Chapter 4:Chapter 4:Great BritainGreat Britain

…the incubator of liberal democracy…

gradualismgradualism

collectivist consensuscollectivist consensus

mixed economymixed economy

welfare statewelfare state

Time Line of Political DevelopmentTime Line of Political Development

12151215 King John forced to sign Magna CartaKing John forced to sign Magna Carta

12951295 first representative Parliament convenedfirst representative Parliament convened

15291529 Henry VIII convened ‘Reformation Parliament,’ began Henry VIII convened ‘Reformation Parliament,’ began process of cutting ties to Roman Catholic churchprocess of cutting ties to Roman Catholic church

16281628 Charles I forced to accept Petition of Right, Charles I forced to accept Petition of Right, Parliament’s statement of civil rightsParliament’s statement of civil rights

1642-481642-48 English Civil War: Royalists vs. ParliamentariansEnglish Civil War: Royalists vs. Parliamentarians

16491649 Charles I tried and executedCharles I tried and executed

16891689 Parliament issues bill of rights establishing Parliament issues bill of rights establishing constitutional monarchyconstitutional monarchy

17071707 Act of Union united kingdoms of England and Act of Union united kingdoms of England and ScotlandScotland

Time Line of Political DevelopmentTime Line of Political Development

17211721 Sir Robert Walpole Britain’s first PMSir Robert Walpole Britain’s first PM

1832-671832-67 Reform Act passed, extending vote to all urban malesReform Act passed, extending vote to all urban males

19001900 Labour Party foundedLabour Party founded

1916-221916-22 Anglo-Irish War – establishment of Republic of Anglo-Irish War – establishment of Republic of IrelandIreland

19731973 UK made a member of European Economic UK made a member of European Economic Community (now the EU)Community (now the EU)

1979-901979-90 Margaret Thatcher PMMargaret Thatcher PM

19821982 Falklands WarFalklands War

19971997 Tony Blair PMTony Blair PM

Essential Political FeaturesEssential Political Features Legislative-executive system: parliamentaryLegislative-executive system: parliamentary Legislature: ParliamentLegislature: Parliament Lower House: House of CommonsLower House: House of Commons Upper House: House of LordsUpper House: House of Lords Unitary power systemUnitary power system geographic subunits: England, Scotland, geographic subunits: England, Scotland,

Wales, Northern IrelandWales, Northern Ireland electoral system for lower house: pluralityelectoral system for lower house: plurality chief Judicial body: House of Lordschief Judicial body: House of Lords

Great Britain: one of the world’s great powers Great Britain: one of the world’s great powers for five centuriesfor five centuries

permanent seat on UN Security Councilpermanent seat on UN Security Council

its world position has been in decline for more its world position has been in decline for more than a centurythan a century

important historical role: important historical role: how democracies how democracies developdevelop

4 themes that set UK apart from other democracies4 themes that set UK apart from other democracies

gradualismgradualism

2020thth century economic decline century economic decline

conservative redefinitionconservative redefinition

New Labour redefinitionNew Labour redefinition

United Kingdom: Great Britain and Northern United Kingdom: Great Britain and Northern IrelandIreland

crowded, urbancrowded, urban

regional and religious differencesregional and religious differences

racial diversityracial diversity

the welfare statethe welfare state

guarantees basic health care, education, pensionguarantees basic health care, education, pension

highest rate of economic growthhighest rate of economic growth

unemployment rate among lowestunemployment rate among lowest

lower standard of livinglower standard of living

remnants of social class distinctionsremnants of social class distinctions

Evolution of the British StateEvolution of the British State

Great Britain emerged from 4 great transformations Great Britain emerged from 4 great transformations with rough consensuswith rough consensus

Compare France and GermanyCompare France and Germany

one divisive issue: classone divisive issue: class

maintained legitimacy with no written constitutionmaintained legitimacy with no written constitution

British History HighlightsBritish History Highlights

1215: Magna Carta1215: Magna Carta over next 4 centuries, England coalesced in a over next 4 centuries, England coalesced in a

very loose, decentralized statevery loose, decentralized state by 16by 16thth-17-17thth century, broad contours of state century, broad contours of state

and concept of government in placeand concept of government in place Reformation, Restoration and revolutions less Reformation, Restoration and revolutions less

traumatic than on continenttraumatic than on continent Royal prerogatives gradually disappearedRoyal prerogatives gradually disappeared

