popes in Rome
? Divorced, broke with the Catholic Church
Formed the Church of England
Immediate Results
England
Elizabeth I
–ended bloodshed
–united British Isles under the Anglican Church.
Rise of Reformation contributed to the growth of capitalism
Long-Term Results
Changing cultural values and traditions
Growth of secularism
Growth of individualism
Growth of religious tolerance
What are the major differences between the Catholic and Protestant Churches? Catholic?
power and authority of the Pope as head of the Church in setting rules of moral conduct emphasis on ritual
education of children into the faith
importance of Virgin Mary
Protestant?
more individualistic attitude generally
importance of individual conscience in relationship to God
less formal services of worship.
Chapter 11 Welfare
A1 Development of “Welfare State”
1. Definition of Poverty
1.1 Absolute Poverty – families without minimum food, clothing and shelter needed for maintenance of merely physical health (concept at beginning of last century) 1.2 Relative Poverty – Despite adequate income for survival, people who do not have what is regarded as minimum necessary for decency and who cannot escape judgment that they are indecent can be labeled as poor.
What is a ‘Welfare State’?
It can be defined as ‘a state with a government which assumes responsibility for the well-being of its citizens throughout life, through a range of interventions in the market economy’. The welfare state would aim to offer its citizens a life with certain specified standards of living which it considers reasonable and possible for all, and protection against the unexpected hazards of life (for example, losing a job, becoming sick, having an accident).
These days resources for welfare are raised through National Insurance contributions (which are paid by all people in work) and general taxation (which is paid by all people in work above a certain level of income). There is also a Value Added Tax (VAT) which is included in the price of many goods and services.
Aims of the post-World War II welfare legislation
The most radical and widespread reforms occurred after the Second World War in 1945. The measures introduced then were based upon a famous document, the Beveridge Report of 1942.
Lord William Henry Beveridge, 1879-1963
A3 WELFARE IN BRITAIN — THE PRESENT
The three main areas of welfare provision in Britain are health, housing and social security
The post-war welfare structure has always been a combination of public and private provision
From the 1980s those who could afford had been encouraged to provide for their own health and retirement by paying into private insurance schemes.
Chapter 12 Domestic Economy
A 4 The Mixed Economy cont
Nationalization
the acquisition of private companies by the public sector
Privatization
the return of state enterprises to private ownership and control
A 4 The Mixed Economy cont
Why nationalise?
The post-war Labour government was elected on a socialist manifesto (see also Chapter 11 ‘Welfare’), which promised more political control over the major public utilities so that their development could be guided in the public interest rather than simply for private profit
Those industries which were nationalised had managing directors appointed by the government and, whilst they were left to run their own affairs on a day-to-day basis, they were accountable to the government concerning more long-term policy.
A 4 The Mixed Economy cont
Reasons for nationalization
Natural monopoly
Externalities
e.g. subsidizing public transport (London Underground) may be a second-best option to road pricing.
Equity or distributional consequences
e.g. protecting transport in rural areas
Co-ordinating a network
e.g. British Rail could have an overview of the whole rail system
A 4 the Mixed Economy
Why privatize?
The main argument used by the ‘privatizers’ is that nationalized industries are
economically inefficient, when compared to companies operated under private commercial influences. As mentioned above, the Conservative governments of the 1980s regarded decreasing state involvement in the economy as a key component of their policies
This would enable private companies to compete in a free-market environment, where consumers of goods and services decide what is useful or desirable. Prices should be determined by what people are willing to pay, rather than based purely on cost.
A 4 The Mixed Economy cont
Reasons for privatization
Improve incentives for production efficiency
makes managers accountable to shareholders.
but sheltered monopolies will be sleepy no matter who owns them
so privatization will be most successful where there is potential for competition. Pre-commitment by government not to interfere for political reasons
Potential or possible advantages of privatization
It gives ordinary people a direct stake in the nation’s means of production and distribution.
It frees those responsible for the industry concerned from the constraints imposed by State ownership, including governmental intervention in day-to-day management, and protects them from fluctuating political pressures.
It releases those industries from the restrictions on financing which public ownership imposes (i.e. they could now raise money in the City instead of only from the Treasury)
Potential or possible advantages of privatization
.
Access to private capital markets makes it easier to pursue effective investment strategies for cutting costs and improving standards of service.
The financial markets would be able to compare the performances of individual sectors of a privatized industry against each other and also against those of other sectors of the economy, thus providing a financial spur to improved performance.
A system of economic regulation would ensure that the benefits of greater efficiency were passed on to the public in the form of lower prices and better service. Potential or possible disadvantages of privatization
In effect, privatization is simply selling back to people what was already their own property.
