¶ … British Parliamentary System of Government with the United States Federal System of Government
The British Parliamentary system of government is one of the oldest political systems in the world that has evolved over a period of centuries. The British model has influenced the system of governments in many countries of the world including the United States. On the other hand, the U.S. system of government is a Federal system that came into existence when the United States (the former American colonies) rebelled against British rule and declared its independence in the latter part of the eighteenth century, followed by the adoption of its own constitution in 1787. Although having some similarities with the British System of government, the U.S. system of government is unique in several aspects, having its own characteristics. In this paper we shall look at some key features of the two systems of government and compare and contrast the British Parliamentary system of government with the United States Federal System of government.
The British Parliamentary System
The Government
The British system of government that has evolved gradually over several centuries and is now known as a parliamentary monarchy with a democratically elected government.
The monarch is the head of state with limited powers and the parliament consists of the House of Lords, the House of Commons, and the Monarch. Most of the powers of the government now rest with the Members of the House of Commons who are directly elected though universal suffrage and a 'first past the post' system of elections held every five years. (Weisser and Kishlansky) the chief executive is the Prime Minister, who is a member of the House of Commons and the leader of the majority party in the House. Members of the House of Lords are not elected and consist of members of the heredity 'lords,' those appointed for their contribution to the society, or are the appointed religious leaders. Although the House of Commons is called the 'lower' house it has most of the legislative powers. ("The Role of House of Commons.") the House of Lords is just a debating forum with limited powers confined to introduction of bills (except the "Money" Bills). The House can also delay the passage of other bills for a limited period but cannot block their passage as the House of Commons may invoke the 'Parliament Act.' (Ibid.)
The Executive and Legislative Functions
Her Majesty's 'Government' is the executive branch that consists of ministers of the Cabinet, most of whom are members of the House of Commons; government departments, each being responsible to a minister; local authorities; and public corporations. The House of Commons is involved in both the legislative and executive functions and as such there is no separation of powers between executive and legislature as there is in the United States.
The Constitution
The government works under the constitution, which consists of various historical documents, laws, and formal customs adopted over the years. Most of the British constitution is not a written document unlike that of the United States.
The written part consists of the Magna Carta (signed by King John in 1215 AD); the Petition of Right, passed by Parliament in 1628; and the Bill of Rights of 1689. The 'unwritten' part consists of all the laws passed by Parliament, precedents of decisions made by British courts, and various traditions and customs. The democratically elected House of Commons can alter these laws with a majority vote. The British constitution evolves continually as new laws are passed and judicial decisions are made. All laws passed by Parliament are regarded as constitutional, and changes or amendments to the constitution occur whenever new legislation overrides existing law. Since the seventeenth century (the period of the Glorious Revolution) the powers of the monarch have gradually been wrested by the parliament (more specifically the House of Commons) and although the monarch or the 'Crown' still formally approves all changes in law, it is now a mere formality. From the beginning of the 19th century the powers have gradually shifted from the House of Lords to the House of Commons that is now a democratically elected body. (Kramnick)
The Judiciary
The British judicial system consists of principles such as the right to trial by jury; the right to due process of law; freedom from unlawful imprisonment, the trial system of prosecution and defense; and the presumption that a person is innocent until proven guilty. These principles have been adopted by the legal and judicial systems of many countries including the United States. The British legal system relies on common law, which is based on custom...
The Constitution is based on several key principals the most notable would include: separation of powers as well as checks and balances. Separation of powers is when there are clearly defined powers that are given to the various branches of: the government, the federal government and the states. Checks and balances is when one branch of the government will have the power to the check the authority of another
These actions, along with the ones taken to address the various economic issues that are facing the government and the country, will help to sway favorable opinions towards Labor. Where, the party will be seen as one that was able to transform itself in the aftermath of the expenses scandal. This is significant because in the world of politics perceptions are the reality. If Brown can change the focus
The United Kingdom and Ireland have both enjoyed geographic separation from the continent of Europe, enabling both to develop unique political cultures and institutions. Ireland has been even more removed from the fray, having never been part of the Roman Empire, and systematically resistant to the same invasions that affected England throughout much of their respective histories. However, the proximity between Ireland and England—and later the United Kingdom—has caused the
In this vein, the EU judges in Strasbourg will be much more likely to respect guidelines that are set out in UK courts and legislation. The European Court would, with the introduction of a British Bill of Rights likely give greater leeway to British judges. The repealing of the Human Rights of 1998 would limit the influence of British judges over the interpretation of pertinent legislation by enshrining the central features
British-Jamaican The original inhabitants of Jamaica are long forgotten, their name barely a footnote in Caribbean history. The main legacy of the Arawak Indians has been the word "Xamayca," meaning "land of wood and water," ("A Brief History of Jamaica"). Xamayca gradually became rendered as Jamaica, an island nation with a tumultuous but vibrant history. The first non-native settlers on Jamaica were the Spaniards. Christopher Columbus included it in Spain's territorial
So, while the EU may currently model "ideal" law for Parliament, it is Parliament who has the ultimate power to legislate. The second external restriction on Parliament is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The ECHR was enacted in 1953 and meant to protect the basic human rights of all citizens of European nations. This act permits the citizen of any country to bring a case before the ECHR
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now