conspect msdc

A Reader in British and American Civilization________________________________________________________

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The Constitution guarantees the right to vote to citizens 18 and older for all national and state elections.

File 6A: US Political System 1. Read the quote below and guess what the missing word is. What do you think the

words of the people, by the people and for the people denote? “_______________ is the government of the people, by the people, for the people”

(Abraham Lincoln - American 16th US President (1861-65), who brought about the emancipation of the slaves. 1809-1865))

2. As you read, write three questions about the main ideas presented in each section. After you have finished reading, write the answers to these questions.

A Representative Democracy The U.S. government is a representative democracy. A democracy is a government

in which the people govern. The United States is much too large for every citizen to take part in making laws and policies, so U.S. citizens elect officials to represent them. Another term for a representative democracy is a republic.

The Constitution also created a federal system in which power is divided between the national and state governments. The United States Constitution was written in the late 1780s by leaders who wanted to create a government strong enough to guide the country. Those leaders also wanted a government with limited powers so that people’s rights would be protected from government interference.

To achieve these goals, the writers of the Constitution applied the principle, or rule, of separation of powers. This means they divided the power of the national government among three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. In addition, they gave each branch unique powers as a way to prevent the other branches from abusing their power. This idea is called checks and balances. It is aimed to prevent one branch from becoming too powerful.

The U.S. Constitution created a strong central government, but state governments were given certain responsibilities. This structure reflects the idea called federalism. In federalism, power is divided between the federal, or national, government and state governments. The national government makes treaties with other countries, coins money, and has the power to make laws about trade between states. State governments handle such issues as the health and education of their citizens.

In the U.S. federal system, people are citizens of both the nation and their state. As a result, citizens have the right to vote for both national and state leaders. Citizens also have the responsibility to obey national and state laws.

The widespread electoral suffrage and the exercise of political authority by elected representatives make the governmental system a representative democracy; the fact that the power of government is limited by a body of fundamental law makes the political regime constitutional; and the elective, non-hereditary office of chief of state and the total absence of inherited offices in the government make the regime republican in character. Thus, USA is a representative democracy and a constitutional republic. Also, the system of government in USA is presidential. Some of its features are: 1. The United States Constitution provides for an institutional separation between the

legislature and the top executive authority. The legislature (Congress) and the chief executive (the President) are separate and largely independent branches or organs of government. Under the U.S. Constitution, the President and other executive officers are not permitted to hold seats in the legislature at the same time they hold offices in the

_______________________________________________________________________Duhlicher O., Macovei D., Blajin C

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executive branch of the government. The Constitution requires a strict separation of the personnel of the executive and legislative organs of government. The same people may not simultaneously hold formal office in and exercise the authority of both branches of government.

2. The U.S. Constitution provides for an independently elected national chief executive, the President. The President is not chosen by the national legislature. He is chosen in a national election which is separate from the congressional elections and which cannot be easily influenced and controlled by Congress.

3. In the U.S. national government, the functions of chief of state and those of head of government are performed by a single popularly elected top executive officer, the President. The President is both ceremonial chief of state and effective head of government. The President is his own prime minister. The Legislative Branch The Framers of the U.S. Constitution intended to make the legislative branch of

government more powerful than any other branch. Congress is a as a two-part, or bicameral, body, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

a) The House of Representatives, the larger body of Congress, has 435 voting members, allotted to the states according to population. Representatives serve two-year terms and may not be well known outside their districts. They usually focus on concerns in their districts, rather than the concerns of the state as a whole.

b) The Senate has 100 members— 2 from each of the 50 states. Each senator represents his or her entire state rather than a particular district. Senators serve six-year terms, but elections are staggered so that no more than one-third of the senators are up for reelection at any one time. This ensures a certain amount of stability and continuity.

Congressional Leaders In both the House and the Senate, the political party to which more than half the

members belong is known as the majority party. The other party is called the minority party. At the beginning of each term, the party members in each house choose leaders to direct their activities.

The Speaker of the House is the most powerful leader within the House of Representatives. Always an experienced member of the majority party, the Speaker steers legislation through the House, is in charge of floor debates (those in which all representatives may participate), and influences most other House business.

The Senate has no leader with comparable power. The presiding officer is technically the vice president of the United States, called the president of the Senate. However, the vice president rarely attends Senate debates and votes only in case of a tie. The person who usually acts as chairperson of the Senate is the president pro tempore. “Pro tempore” means “for the time being.” This position is typically filled by someone from the majority party and is more ceremonial than influential.

Committees: Little Legislatures The detailed work of lawmaking is done in committee rather than on the House or

Senate floor. So many bills are introduced each year that few of them would be considered if the work were not divided among smaller groups of legislators. The permanent committees that continue their work from session to session are called standing committees. They cover such areas as education, veterans’ affairs, and commerce.


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Powers of Congress: Most of Congress’s powers are related to making laws. Congress can pass laws

governing all federal property, including our national parks and military bases. Congress can also enact laws to establish post offices and federal courts. Some of the most important legislative powers involve raising and spending money, regulating commerce, and dealing with foreign countries.

Types of Bills It is Congress’s job to pass laws that the nation needs. More than 10,000 bills are often

introduced during each term of Congress, yet only several hundred pass all the hurdles and become law.

Bills generally fall into two categories: a) Private bills concern individual people or places. They usually deal with people’s

claims against the government. b) Public bills apply to the entire nation and involve general matters like taxation,

civil rights, or terrorism. They may be debated for months and get much media coverage. From Bill to Law Every bill starts with an idea. Some of these ideas come from members of Congress or

private citizens. Many more ideas begin in the White House. Other bills are suggested by special-interest groups, or organizations made up of people with some common interest who try to influence government decisions.

Whatever their source, bills can be introduced in Congress only by senators and representatives. In each chamber, the bill goes through approximately the same stages. A bill must be approved by both the House and the Senate and signed by the President. Once signed, it is a law.

The Two-Party System A political party is an association of voters with broad, common interests who want

to influence or control decision making in government by electing the party’s candidates to public office. Party members usually share beliefs about politics and about the proper role of government. They pick candidates who agree with those beliefs. Then they try to persuade


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voters to support these candidates. In the United States anyone can join a political party. It is not necessary to pay dues, take a test, or even vote. It is only necessary to declare yourself a member of the party.

During most of American history there have been two major political parties. Other parties have sometimes run in elections, but they have seldom won. For these reasons, the United States is said to have a two-party system.

The Republican and Democratic Parties have been the two major parties for many years. Both parties have millions of supporters around the country. In fact, they have so much strength that since 1860 one or the other has always held the presidency. Together they have held most seats in Congress as well.

A basic difference between the major parties is their belief in how much the government should be involved in the lives of Americans. For example, the Democrats tend to believe that the federal government should be more directly involved in regulating the economy and in providing housing, income, education, and jobs for the poor. The Republicans tend to believe that if they help the nation’s economy grow, poor people will have a better chance of finding jobs on their own. They favor less government regulation of the economy as the best way to promote the growth of production.

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two parties. Both try to appeal to as many voters as possible because ignoring large numbers of voters may lead to defeat on Election Day. By adopting moderate and mainstream positions and avoiding extreme or radical positions, the major parties hope to attract the largest number of votes and win elections. Both the Republicans and the Democrats have highly organized political organizations at the local, state, and national levels.