Were the government to allow the managements of nationalized industries a genuinely free hand to run them on proper business lines, there would be no need to privatize them. Most, if not all, of the advantages cited above could be achieved perfectly well without privatization
Potential or possible disadvantages of privatization
There is not the slightest evidence that widening the number of people shares has any effect on political attitudes or labor relations. In reducing strikes or raising productivity, such factors as better management and better arrangements for collective bargaining, have far more relevance.
The true weight of the supposed ‘co-ownership’ is very, very light. As one financial writer observed: If all these worker-shareholders decided to sell their entire stock (of a company) on the same day, ‘it is doubtful whether it would even register on the Stock Exchange’.
Taxation & Government Expenditure
Where does the government get its money from?
Stock exchange
Taxation -- Direct and Indirect Taxes
Direct taxes – national insurance contributions, income tax (a ‘progressive taxation system), corporation tax (paid by companies)
Indirect taxes -- VAT (value added tax) , duties on alcohol, tobacco, petrol, etc.
Chapter 13 System of Government
The System of Government
Representative Democracy and also known as Parliamentary Democracy
Monarch -- Constitutional Monarch
What powers does the Queen have?
The Sovereign personifies the state and is, in law, an integral part of the legislature, head of the executive, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all armed forces of the Crown and the ‘supreme Governor’ of the Church of England Basic Structure of UK Central Government 土
Parliament土
Legislature
Parliament is the highest legislative authority in the United Kingdom –the institution responsible for making and repealing UK law. It is also known as the
Legislature. It con sists of three constituent parts:
House of Commons
House of Lords
Crown
Functions of Parliament ****
Parliament has three main functions:
to examine proposals for new laws;
to scrutinize government policy and administration;
to debate the major issues of the day.
Separation of Power, British Style
There is actually no separation of power between the executive, legislature, and the judiciary.
The system of government has evolved gradually over many centuries. Nowadays, the executive runs the day to day government and devises the laws, the legislature approves, amends or rejects them, and the judiciary interprets the laws in practice. Parliament is said to be ‘sovereign’. This principle of dividing the functions
of government is known as ‘ the separation of powers’.
This principle of dividing the functions of government is meant to ensure that there is no excessive use or abuse of power by any small group of people. Separation of Power, British Style
The Prime Minister is an active member of the legislative, yet he is also the leading member of the executive.
Also the Lord Chancellor is a member of the cabinet and therefore of the executive as well as being head of the judiciary
The House of Lords also has a right to vote on bills so they are part of the legislative but the Lords also contains the Law Lords who are an important part of the judiciary As with the PM, the members of the Cabinet are also members of the legislative who have the right, as a Member of Parliament, to vote on issues
The Cabinet ***
The Cabinet is appointed by the Prime Minister. The senior positions within the Cabinet are usually appointed by the Prime Minister within hours of an election victory
In British Politics, all Cabinet members are serving MPs
The most senior members of the Cabinet are the Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary .
There has never been a set number for posts within the Cabinet. The most common figure for a Cabinet is 22
THE CABINET
Meets weekly at No. 10 Downing Street
Collective responsibility or resignation e.g. former foreign secretary Robin Cook 22 is large by international standards
Ministers responsible (accountable) for their particular department
Oppositions have a ‘Shadow Cabinet’
The Devolution
Devolution is where power is transferred from a superior governmental body (such as central power) to an inferior one (such as at regional level). In his book "Devolution", V Bogador claims that devolution has three parts to it:
The transfer of power to a subordinate elected body
The transfer of power on a geographical basis
The transfer of functions at present is exercised by Parliament
Chapter 14 Political Parties and Groups
Main Parties
the Conservative Party土
the Labour Party 土
the Liberal Demacrats土
The Conservative Party (Why is it called conservative?)