1919thth century century

rise of capitalismrise of capitalism

Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution

exploitation of workers, political power monopolized exploitation of workers, political power monopolized by eliteby elite

Great Reform Act, 1832 Great Reform Act, 1832 Second Reform Act Second Reform Act 1867: expansion of electorate1867: expansion of electorate

first modern political parties: parliamentary first modern political parties: parliamentary leaders who needed support from newly leaders who needed support from newly enfranchised votersenfranchised voters Conservative National UnionConservative National Union National Liberal FoundationNational Liberal Foundation

1911: House of Lords lost remaining power – 1911: House of Lords lost remaining power – final step in evolution of British Parliamentary final step in evolution of British Parliamentary democracydemocracy

lasting party challenge for Great Britain: lasting party challenge for Great Britain: division of support division of support for Labour and Conservative parties along class linesfor Labour and Conservative parties along class lines

1926: 1926: Trades Union Congress (TUC) Trades Union Congress (TUC) general strikegeneral strike

20s- 30s: Labour Party became main competition for 20s- 30s: Labour Party became main competition for ConservativesConservatives

no party had clear majority in Parliamentno party had clear majority in Parliament

liberal (free market) wing of Conservative Party discreditedliberal (free market) wing of Conservative Party discredited

rise of Tory politicians: greater willingness to consider rise of Tory politicians: greater willingness to consider government as solutiongovernment as solution

The Collectivist Consensus: the golden The Collectivist Consensus: the golden era of British politicsera of British politics

1945 – mid 1970s1945 – mid 1970s

both parties agreed on policy goalsboth parties agreed on policy goals

full employmentfull employment

guarantee of at least subsistence-level living conditionsguarantee of at least subsistence-level living conditions

cooperation with labor unionscooperation with labor unions

government intervention to promote/secure economic growthgovernment intervention to promote/secure economic growth

World War II: catalyst for collectivist consensusWorld War II: catalyst for collectivist consensus

Winston Churchill became PMWinston Churchill became PM

headed all-party coalitionheaded all-party coalition

Beveridge Report Beveridge Report : proposed overhaul of social : proposed overhaul of social service systemservice system

effect of Cold Wareffect of Cold War

reform surge over by ’49reform surge over by ’49

Socialist parties lost momentumSocialist parties lost momentum

recovery underwayrecovery underway

popular support for Labour began to wane popular support for Labour began to wane

Conservatives returned to officeConservatives returned to office

retained the welfare stateretained the welfare state

continuing electoral division along class lines but without great continuing electoral division along class lines but without great ideological conflictideological conflict

height of collectivist consensus: 1959height of collectivist consensus: 1959

came to an end because the two conditions that came to an end because the two conditions that made it possible ceased to exist:made it possible ceased to exist:

steady economic growthsteady economic growth

absence of deeply divisive issuesabsence of deeply divisive issues

British Political CultureBritish Political Culture

civic culturecivic culture: virtually unanimous agreement that the : virtually unanimous agreement that the political system, based on parliamentary sovereignty political system, based on parliamentary sovereignty and cabinet rule, is and cabinet rule, is legitimatelegitimate

political political efficacyefficacy

patriotic but not patriotic but not jingoisticjingoistic

the politics of protestthe politics of protest

1970s- more reservations about the collectivist 1970s- more reservations about the collectivist consensusconsensus

dissatisfaction, confrontationdissatisfaction, confrontation Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland racismracism unionsunions anti-nuclear, anti-waranti-nuclear, anti-war

effects of protest on British political cultureeffects of protest on British political culture

created far more polarized political systemcreated far more polarized political system

Left:Left: capitalists were exploiting the working class capitalists were exploiting the working class

Right: Right: socialists, unionists, feminists and minorities socialists, unionists, feminists and minorities

were undermining traditional valueswere undermining traditional values

led eventually to confrontation fatigueled eventually to confrontation fatigue

resolution:resolution:

Thatcher government met strikers head onThatcher government met strikers head on

Economic recovery in 90sEconomic recovery in 90s

PM’s strong stand against the leftPM’s strong stand against the left

will there always be a Britain?will there always be a Britain?