Third Parties Throughout American history, third parties have arisen to influence politics. Because

these parties almost always challenge the two major parties, they are called third parties. No third party has ever won a presidential election, and third parties rarely win other

major elections, so these parties are also called minor parties. Third parties can, however, affect the outcome of elections, and they may influence government and social policy. Although third parties differ, they do share one thing: they believe that neither of the major parties is meeting certain needs.

3. As you read the section below, complete the graphic organizer with notes The Judicial Branch The judicial system of the United States

is one of the nation’s most important institutions. Its function is to interpret the laws and to preserve and protect the rights the Constitution guarantees. As such, it plays a vital role in the system of checks and balances that protects the American democracy.

The federal court system can be illustrated as a pyramid. The Supreme Court sits alone above a number of appeals courts, and has a broad base of district courts. Most federal cases are handled in the 94 U.S. district courts. District courts are the federal courts where trials are held and lawsuits are begun. Every state has at least one district court, and some states have two, three, or four.


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All federal cases must begin in a district court, because district courts have original jurisdiction, the authority to hear cases for the first time. District courts are responsible for determining the facts of a case; they are the trial courts for both criminal and civil federal cases. Thus, in a criminal case, a district court will decide if a person is guilty or innocent based on the evidence presented. District courts are the only federal courts in which witnesses testify and juries hear cases and reach verdicts.

A large percentage of people who lose their cases in a district court appeal to the next highest level— a U.S. court of appeals. These courts are also referred to as federal appeals courts, circuit courts of appeals, or appellate courts. The job of the appeals courts is to review decisions made in lower district courts.

The Supreme Court The Supreme Court exerts its influence all across the United States. The Court stands

above all other courts. Its main job is to decide whether laws are allowable under the U.S. Constitution. The Supreme Court is not required to hear all the cases presented to it. It carefully chooses the cases it hears. It has final authority in any case involving the Constitution, acts of Congress, and treaties with other nations. The decisions of the Court are binding on all lower courts. When the Court refuses to review a case, the decision of the lower court remains unchanged.

Federal Judges The chief decision makers in the judicial branch are the federal judges. There are more

than 550 judges who preside over the district courts. Each district court has at least two judges. Some district courts in high-population areas have more judges because there are more cases to hear. Each appeals court has from 6 to 27 judges. The Supreme Court has 9 justices.

4. Choose one alternative that best completes the statements below

1) The Senate has __________ members. a) 50 b) 100 c) 435 d) 27

2) The most powerful leader within the House of Representatives is the __________. a) Federal judge b) Majority leader c) President pro tempore d) Speaker of the House

3) A __________ committee is a permanent committee. a) Private b) Public c) Special d) Standing

4) Most federal cases are first heard in __________. a) U.S. courts of appeals b) U.S. district courts c) The U.S. Supreme Courts

5) The Supreme Court usually chooses to review __________. a) cases that have made major news headlines during the year b) cases that involve important constitutional issues


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c) only cases that involve important political figures d) cases in which the death penalty is a factor

5. Use the following words and expressions from this lesson in sentences that

reflect their meaning. Representative democracy Federalism Congress Bill Party Supreme Court

6. Study the diagram below and answer the following questions:

a) What information is shown in the diagram? b) What do the arrows on the diagram indicate? c) How do you think the system of checks and balances has affected government in

the United States?

7. Answer the following questions based on the diagram above.

A. How can the judicial branch check the power of the executive branch? a. It can veto legislation. b. It can impeach the president. c. It can declare presidential acts unconstitutional. d. It can override a veto.

B. How can the executive branch check the power of the legislative branch? a. It can declare laws unconstitutional. b. It can veto legislation. c. It can impeach members of the legislative branch. d. It can appoint judges to federal courts.


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The right to vote UK citizens over the age of 18 can vote in parliamentary elections.

File 6B Government in the United Kingdom 1. Complete the second column with information about American political

system. USA UK

Form of government Constitutional republic Constitutional monarchy System of government

Presidential system Parliamentary system

Head of State Head of Government Constitution Suffrage Legislative Branch Executive Branch Judicial Branch

2. As you read complete the table above with information about British political

system. Government in the United Kingdom

The government of the United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. A king or queen serves as head of state and takes part in ceremonies, but elected officials actively run the government. Thus, in a constitutional monarchy, or limited monarchy, the government is carried on in the name of one person who inherits his or her title and office but whose political authority is limited by law. The government, though carried on in the name of an hereditary chief of state, is genuinely constitutional, representative, and democratic in character. The authority of the Monarch is strictly limited by the Constitution. The real powers of government are solely or primarily in the hands of the people's elected representatives, especially those who are members of the majority party or coalition in the lower house of the legislature. The Monarch has virtually no real authority and is a mere figurehead ruler, a purely symbolic and ceremonial sovereign.

The British trace the roots of this form of government to the early 1200s. At that time, nobles forced King John of England to sign the Magna Carta, a document that took away some of the king’s powers. For example, the king could no longer collect taxes unless a group of nobles agreed. Also, people accused of crimes had a right to fair trials by their peers, or equals.

Gradually, a law-making body called Parliament arose. In 1628 Parliament decided that King Charles I had misused his power. It forced him to sign the Petition of Right, which said that taxes could be enacted only if Parliament approved. In addition, the king could not imprison people unless they were convicted of a crime. As time passed, more limits were placed on the ruler’s authority. The English Bill of Rights, passed in 1689, gave Parliament the power to tax and stated that monarchs could not suspend the laws or form their own armies. That document later helped shape the thinking of the men who wrote the U.S. Constitution.

Today, the United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy as well as a constitutional monarchy. Voters elect


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members of Parliament, and the leader of the party with the most elected officials becomes prime minister, or head of the government.

The prime minister can propose new laws, but only Parliament can put them into action. The prime minister must appear in Parliament regularly to explain and defend his or her decisions. Parliament also has the power to force the prime minister out of office and require new elections. This is a power the U.S. Congress does not have over the U.S. president.

Among the main features of the British parliamentary system are the following: 1. Under the British Constitution, there is a fusion, or concentration, of legislative and

executive powers in the elective, lower house of Parliament, the House of Commons. The legislature (Parliament) and the top executive authority (the Cabinet) are not constitutionally separate and independent organs of government. The top executive authority, or Cabinet, emerges from and is a part of the legislature. In the government of the United Kingdom, there is no constitutional wall of separation between the legislature and the executive. The legislative and executive branches of government are united at the top--united in the form of the Cabinet, which is both the top executive authority in the government and the central leadership of the majority party in the legislature. The same group of people--the Cabinet --(1) are members of the legislature, (2) lead and manage the business of the legislature, (3) occupy the top offices in the executive branch, and (4) control and direct the executive branch.

2. In Britain, the top executive organ of government is not elected separately from and independently of the legislature. The Prime Minister and most of the other members of the Cabinet are elected from local parliamentary election districts as members of the House of Commons. The majority in the House of Commons, in effect, chooses the Cabinet, mostly from its own membership in the Commons. While a few Cabinet ministers are chosen from the House of Lords, they are chosen by the Commons majority from the ranks of its party members in the upper chamber. A person becomes Prime Minister by being the top leader of the political party that wins a majority of the seats in the House of Commons.

3. In Britain, the positions of head of government and chief of state are separate offices. While the Prime Minister is the effective head of government, the Monarch is the chief of state and performs the purely symbolic and ceremonial functions of that office. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have regional legislatures that have control over

matters such as health care and education. The Scottish Parliament even has the power to raise or lower taxes in Scotland.