Emerged in 1830s from the ‘Tory’ grouping in Parliament
Later 19th C. concerned with defending traditional institutions such as the monarchy, the aristocracy and the Empire
After 1918 constantly adapted its policies to suit prevailing trends in British
society
In 1930s started to shed its aristocratic image and was led by businessmen
In 1950’s accepted Labour policies such as nationalisation and the welfare state (consensus politics from 1951 to 1979)
Under Thatcher moved towards a set of policies aimed at business, the consumer, and the upwardly mobile, becoming associated with the business and commercial sections of society – the ‘New Right’ conservatives
The New Rights upheld family values but had a free market approach to the economy John Major stressed welfare provision as necessary in the process of privatisation The Labour Party
Formed in 1906 from Labour Representation Committee with financial backing of trade unions to represent interests of working class
1n 1918 made firm commitment to ‘common ownership of the means of production’1924 first Labour government came to power
By 1929 had replaced Liberals as one of two major parties
In 1945 General Election gained spectacular victory, and its government introduced several important social reforms: NHS, social security system, mass education, nationalisation of several leading industries
Won power under Wilson 1964-1970 and in office again 1974-1979, spent majority of time in opposition until 1997
In 1995, abandoned Clause Four of its constitution and ended the commitment to state ownership – the era of New Labour
More women and minorities in government
Downplayed dominance of trade unions over the party
The Liberal Democrats
An amalgamation of the old Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party , the latter being a break away group from Labour Party, formed in 1981
Advocates policies based on freedom of the individual and support for the adoption of Propositional Representation at elections
Remains a minority party which draws support from voters dissatisfied with Tory or Labour
A party of protest rather than a real alternative for government
Image of party moderate and appeals predominantly to middle-class people , often in rural areas
Public Opinion & Voting Behaviour
Why did Labour lose 1992 elections?
During election campaign voters put Labour well ahead on all ‘caring’ issues such as social welfare, NHS, education and unemployment.
Yet majority did not trust Labour on taxation and keeping inflation down and voted for Tory again
What did it suggest?
This suggests that Key Issue at the election was the ‘pound in your pocket’, indicating that the likely victor of future elections will be party which allows consumer greater economic stability and more opportunity to consume
In practice this is likely to mean the party which keeps tax down and inflation low would win election
Pressure Groups (An interest group that endeavors to influence public policy and especially governmental legislation, regarding its particular concerns and priorities. 压力集团：为了其自身特殊利益和权利而谋求对公共政策（尤其是政府立法机关）的影响的利益集团 )
A pressure group can be described as an organised group that does not put up candidates for election, but seeks to influence government policy or legislation They can also be described as ‘interest groups’, ‘lobby groups’ or ‘protest groups’.
In Britain, the number of political parties is very small, whereas the number of pressure groups runs into thousands; as the membership of political parties has fallen, that of pressure groups has increased
Pressure Groups
The aim of all pressure groups is to influence the people who actually have the power to make decisions.
A pressure groups can use a variety of different methods to influence law Firstly, it can merely inform legislators of its member’s preferences. Second, with an election campaign.
Third, its members may threaten, as a group, to vote as a bloc
Fourth, a pressure group may speed up legislation by writing bills and helping legislators make progressive agreements
Finally, a pressure group my attempt to influence members of the executive, who have some law making input and who can partly decide the strength and effectiveness of law enforcement
Pressure Groups
What can pressure groups bring about?
Pressure groups increase participation and access to the political system, thereby enhancing the quality of democracy
Pressure groups improve the quality of government. Consultation with affected groups is the rational way to make decisions in a free society.
Pressure groups are a product of freedom of association, which is a fundamental principle of liberal democracy
Pressure groups improve participation, but in an unequal way, benefiting the some but disadvantaging the others. In this sense, they work against - not in favour of - the public interest.
Media (1)
Chapter 15
Division of media土
The main channels
BBC 1 - since 1936, general interest programmes.
BBC 2 - minority and specialist interests.
ITV – (Channel 3 since 1955) is approximately 33% informative and 66% light entertainment.
Channel 4 - since 1982, 15% educational programmes, encourages innovation and experiment.
Channel 5 – since 1997
Who Regulates BBC & ITV?
The Broadcasting Standards Commission has responsibility for regulating the portrayal of violence and sexual conduct, and issues of taste and decency in all television, as well as handling complaints of invasions of privacy and unfair treatment.
The Independent Television Commission (ITC) (appointed by the government) regulates commercial television, and the Radio Authority regulates commercial radio. All three statutory bodies have codes of practice and publish their findings on complaints. Basic Principles for Broadcasting
All the channels excepting Channel 4 are obliged by law to be impartial and neutral in dealing with social and political affairs. Channels 4 is allowed to show its neutrality across a series of programmes
Public broadcasting should serve the purpose of entertaining, informing and educating the nation
How the Press is Funded
The two main sources of revenue are :
the cover price : the tabloids are cheaper but, because of their wider circulation, a larger percentage of their revenue comes from this source;
advertising : this is the main source of revenue for most publications
The Code of Advertising Practice
Advertising in the press has to conform to certain standards of the Code of Advertising Practice.
The Code’s basic principles require adverts to be:
legal , honest and truthful
to observe a sense of responsibility to the consumer and society
to conform to the principles of fair competition as generally accepted in business