decline of identification with Britaindecline of identification with Britain

regional parliamentsregional parliaments

monarch: important but tainted symbolmonarch: important but tainted symbol

involvement in EU undermines British national identityinvolvement in EU undermines British national identity

euroskepticismeuroskepticism

political participationpolitical participation

in past century, participation mostly through in past century, participation mostly through moderate parties and interest groupsmoderate parties and interest groups

1970s economic crisis 1970s economic crisis change in parties change in parties

deep divisions in both Labour and Conservatives deep divisions in both Labour and Conservatives drift in both toward ideological extremesdrift in both toward ideological extremes

extremism was a passing phenomenonextremism was a passing phenomenon

now, prevalence of catch-all partiesnow, prevalence of catch-all parties

The Conservatives [Tories]The Conservatives [Tories]

seen as ‘natural party of government’seen as ‘natural party of government’

in office for 2/3 of time since World War IIin office for 2/3 of time since World War II

defeated in three most recent electionsdefeated in three most recent elections

inability to chart new course inability to chart new course consigned to extended period consigned to extended period in oppositionin opposition

Labour’s proposal to introduce Labour’s proposal to introduce proportional representationproportional representation would make it even more difficult for Tories to regain would make it even more difficult for Tories to regain majoritymajority

reasons for success:reasons for success:

(1) most leaders were pragmatic politicians(1) most leaders were pragmatic politicians

(2) roots in noblility, embodied values of (2) roots in noblility, embodied values of noblesse noblesse obligeoblige

(3) effective top-down organization(3) effective top-down organization

what went wrong?what went wrong?

Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher

selected in 70s by MPs who were hostile to welfare selected in 70s by MPs who were hostile to welfare statestate

Thatcher forced moderates to sidelinesThatcher forced moderates to sidelines

pro-market, anti-welfare statepro-market, anti-welfare state

future of conservatism:future of conservatism:

European IntegrationEuropean Integration

Tory right viewed EU and adoption of euro as serious Tory right viewed EU and adoption of euro as serious threats to British sovereigntythreats to British sovereignty

leadership and organizationleadership and organization

shrinking conservative base within partyshrinking conservative base within party

LabourLabour

formed at beginning of 20formed at beginning of 20thth century century

alliance of trade unions, independent socialist alliance of trade unions, independent socialist movements, and cooperative associationsmovements, and cooperative associations

originally dominated by Unionsoriginally dominated by Unions

later, alternated between moderation, left wing later, alternated between moderation, left wing activism and moderationactivism and moderation

after multiple electoral defeats and ideological drift to left, after multiple electoral defeats and ideological drift to left, found new unity in common desire to defeat the Toriesfound new unity in common desire to defeat the Tories

Blair: repudiated all vestiges of the old Labour left Blair: repudiated all vestiges of the old Labour left butbut kept kept many of Thatcher-era reformsmany of Thatcher-era reforms

Union influence, connections to working class reducedUnion influence, connections to working class reduced

peace initiativespeace initiatives

healthier economyhealthier economy

IraqIraq

End of the Blair decadeEnd of the Blair decade

success and popularity of the first term did not lastsuccess and popularity of the first term did not last

dissatisfaction with the Labour party in generaldissatisfaction with the Labour party in general

key issue: unpopularity of Iraq Warkey issue: unpopularity of Iraq War

June, 2007: Gordon Brown became PMJune, 2007: Gordon Brown became PM

The Liberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats

newest major partynewest major party

merger of Liberals (one of the country’s original merger of Liberals (one of the country’s original political parties) and Social Democrats (SDP)political parties) and Social Democrats (SDP)

in 1960s, Liberals tried for position between in 1960s, Liberals tried for position between increasingly ideological Labour and Conservativesincreasingly ideological Labour and Conservatives

provide a haven for growing number of dissatisfied provide a haven for growing number of dissatisfied votersvoters

Labour leaders left party to form SDPLabour leaders left party to form SDP

unable to win on its own, formed Alliance with unable to win on its own, formed Alliance with Liberals to run a single candidate in each districtLiberals to run a single candidate in each district

butbut, , Britain follows “first past the post” : no need to Britain follows “first past the post” : no need to win majoritywin majority

tends to shut third parties outtends to shut third parties out

Alliance disbandedAlliance disbanded