There are certain features of the British system of government which make it different from other countries and which are not 'modern' at all. Most notably, Britain is almost alone among modern states in that it does not have a single, written constitution (a set of rules of government). But this doesn't mean that the UK has an ‘unwritten constitution’.

In fact, it is mostly written – but instead of being one formal document, the British constitution is formed from various sources including statute law, case law made by judges, and international treaties. There are also some unwritten sources, including parliamentary conventions and royal prerogatives.

For example, there is no written law in Britain that says anything, about who can be the Prime Minister or what the powers of the Prime Minister are - even though that person is probably the most powerful person in the country. Instead, these things have been established,


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The House of Commons is so called because it is filled with ‘commoners’.

It’s a reminder that years ago, the people who ran the country were either royal or from the aristocracy.

and are constantly being modified, by custom and practice. Similarly, there is no single written document which asserts people's rights. Some rights which are commonly accepted in modern democracies (for example, the rights not to be discriminated against on the basis of sex or race) have been formally agreed by Parliament in certain laws; but others (for example, the rights not to be discriminated against on the basis of religion or political views) have not. Nevertheless, it is understood that these latter rights are also part of the constitution.

3. How does the British constitution differ from the U.S. Constitution? What is Parliament?

Parliament is the highest legislative authority in the United Kingdom – the institution responsible Debating and passing all laws (legislation), examining and challenging the work of the government (scrutiny) and enabling the government to raise taxes

The UK Parliament can be found in Westminster, London. It has three parts:

The House of Commons is made up of 650 elected Members of Parliament (MPs). The House of Lords is made up of members who are mostly appointed by the

Sovereign on the recommendation of the Prime Minister; some are internally elected. A small number of Church of England archbishops and bishops are also Members.

The monarch, the Queen, opens and closes Parliament every year, asks the winning party in a general election to become the government and officially signs all the laws that Parliament votes for.

All three combine to carry out the work of Parliament. What is the House of Commons? The House of Commons is the lower chamber of

the UK’s two-chamber Parliament. It consists of 650 Members of Parliament (MPs) who are democratically elected by voters (the ‘electorate’) to each represent an area of the UK known as a constituency or seat.

The political party which wins the most seats in the House of Commons at a general election is known as the governing party and its leader becomes the Prime Minister. The second largest party is known as the Official Opposition and its leader is the Leader of the Opposition. All other parties are known as opposition parties even though some of them will support the governing party.

The Roles of the House of Commons are: Scrutinising Government The House of Commons scrutinizes government policies to ensure that the Government

is working for the benefit of those living in the UK. This scrutiny includes:


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What Lords don't do: represent constituencies get involved in taxation draw a salary (except for

some office holders)

„. MPs questioning government ministers, either in the House or through written parliamentary questions. This process helps to inform MPs of the work of Government and to hold ministers to account.

„. Select committees which ‘shadow’ government departments and carry out inquiries into issues of concern. The Government is required to provide witnesses and evidence for inquiries and must respond to committee recommendations.

„. MPs debating issues in the House and questioning ministers when they make statements.

Proposing and amending legislation Parliament is responsible for making laws. Most legislation comes from the

Government but proposals can originate from an MP, a Lord, a member of the public or a private group. The House of Commons and House of Lords must agree the text of any proposed legislation before it can become law. In this way the two-chamber system acts as a check and balance for both Houses.

Representing the people The UK is divided into areas, called constituencies, each of which elects a single MP to

represent them in Parliament. All residents of a constituency can contact the local MP about issues that affect them or that are being considered by Parliament. It does not matter whether they voted for the MP or even if they are entitled to vote at all.

Taxation As the democratically elected part of Parliament, the House of Commons has the right

to raise taxes. This provides the Government with money to deliver its policies. The Chancellor of the Exchequer presents the Budget to the House annually and the House passes a Finance Act to approve the taxes.

What is the House of Lords? The House of Lords is the upper Chamber of the UK’s two-chamber Parliament. It complements the work of the House of Commons. The Lords currently has around 830 Members, and there are three different types: life Peers, bishops and elected hereditary Peers. Unlike MPs, the public do not elect the Lords. The majority are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister or of the House of Lords Appointments Commission. Life Peers Appointed for their lifetime only, these Lords' titles are not passed on to their

children. The Queen formally appoints life Peers on the advice and recommendation of the Prime Minister.

Archbishops and bishops A limited number of 26 Church of England archbishops and bishops sit in the House, passing their membership on to the next most senior bishop when they retire. The Archbishops of Canterbury and York traditionally get life peerages on retirement.

Elected hereditary Peers The right of hereditary Peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords was ended in 1999 by the House of Lords Act but 92 Members were elected internally to remain until the next stage of the Lords reform process.

The House of Lords as the second Chamber of Parliament: • makes laws (around 55 per cent of time spent in the chamber). The House of Lords plays an integral role in the legislative process, debating the principles and scrutinising the details of new laws, helping to ensure that legislation is well drafted and effective.


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• holds Government to account. The scrutiny of government is a regular part of the work of the House of Lords, taking up around 40 per cent of time spent in the chamber. This is done by:

o asking oral and written questions o debating key issues o responding to government statements.

• investigates and influences public policy. House of Lords committees conduct wide-ranging investigations into policy issues and other governmental actions and decisions, and publish their recommendations to Parliament in well-respected and influential reports. • reaches out to connect people with the House of Lords. The House of Lords is an important public institution, and it is vital that the UK public hear about, understand and feel engaged with the work of the House and their parliamentary system. Through a range of formal and informal outreach activities, Members of the House of Lords connect with new audiences and groups, open up new channels of communication, and widely promote the work of the House.

• represents the UK on the international stage. As an integral part of the UK Parliament, the House of Lords has an important role to play in fostering and maintaining international relationships with other countries and their parliaments and leaders. Members of the Lords act as ambassadors for the House, for the UK Parliament and for the nation as a whole. Moreover, by participating in parliamentary visits and various multilateral parliamentary organisations, Members are able to engage with their counterparts internationally, share and apply their expertise in a wider context, and broaden understanding, both within and about the House. • was until October 2009 the UK’s highest court.

How are laws made in Parliament? Acts of Parliament are laws of the land that affect us all. For example, laws determine at

what age people can drive cars or vote in elections. A proposed new law is called a bill. Bills must be agreed by both Houses of Parliament

before becoming laws. This often means that a bill is passed backwards and forwards between the House of Commons and House of Lords, each making changes, until they are both happy with the exact wording.

This makes sure that the bill is properly thought through and that all the consequences of the new law have been considered.

Once both Houses have agreed on the bill it can be approved by the Queen. This is called Royal Assent and means the bill becomes an Act of Parliament and therefore officially a new law.

4. What are the three main parts of Parliament? 5. What are the main roles of Parliament or, in other words, what does

Parliament do? 6. Explain the differences between the House of Lords and the House of

Commons. 7. How is the British Parliament like the Congress of the United States?


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Nearly all MPs represent political parties. If an MP does not have a political party, they are known as an 'Independent'. Lords who do not support one of the three main parties are known as Crossbenchers or Independent Peers. There is also a small number who are not affiliated to any of the main groups.

In both the Commons and the Lords, Government ministers and Opposition shadow ministers sit on the front benches and are known as 'frontbenchers'.

