Chapter 4: Great Britain

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Chapter 4Great Britain
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The End of the Blair Decade

• Successes and popularity of first term did not
  last
• Dissatisfaction with Labour
• Unpopularity of Iraq war
• Gordon Brown became PM in June 2007

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Thinking about Britain

• Key questions
• Gradual change
• Relative economic decline
• UK as dependent on world events rather than
  master of them
• Thatcher redefinition of politics
• Impact of Blair and New Labour

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Thinking about Britain

• The basics
• The Kingdoms
• One of worlds most densely populated countries
• No longer an all white country
• Welfare state is still strong
• Social class remains a powerful force

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The Evolution of the British State

• Sequential, rather than simultaneous, tasks of
  British
• Building the nation state
• Defining the role of religion
• Establishing liberal democracy
• Industrial revolution
• Maintained legitimacy without constitution

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The Evolution of the British State

• The Broad Sweep of British History
• King and Parliament sharing power for over 700
  years
• Religion removed from politics after 16th and
  17th centuries
• Growth of Parliamentary power decline of Royal
  power
• Capitalism and urbanization promoted democratic
  reforms
• Modern parties established in late 19th century

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The Evolution of the British State

• The Collectivist Consensus
• WWII coalition government became an informal
  agreement on many issues
• Beveridge Report of 1942 formed core of
  Collectivist Consensus (social welfare program)
• Post-war political cleavages were class based
  more than policy based

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British Political Culture

• The civic culture and the collectivist years
• high levels of legitimacy
• great civic tolerance
• patriotic enthusiasm

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British Political Culture

• The politics of protest toward an uncivic
  culture?
• growing unrest in 1970s
• Northern Ireland a battlefield
• Urban race riots
• Radicalization of unions in face of growing
  unemployment and economic decline
• Renewed activism of anti-nuclear, anti-war
  movements
• polarization of politics and alienation of the
  center

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British Political Culture

• The civic culture holds
• Dangers of protest were fleeting
• Economic recovery of the 1980s eased many
  problems
• skepticism toward politicians grew

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British Political Culture

• Will there always be a Britain?
• Identification with the UK has declined in past
  40 years
• Resurgence of support for regional parties in
  Scotland and Wales
• Devolution (regional parliaments)
• Monarchys loss of influence and prestige
• Increasing racial diversity (most born in the UK)
• Growing importance of the EU

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Political Participation

• Parties primary vehicle for participation for
  over 100 years
• Party manifestos (platforms) have been very
  important in past
• All major parties have become catch-all parties

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Political Participation

• The Conservatives
• Traditionally pragmatic politicians
• Historically practiced noblesse oblige
• Elitist and effective party organization
• Opening organization to more democratic processes
  led to Thatchers election
• Since Thatcher, party has struggled to find
  success

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Political Participation

• Labour
• Began as alliance of unions, socialists, and
  cooperative associations in the early 20th
  century
• Led by pragmatic politicians for 70 years
• Economic crisis and New Left activists led to
  leadership by partys left wing
• Leaders more interested in electoral success than
  ideology were chosen in mid-80s
• New Labour, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and
  younger, more moderate leaders took over in
  mid-1990s

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Political Participation

• The Liberal Democrats
• Product of 1987 merger of Liberal and Social
  Democratic parties
• Plurality elections prevent it from winning as
  many seats as their percentage of national vote
  would seem to entitle it
• Currently challenging the Conservatives as
  second-largest party
• Minor parties

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Political Participation

• The British electorate
• Long time class-based politics upset by
  radicalism and Thatcher victories
• Rather than realignment, it was a dealignment
• Labour victories probably the result of voter
  fatigue with Conservative government and
  Labours success in appealing to middle class and
  post-materialist voters

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Political Participation

• Interest groups
• Trades Union Council and Confederation of British
  Industries are dominant peak associations
• Lobbying must be done at highest levels where
  bills are drafted

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The British State Enduring Myths and Changing
Realities

• The Monarchy and the Lords visible but powerless
• Parliamentary sovereignty, sort of
• Real power lies with leadership of majority party
• Collective responsibility is key to power
• Cabinet government?
• Ministers rely on expertise of senior civil
  servants
• Top ministers and PMs personal advisors make
  broad policies

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The British State Enduring Myths and Changing
Realities

• The rest of the state
• Civil servants act as administrators, not policy
  makers
• Regulatory agencies oversee former government
  corporations
• QUANGOs make a great deal of policy and
  regulation
• While courts have potential to be more active,
  they have never exercised a policy-making role

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Public Policy The Thatcher and Blair Revolutions

• Domestic politics
• From nationalization to privatization
• New Labours humane face on social welfare
  reform
• Traffic tax in London to pay for public transport
  investment

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Public Policy The Thatcher and Blair Revolutions

• Foreign policy
• Europe
• Should the UK join European Monetary Union?
• Should the UK ratify the new EU treaty
  (constitution)?
• Iraq How to respond to massive public opposition?

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Feedback

• Centralized, professional media
• BBC and independent broadcasters offer thorough
  political coverage
• Conclusion Blairs legacy and British democracy

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Learning Objectives

• After mastering the concepts presented in this
  chapter, you will be able to
• Gain general knowledge of the history of the
  political system in the United Kingdom.
  Recognize the importance of Magna Carta and the
  role of monarchy in Great Britain.
• Understand the concept of gradualism while
  analyzing the development of British political
  system.
• Define civic culture and civil society and assess
  the importance of both in the British political
  system.
• Understand the position of Euroskeptics
• Recognize devolution and its impact on the
  development of British state.
• Define patterns of collective responsibility in
  the British executive government.
• Describe British cabinet government.

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Learning Objectives

• After mastering the concepts presented in this
  chapter, you will be able to
• Comprehend the role of the political opposition
  in the British parliament and define the shadow
  cabinet in the functionality of British
  legislature.
• Understand the nature of parliamentarian
  sovereignty.
• Describe the work of British parliament
• Recognize the specification of British electoral
  system. Learn the difference between
  winner-take-all and proportional representation
  electoral systems.
• Describe the impact of Margaret Thatcher and Tony
  Blair governments on the political and economic
  system in the United Kingdom.
• Understand the impact of nationalization and
  privatization on economic and political
  development of the British state.