MPs and Members of the Lords who do not hold ministerial positions sit towards the back of the Chamber and are known as 'backbenchers'.

The party system The UK has many political parties, the main

three being: The Conservative Party (Tories), a centre-

right party with a historic focus on defence and economic prudence.

The New Labour Party (Labour), a centre-left party with a historic focus on social equality and social justice.

The Liberal Democrat Party (Lib Dems), a minority party with a historic focus on social and economic liberalism.

In addition to the main three parties, the Commons has a range of other political groups also elected by the public. This includes nationalist organisations like Plaid Cymru (Wales) and the Scottish National Party, Northern Ireland's various political parties and minority parties like the Green Party.

Given the turmoil of party politics after 2005, it was unsurprising that the shape of the British party system remained uncertain. While it is hard to argue that they still have a two party it is difficult to fully agree what has replaced it instead. The classic two party system existed in Britain between 1945 and 1974. It had a number of features, all of which are less applicable today:

o Duopoly of electoral support o Duopoly of Parliamentary seats o Parity of electoral support o Loyal, class-based support o A nationwide two-party contest Some say that it is a three party system. Liberal Democrats are obviously fond of this

claim, pointing out that they too have substantive experience of government. Since the introduction of devolved government in Britain, the party has been part of ruling coalitions in both Wales and Scotland. At the 2005 general election, the party was the main opposition to the Conservatives in southern England. After the hung election result of 2010 the Liberals went into coalition with the Conservative Party.

Others claim it is a multi-party system because it is not just the Lib Dems who profited from the decline of the two-party system. The advent of proportional representation for many of the UK’s elections has accelerated the progress of Britain’s other parties. Following the devolution elections of 2007, the Scottish National Party took control of the Scottish executive, while Plaid Cymru became part of the Welsh Assembly coalition. In the 2009 European elections, the United Kingdom Independence Party came second, while the Greens and British National Party each won seats.

Another opinion is that Britain has a variable party system. According to the ‘variable’ model, Britain has not just one-party system but several party systems working concurrently. In the midlands, for example, there is still a mainly Lab–Con battle; in the south (outside London) - a mainly Lib–Con battle; in northern cities - a mainly Lib–Lab battle; in Scotland and


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Wales, meanwhile, there is a four-way battle involving all three British parties and nationalists.

The system of justice Although Britain is a

unitary state, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have their own legal systems, with considerable differences in law, organisation and practice. However, a large amount of modern legislation applies throughout Britain. The law is divided into criminal law and civil law; the latter regulates the conduct of people in ordinary relations with one another. The distinction between the two branches of the law is reflected in the procedures used, the courts in which cases may be heard and the sanctions which may be applied.

The court system in England and Wales can be considered as consisting of 5 levels:

Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords) and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council

o Court of Appeal High Court Crown Court and County Courts Magistrates’ Courts and the Tribunals Service

The system of justice in England and Wales, in both civil and criminal cases, is (as in North America) an adversarial system. This means that in criminal cases, there is no such thing as an examining magistrate who tries to discover the real truth about what happened. In formal terms, it is not the business of any court to find out ’the truth’. Its job is simply to decide 'yes' or 'no’ to a particular proposition (in criminal cases, that a certain person is guilty of a certain crime) after it has heard arguments and evidence from both sides.

The Courts - Apart from a number of specialised courts and tribunals, the organisational division of courts is that between criminal law and civil law. Minor criminal cases are tried in the magistrates’ courts, minor civil cases in county courts. The higher courts

Court Structure of Her Majesty’s Courts Service


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– the Crown Court, the High Court and the Court of Appeal – are known collectively, as the Senior Courts of England and Wales. At the head of the system stands the Supreme Court

Magistrate courts - More than nine out of every ten criminal cases in England and Wales are tried in magistrates’ courts. The courts have power to levy fines and to impose prison sentences not exceeding six months. Magistrates are either professional or lay. Lay magistrates are not legally trained and are drawn from the ranks of the public.

Crown Courts - More serious cases (and appeals from magistrates' courts) are heard in Crown Court. Appeals go either to the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court or to the Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal. The Crown Court is divided into 92 courts and in 2007, 153,000 defendants were dealt with.

Court of Appeal - The Court of Appeal consists of judges known as Lord Justices of Appeal and four judges who are members ex officio.

The Supreme Court - From the Court of Appeal, a further appeal is possible to the Supreme Court if the court certifies that a point of law of general public importance is involved. The Supreme Court is presided over by a President and eleven Justices of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is a relatively new development in the British judiciary only coming into being in 2009 (it replaced the House of Lords as the highest court in England, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Civil cases - Some minor civil cases are heard in magistrates' courts, but more important cases go to the High Court, which is divided into three divisions:

o Queen's Bench o Chancery Division o Family Division

The UK is also under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice, where it can be challenged for failing to uphold its European treaty obligations.

The judges - The most senior judges are the twelve members of the Supreme Court. They are eminent lawyers, normally drawn from the ranks of the Court of Appeal. The attraction in becoming a judge lies only partially in the salary. Rather, the attraction lies in the status that attaches to holding a position at the top of one’s profession. Judges thus form a socially and professionally exclusive or near-exclusive body

The background of judges – Judges are overwhelmingly male and white. The majority went to public school and then graduated from Oxford or Cambridge. Senior judgeships are the almost exclusive preserve of barristers. Because of these factors there has been some attempt in recent years to try and expand the type of people who are made judges. There is a similar court system in Northern Ireland and a different court system in Scotland:

The court system in Northern Ireland can be considered as consisting of 5 levels: Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords) o Court of Appeal High Court Crown Court and County Courts Magistrates’ Courts

The court system in Scotland can be considered as consisting of 4 levels: Supreme Court (formerly the House of Lords) and the Judicial Committee

of the Privy Council o Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary Sheriff Courts District Courts


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8. Write five GOOD questions about the political system in the UK in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

STUDENT1 ____________ STUDENT 2 ___________ STUDENT 3_____________ Q.1. Q.2. Q.3. Q.4. Q.5.

Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.

Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings. 9. Match the people and places with their description.

The Prime Minister /The Conservative Party / Members of Parliament / The Palace of

Westminster / The Labour Party /The Queen

1) These people are elected to represent their areas (known as constituencies). They are also known as MPs.

2) This is the name of the main centre-left-wing party. 3) This is the name of the main centre-right-wing party. 4) This person is the head of state. 5) This person is the head of the government. 6) This place is where the Parliament meets.

10. Choose the best answer:

1. Which of these does not apply to the British political system?

a. Constitutional monarchy b. Parliamentary democracy c. Presidential democracy

2. In which respect is Britain most

unusual among twenty-first century states? It does not have:

a. A written constitution b. A monarch c. A president

3. Parliament is the UK's legislature.

Most countries in the world have one. What is a 'legislature*?

a. group of people with power to make laws

b. home of a president or prime minister c. a group of top government ministers

4. The House of Lords does not revise

proposed laws that deal with... a. Religion b. immigration c. money

5. There currently are how many

Members of Parliament? a. 650 b. 750 c. 460

6. Each MP represents a different area

of the UK. What are these areas called?


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a. constituencies b. counties c. boroughs

7. What is the main job of the House of

Lords? a. help to make new laws b. choose the prime minister c. advise the Queen

8. Which of these political parties is

sometimes known as “the Tories”? a. Conservative b. Labour c. Liberal Democrat

9. Plaid Cymru is the nationalist party

of which part of the UK? a. Northern Ireland b. Scotland c. Wales

10. The three main branches of

government are?

a. The Executive, the Judiciary, the House of Lords

b. The Judiciary, the Executive, the Privy Council

c. The Judiciary, the Monarchy, the Executive

d. The Legislature, the Executive, the Judiciary

11. The British Supreme Court was

created in? a. 1997 b. 1787 c. 1945 d. 2009

12. The highest court of appeal in the

UK is? a. The Court of Appeal b. The Supreme Court c. The European Court of Human

Rights d. The House of Lords

11. Write an essay pointing out the similarities and differences between the British and

American Political Systems.

File 6C The President 1. Read the quote below and guess what the missing word is. Explain the meaning of the

quote in your own words. “In choosing a president, we really don't choose a Republican or Democrat, a conservative or

liberal. We choose a _______________.” (Rudolph W. Giuliani - born May 28, 1944) is an American lawyer, businessman, and politician from

New York. He served as Mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001.) 2. Preview this section by skimming. Then write a sentence or two explaining what you

think you will be learning. After you have finished reading, revise your statements as necessary.

Constitutional Requirements for the Presidency The constitutional requirements for the presidency remain the same as they did when

George Washington was president. The U.S. Constitution lists only three rules about who can become president of the United States. A person must be (1) at least 35 years old, (2) a native-born American citizen, and (3) a resident of the United States for at least 14 years. By law, anyone who meets these qualifications can become president. Of course, someone who hopes to become president must have many more qualifications than those three.


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Term of Office Presidents serve four-year terms. Originally the Constitution placed no limits on how many

terms a president could serve. However, the Twenty-second Amendment, ratified in 1951, limits each president to two elected terms in office, or a maximum of 10 years if the presidency began during another president’s term.

Salary and Benefits The president receives a salary of $400,000 per year, plus money for expenses and travel.

The president lives and works in the White House, which contains a private movie theatre, a small gym, a bowling alley, and a heated pool. A White House domestic staff of more than 80 people takes care of the president’s family.

Constitutional Powers The president is the most powerful public official in the United States. The U.S. Constitution

is the basis of the president’s power. Article II says “Executive Power shall be invested in a President . . .” Thus, the president’s main job is to execute, or carry out, the laws passed by Congress. The Constitution also gives the president the power to

• veto, or reject, bills passed in Congress. • call Congress into special session. • serve as commander in chief of the armed forces. • receive leaders and other officials of foreign countries. • make treaties with other countries (with Senate approval). • appoint heads of executive agencies, federal court judges, ambassadors, and other top

government officials (also subject to Senate approval). • pardon or reduce the penalties against people convicted of federal crimes. Roles of the President The president fills a number of different roles. Some of these roles come directly from the

Constitution; others are not established in the Constitution but have developed over the years. Chief Executive The most important role of the president is carrying out the laws passed by Congress. To do

this, the president is in charge of 15 cabinet departments and the approximately 3 million civilians who work for the federal government. The president appoints the heads of the cabinet departments and of other large government agencies, with the Senate’s approval.

Chief Diplomat The president directs the foreign policy of the United States, making key decisions about

how the United States acts toward other countries in the world. Commander in Chief The Constitution makes the president commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces. This

role gives presidents the ability to back up their foreign policy decisions with force, if necessary. The president is in charge of the army, navy, air force, marines, and coast guard. The top commanders of all these branches of service are subordinate to the president.

Congress and the president share the power to make war. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, but only the president can order American soldiers into battle.

Legislative Leader Most of the bills Congress considers each year come from the executive branch. Only

members of Congress have the power to introduce bills for consideration, but in practice Congress expects the executive branch to propose the legislation it would like to see enacted.


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Every president has a legislative program. These are new laws that he wants Congress to pass. The president makes speeches to build support for this program and meets with key senators and representatives to try to persuade them to support the proposed laws. . In addition, the president appoints several staff members to work closely with members of Congress on new laws. The president may also influence legislation by appealing directly to the American people.

Head of State The president is the living symbol of the nation. In this role, the president aids diplomacy by

greeting visiting kings and queens, prime ministers, and other foreign leaders. The president also carries out ceremonial functions for Americans, such as lighting the national Christmas tree and giving medals to the country’s heroes.

Economic Leader Every president tries to help the country’s economy prosper. Voters expect the president to

deal with such problems as unemployment, rising prices, or high taxes. One key task the president must accomplish each year as economic leader is to plan the federal government’s budget.

Party Leader The president is generally regarded as the leader of his or her political party. Members of

the president’s party work hard to elect the president. In turn, the president gives speeches to help fellow party members who are running for office as members of Congress, governors, and mayors. The president also helps the party raise money.

Executive Office of the President Every day, the President of the United States is faced with scores of decisions, each with

important consequences for America's future. To provide the President with the support the he or she needs to govern effectively, the Executive Office of the President (EOP) was created in 1939 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The EOP has responsibility for tasks ranging from communicating the President's message to the American people to promoting our trade interests abroad.

Cabinet The cabinet is a group of presidential advisers that includes the heads of the 15 top-level

executive departments. The head of the Department of Justice is called the attorney general; all the other department heads are called secretaries. The president may also ask the vice president and other top officials to join the cabinet.

3. Answer the questions 1. What are the powers assigned to the president by the Constitution? 2. What qualifications are needed to be president? 3. What is the maximum number of years that a U.S. president can serve in office? 4. The president fills a number of different roles. Which is the president’s most

important role? 5. What duties does the president carry out as commander in chief? 6. To whom does the Constitution give the power to officially declare war? 7. How does the role of head of state differ from that of chief diplomat?

4. What do these numbers refer to?

10 _____________________ 14 _____________________ 15 _____________________ 1939 _____________________ 3 _____________________ 35 _____________________ 80 _____________________

5. Draw a spidergram in order to classify the roles filled by the president and give an example of each.


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File 6C: The Prime Minister 1. Read the text below and check whether the following sentences are true or false a) The executive branch is the most significant part of the whole political system. b) The elected part of the executive in Britain is led by the Prime Minister. c) The roles of the Prime Minister are clearly defined by the written nature of the British

constitution. d) The Prime Minister appoints the members of the Cabinet, and all government jobs are

approved by him or her. e) The Prime Minister doesn’t coordinate government policy. f) The Prime Minister has a role as the chief communicator of his or her political party and

the chief spokesman for the government. g) To support the Prime Minister in his role, there is a Prime Minister’s Office, centred on 12

Downing Street, which is both the Prime Minister’s home and his office. h) The Cabinet consists of the chief ministers who work with the Prime Minister in running

the country. i) There is a term of office for a prime minister. The prime minister holds office "at Her

Majesty's pleasure." j) Whenever the office of Prime Minister falls vacant, the Sovereign is responsible for

appointing the new successor. The executive: one of the three ‘powers’ or ‘branches’ of the system of government. The

executive’s prime responsibility is to use the power of the state to govern the country by executing the laws passed by the legislature, or by taking actions sanctioned in other ways by the representative assembly, and by supporting the judiciary in enforcing the laws.

At the heart of the modern political system in all countries is an executive. In some ways, it

is the most significant part of the whole political system. It is always in existence (although in the hands of different politicians and parties at different times), while the legislature will generally only meet for set periods. Without the support of the executive, the judiciary would be powerless to act. The other two branches of the system of government revolve around it. The executive in Britain is very often referred to as the government, a term which leads to some confusion, but also emphasizes the importance of the executive as the most powerful of the ‘branches of the system of government’. There are two different ways in which the executive can be analysed.

1 Elected or unelected In a liberal democracy, the executive is composed of two distinct parts: elected and unelected. The elected part of the executive in Britain is led by the Prime Minister and consists of the Cabinet and the other ministers who do not attend the Cabinet. The unelected part consists of what are called civil servants, professional experts in administration or government, who work for the elected members of the government.

2 Local (and devolved) or central The central executive consists of the ministers and officials who work largely in that part of London called Whitehall. Local government is carried on throughout the country by officials and councillors who work for the local community at city, county, borough, district and parish levels. In addition, devolution to Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, London and the regions of England adds another level of government, as does the development of the European Union.


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What is the Government? People sometimes confuse Parliament and government. Both have important powers, but each is responsible for different areas of British democracy. The Government is made up of approximately 100 members of the political party which has the majority of seats in the House of Commons following a general election. Most of these will come from the House of Commons, the elected Chamber, but there will also be some from the House of Lords. The government is in charge of managing the country and deciding how our taxes are spent. Different government departments run different things. For example, there is a department in charge of health and another in charge of transport. Led by the prime minister, the UK government is formed by the political party (or coalition of parties) with the greatest representation in the House of Commons. The prime minister selects a team of MPs and members of the House of Lords to help run the country. He or she doesn't select every member of the Commons or Lords to join the government. All the other MPs and members of the House of Lords carry out the work of Parliament.

The obvious answer to the question about where power lies in the British political system is to say that it is with the Prime Minister, and on the whole this is probably the best answer to give. The Prime Minister seems, on balance, to control more resources than his potential rivals in the core executive. The roles of the Prime Minister are not clearly defined because of the unwritten nature of the British constitution, but the main points can be summarized as follows.

The first minister, or head of the government The Prime Minister is the leading figure in the

government. Since the days of Robert Walpole (in power 1721–42), there has always been a single person who is, in constitutional theory, appointed by the Crown to lead the government. This person is appointed by the monarch because he or she is the leading figure in a party or group of parties that can command a majority in Parliament. As soon as the result of an election is known, the future Prime Minister visits Buckingham Palace to have his or her position confirmed. The Prime Minister speaks to the monarch at least once a week about the conduct of public affairs. Most importantly, the he or she can request what is called a dissolution of Parliament from the monarch – that is to say, can ask the monarch to bring the session of Parliament to a close and call a general election. This means that the Prime Minister has the power to decide when there will be an election. In this process of liaison with the monarch, the Prime Minister is acting as the leader of the government.

The chairman of the Cabinet The modern idea of a Cabinet is not as old as that

of the Prime Minister, but since the late eighteenth century the two have been closely linked. The Prime Minister is head of a Cabinet of ministers and has to call a meeting of the Cabinet roughly once a week; he or she can decide on the precise timing of the meetings and their length and format. The Prime Minister sets the agenda of Cabinet meetings, chairs them and approves the minutes.

The leader of the government team The Prime Minister appoints the members of the Cabinet, and all government jobs are

approved by him or her. The Prime Minister can ‘reshuffle’ the Cabinet from time to time, moving ministers from department to department, getting rid of unsuccessful or elderly ministers and bringing in talented newcomers. It is true that the Prime Minister does not have a completely free hand here, but his or her power is still very great. The decision about when a minister should resign after a failure or scandal is in effect the decision of the Prime Minister, who can create new


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ministerial departments, reorganize and amalgamate them and decide which ministers have a seat on the Cabinet and which do not.

The minister for the civil service The whole system of government depends on the Prime Minister and not just the elected

ministers, but also the non-elected, professional civil service. The Prime Minister supervises promotion at the higher levels of the civil service. The Prime Minister may also reorganize the Civil Service, reform and restructure it and change its overall complexion and attitude.

The holder of great powers of patronage The Prime Minister, as has been said, appoints, promotes and dismisses people in the

government and to some extent in the senior civil service too. The British Commissioner at the European Union is also nominated by the Prime Minister. In addition, he or she advises the Queen on appointments to the House of Lords and to the senior judiciary. Both these last two pieces of patronage are currently under review and will be limited in the future, and even at the moment the Prime Minister does not have a completely free hand. A large number of other appointments to what can broadly be called the Establishment are at the disposal of the Prime Minister: positions in the Church of England, at certain universities and in the armed forces. Again, the Prime Minister will generally follow expert advice on these appointments. Finally, the honours system is dominated by prime ministerial patronage: peerages, knighthoods and the various other civilian medals and awards which are distributed by the monarch, to a large extent on the Prime Minister’s behalf. It is possible to exaggerate this power of patronage, however, because (apart from the appointment of ministers) the PM has to act according to protocol and has to consult various groups.

Coordinator of government policy and ideology Working with individual ministers, and through the Cabinet, the Prime Minister coordinates

government policy. This process begins before an election is won, when the broad outlines of policy are sketched out – and then supervised – by the prospective Prime Minister in his or her party’s manifesto. If elected, the Prime Minister will be expected to ensure that this policy statement is implemented; he or she tends to give the development of policy a particular ideological flavour and in some ways tries to lead the government in this area too. Thatcher led her governments as a Thatcherite; Mr Blair has been a ‘New Labour’ Prime Minister.

The overseer of the work of Cabinet colleagues Not only do Prime Ministers coordinate policy, they also get involved, to a greater or lesser

extent, in the work of their Cabinet colleagues, depending on their particular interests and abilities. Some Prime Ministers are more inclined to do this than others, but all will be interested in the really important areas of policy, such as foreign affairs, economic policy and home affairs. Some Prime Ministers seem to want to control all policy and treat individual ministers as subordinates whose function it is to carry out their orders. Others are more collegial in their approach.

The leader of the major political party in the House of Commons The Prime Minister will, by definition, be head of the largest political party in the House of

Commons and will have a role in leading that party. This role continues after the Prime Minister has taken up residence in 10 Downing Street. He or she will attend party conferences, and will work closely in running the party with party officials in London. Part of this role will include fundraising for the party, and electioneering.

The chief spokesman for the party and the government in Parliament The Prime Minister is in some respects the most important person in Parliament, although

the level of prime ministerial attendance in the House of Commons has declined over the past


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century. Nowadays the Prime Minister tends to leave the day-to-day management of Parliament to the Leader of the House and government whips. But nevertheless he or she will be there to lead major debates – for example on the Queen’s Speech at the opening of Parliament. The Prime Minister answers questions in the Commons once a week, and appears before the Liaison Committee, which consists of the chairpersons of select committee, twice a year. The Prime Minister is supposed to make major announcements in Parliament – as has been said, it is essentially the Prime Minister’s decision when to call a general election and dissolve Parliament.

The chief government and party spokesman in the country The Prime Minister has a role as the chief communicator of his or her political party and the

chief spokesman for the government. This goes beyond a parliamentary role and involves frequent appearances in the media, on television, writing newspaper articles, and giving interviews or press conferences. Tony Blair started the process of giving a monthly press conference, rather like the President of the USA. This has been criticized on the grounds that the Prime Minister ought to be making announcements in the House of Commons.

Representative of the country abroad and a national figurehead at home The Prime Minister has increasingly adopted roles which, in the past, have been associated

with the head of state or a member of the royal family. Visits to foreign dignitaries, attendance at summit meetings and at the funerals of foreign heads of government and state, the communication of expressions of grief or condolence to countries struck by some disaster: all of these seem increasingly to be part of the work of a Prime Minister. Even at home, the Prime Minister is expected to perform similar ceremonial functions, and can generally be expected to appear on television in the event of a serious accident or the death of someone famous.

The Prime Minister’s Office To support the Prime Minister in his role, there is a Prime Minister’s Office, centred on 10

Downing Street, which is both the Prime Minister’s home (although Tony Blair and his family actually chose to live in number 11, where the accommodation is larger) and his office. The number of support staff has grown in recent years, but is still relatively small, especially in comparison with the huge staff that works for the President of the USA for example. In 1998, Tony Blair’s immediate political staff in 10 Downing Street only numbered 152 but he was still accused of having enhanced the role of his staff by bringing in additional political advisers. Different Prime Ministers organize their Office in different ways, and give their close advisors different titles, and Tony Blair and Gordon Brown have done this too.

The Cabinet consists of the chief ministers who work with the Prime Minister (who is also a

member of the Cabinet) in running the country. ‘The Cabinet’ also describes the regular meetings of these members of the government. Cabinet ministers are all members of the Commons or Lords, mainly the former. Every Cabinet member since 1945 has been a member of the party which has won the previous general election – that is to say, there have been no coalition governments since then. The Prime Minister will always be a member of the Cabinet, and acts as the chairman of the meeting. The other great offices of state are also always in the Cabinet: Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary. All the other ministries are generally represented in the Cabinet too, but a certain amount of discretion is allowed to the Prime Minister on whether to include the more minor ministers, and whether to include the Chief Whip or the Chairman of the Party.


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Term The office of Prime Minister is governed not by codified laws, but by unwritten and, to some

extent, fluid customs known as constitutional conventions, which have developed over years of British history. These conventions are for the most part founded on the underlying principle that the Prime Minister and his fellow Ministers must not lose the support of the democratically elected component of Parliament: the House of Commons.

There is no term of office for a prime minister. The prime minister holds office "at Her Majesty's pleasure." In reality the convention "at her Majesty's pleasure" means "at the pleasure of the House of Commons." Whenever the office of Prime Minister falls vacant, the Sovereign is responsible for appointing the new successor; the appointment is formalized at a ceremony known as Kissing Hands. In accordance with unwritten constitutional conventions, the Sovereign must appoint the individual most likely to maintain the support of the House of Commons – usually, the leader of the party which has a majority in that House.

The period in office of a Prime Minister is not linked to the term of Members of the House of Commons. A prime minister once appointed continues in office as Her Majesty's head of government until either they resign, are dismissed (in reality something not likely to happen except in exceptional circumstances) or die. When a prime minister loses a general election, modern constitutional conventions dictate that that prime minister immediately submit his or her resignation.

2. Draw a spidergram in order to classify the roles filled by the prime minister and give an example of each. 3. Fill in the gaps with the words below:

government, appointments, monarch, powerful, Cabinet, party, ministers The Prime Minister is the most ________________ (1) person in government, but exercises no statutory powers; Instead his powers exist by convention. His main powers include:

o Appoints, shuffles and dismisses _______________ (2) o Chairs the __________________ (3) o Controls Whitehall o Dispenses honours and public __________________ (4)

Other powers include: • For instance the power to advise the _______________ (5)as to when a general election shall be held. • The PM’s political capital is also enhanced by other aspects of his office as well as by the fact that he is ________________ (6) leader. • As head of _________________________ (7), the PM attends various international gatherings. 4. Each week (Wednesdays), MP's question the Prime Minister on his policies and work. What would you ask him? 5. In groups, prepare 15 questions about the text which another group will have to answer from memory. When the groups are ready, all copies of the text should be covered up, then the groups have to swap their question sheets and answer each other’s questions. The group that answers the most questions correctly wins. 6. Write an essay highlighting the President's and Prime Minister's major functions in the State.


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The house of Windsor Windsor is the family name of the British royal family. The press sometimes refers to its members as 'the Windsors'. Queen Elizabeth is only the Fourth monarch with this name. This is not because a 'new1 royal family took over the throne of Britain four monarchs ago; it is because George V, Elizabeth's grandfather, changed the family name. It was Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but during the First World War it was thought better for the king not to have a German-sounding name.

6D The Role Of The Monarchy 1. Draw a KWL chart like the one below. In the first column, write what you already know about the British monarchy. In the second column, write what you want to know about the topic. After you have read the unit, write what you learned in the third column.

K What I Know

W What I Want to Know

L What I Learned

2. After reading the text and "learning" the material, go back to the "K" column and see if any of your prior knowledge was inaccurate. Check any of them that are inaccurate, according to the text. Rewrite any of your statements that were inaccurate so they are correct. Then go to the "W" column and check any of your questions that the text did not answer. Be prepared to bring these unanswered questions up in class, or tell how you will find answers to them and where you will look to get the answers Monarchy is the oldest form of government in the United Kingdom. In a monarchy, a king or queen is Head of State. The British monarchy is known as a constitutional monarchy. This means that, while The Sovereign is Head of State, the ability to make and pass legislation resides with an elected Parliament.

Although the British Sovereign no longer has a political or executive role, he or she continues to play an important part in the life of the nation.

As Head of State, The Monarch undertakes constitutional and representational duties which have developed over one thousand years of history. In addition to these State duties, The Monarch has a less formal role as 'Head of Nation'. The Sovereign acts as a focus for national identity, unity and pride; gives a sense of stability and continuity; officially recognises success and excellence; and supports the ideal of voluntary service.

In all these roles, The Queen is supported by members of the Royal Family, who carry out many of the engagements which Her Majesty cannot undertake in person.

The role of the royal family Members of the Royal Family support The Queen in her many State and national duties, as well as carrying out important work in the areas of public and charitable service, and helping to strengthen national unity and stability.

Those who undertake official duties are members of The Queen's close family: her children and their spouses, and The Queen's cousins (the children of King George VI's brothers) and their spouses.


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Greeting a member of the Royal Family

There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way. On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Ma'am'. For other members of the Royal Family the same rules apply, with the title used in the first instance being 'Your Royal Highness' and subsequently 'Sir' or 'Ma'am' in later conversation.

In how many countries is The Queen Head of State?

A. Including the British Isles, The Queen is Head of State in 16 Commonwealth countries. Her Majesty is head of the Commonwealth which includes 53 countries.

Every year the Royal Family as a whole carries out over 2,000 official engagements throughout the UK and worldwide.

These engagements may include official State responsibilities. Members of the Royal Family often carry out official duties in the UK and abroad where The Queen cannot be present in person. The Prince of Wales and The Princess Royal, for example, may present members of the public with their honours at an Investiture.

When official events such as receptions, State banquets and garden parties are held, the Royal Family supports The Queen in making her guests welcome.

The Royal Family also plays an important role in supporting and encouraging the public and charity sectors. About 3,000 organisations list a member of the Royal Family as patron or president.

The huge range of these organisations - covering every subject from education to the environment, hospitals to housing - allows members of the Royal Family to meet people from a wide spectrum of national and local life, and to understand their interests, problems

and concerns. What are the powers of the monarch? According to the constitution the monarch has an incredible amount of power but the actual situation is completely different. The limitation of the royal power started in 1215 when the King John was obliged to sign “Magna Carta1”. There is a famous saying that the British monarch reigns but doesn’t rule. It means that on paper he has almost an absolute power but in reality it is the Parliament and the Prime Minister who govern the country. The monarch mostly serves as a

symbol of nation. The power of the monarch to act without consulting Parliament is known as the Royal Prerogative. In the past the monarch was able to act without reference to Parliament but over time these powers have become very restricted and are today mostly exercised by the Government.

1 Magna Carta (Latin for "Great Charter", literally "Great Paper"), also known as Magna Carta Libertatum, was originally an English charter from 1215. Magna Carta is the most significant early influence on the long historical process that has led to the rule of constitutional law today. Magna Carta was originally created because of disagreements between the Pope, King John and his English barons over the rights of the King. Magna Carta required the king to renounce certain rights and respect certain legal procedures and to accept that the will of the king could be bound by law.


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The theoretical powers of the monarch include: The formal rights of the monarch The real state The monarch appoints the PM and all the other ministries.

PM is the head of the majority party which won the election and it is he who appoints all the ministries.

Summoning, proroguing or dissolving Parliament.

This is done on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The monarch is the head of the church

The church is governed by a number of bishops and archbishops.

The monarch has the right to veto any bill passed by the Parliament

The monarchs have not used the right of veto since 1707 and the royal assent is automatically given to all the bills passed by the Parliament.

The monarch is the official commander-in-chief of the armed forces and can declare war and make peace with other nations.

All the military matters are decided by the PM and Parliament and the monarch simply obeys all their decisions.

Power of patronage in making official appointments and conferring honours (The monarch is considered to be the “fountain of honour” ).

With rare exceptions such as the Order of the Garter, these are made on the advice of the Prime Minister who will have consulted widely with interested parties.

Opening Parliament with the Queen’s Speech.

This is written by the Prime Minister and his or her team and outlines what the Government intends to do in the forthcoming session of Parliament.

The monarch has the right to give mercy to criminals and in general is considered to be the head of the Legal System of Britain

She gives mercy on the advice of the law lords who sit in the House of Lords and it is possible to say that there is no actual head of the Legal System in Britain.

Head of the Commonwealth

A position which carries considerable influence but all foreign affairs are conducted by the Government in accordance with its foreign policy. Maintaining the position of the monarch within our constitutional system provides a figurehead outside of political influence who can command respect and authority. The monarch can also provide the benefit of his or her knowledge, having dealt with many individual officials and foreign leaders, and can offer advice based on past experience (to date 10 Prime Ministers have served the Queen since she succeeded her father in 1952)


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Where does The Queen live?

When The Queen is working, she divides her time between London and Windsor, unless she is on an overseas visit. She spends a week in Edinburgh every year called ‘Holyrood Week’. Her Majesty spends her holiday at Balmoral Castle, Aberdeenshire, or Sandringham House, Norfolk.

Buckingham Palace is not only the London home of The Queen; The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of York, The Earl and Countess of Wessex, The Princess Royal and Princess Alexandra also have private offices and apartments located within the Palace.

When is The Queen’s Official Birthday?

A. The Queen’s official birthday is not a universally fixed day. In the United Kingdom it occurs on either the 1st, 2nd or 3rd Saturday in June and is decided by the Government. The Queen’s official birthday is marked by the parade known as Trooping the Colour, which has been held for this purpose almost every year since 1748. On this day The Queen’s Birthday Honours are announced. The Queen’s actual birthday is on 21 April, which Her Majesty spends privately.

A day in the life of The Queen

The Queen has many different duties to perform every day.

Some are public duties, such as ceremonies, receptions and visits within the United Kingdom or abroad.

Other duties are carried out away from the cameras, but they are no less important. These include reading letters from the public, official papers and briefing notes; audiences with political ministers or ambassadors; and meetings with her Private Secretaries to discuss daily business and her future diary plans.

Even when she is away from London, in residence at Balmoral or Sandringham, she receives official papers nearly every day of every year and remains fully briefed on matters affecting her realms.

In front of the camera or away from it, The Queen's duties go on, and no two days in her life are ever the same.

Why is the Queen's husband Prince Philip not King Philip? The husband of a queen is known as a Prince consort and does not become King. Philip is not the sovereign because he was not heir to the throne of England. He merely became the Consort - or husband - of the sovereign Queen. He could still have been styled King - known as a King Consort, who takes the title but does not rule - but Parliament and the Crown realised that giving him the title of King Consort would be unpopular with the British people for a variety of reasons. In the final analysis this was a political decision rather than one based on historical precedence. The principle reason for not giving Philip the title of King was that he is a foreigner and that this might cause confusion as to who was the sovereign. This is the same reason that Queen Victoria's husband, Albert, became Prince Consort rather than King Consort. The wife of a king is a Queen consort and does take the title Queen although she does not rule as the monarch. The only exceptions were William III and Mary II who ruled jointly from 1689 until Mary's death in 1694.


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3. This the British Royal Family. You can see four different generations and the order to succession to the throne. Answer the questions about the Royal Family:

a. Who is the first heir to the throne? b. How many children does Queen Elizabeth have? c. How many brothers or sisters does Queen Elizabeth have? d. Who is Peter Philips? e. How many cousins does Prince Harry have? f. How old is Princess Eugenie? g. What do you think about British Royal family? Do you like them? Who is your

favourite member?


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4. Try to find the words associated with the British monarchy in the puzzle below. There are ten words to find.

B Q Y B D W Z C A K U H J E D G F U E T H R O N E O C Y P W O E B E R M P E X W F E M L C O S N U E O I O R C S E O O O Y T S N C N S A W P H P N J W P M R W H K V D U F C S A F D T A B B U P I S N O L T R C U Y T S E J A M N N I N G C R X R Z M Z I S I S G E W T H O J Q T B B E Q O Z S H O B Y W X T S G Q W R U S D W A C X N U F F G U T D A R B Z G M S G Q R M Z W F P T G C A K T O Z W V H E L V G L H R X K B Q I N X Q X J R M F F H P Y O P Z L

5. Fill in the gaps with the missing words: reputation symbolic unrepresentative abroad polls necessary traditions morality forces expensive people elected The contemporary role of the monarchy Despite its lack of real power the monarchy still has several important roles to play in contemporary Britain. These roles are largely __________(1) in nature and can be divided into six main headings: o Representing the UK at home and __________(2). o Settings standards of citizenship and family life o Uniting __________(3) despite differences o Allegiance of the armed __________(4) o Maintaining continuity of British __________(5) o Preserving a Christian __________(6) Criticisms of the monarchy There are four main criticisms of the monarchy: o There is the potential for political involvement o The monarchy is __________(7) o The monarchy is overly __________(8) o In the modern world the monarchy is no longer __________(9) Answers to these criticisms Supporters of the monarchy counter this by a variety of arguments. These include: o That the monarchy retains majority support in the __________(10) o That it is doubtful if an appointed or __________(11) head of state would be able to carry out the symbolic roles of the monarch o That although the __________(12) of the monarchy may have been tarnished in recent years it remains of value to the nation

6. Write an essay highlighting the role and powers of the monarchy in the UK.

conspect msdc

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