AngloAmerican Democracy

1
Anglo-American Democracy

• Is there such a thing?

2
Regimes of the Modern World

• Claires Criteria for a new typology
• Who rules?
• How is compliance assured?
• Is government centralised or fragmented?
• How is power acquired?
• What is the balance between state and individual?
• How is economic life organised?
• Is the regime stable?

3
What have they in common?

• White
• Anglo-Saxon
• Protestant
• Two-party dominant
• First past the post electoral systems
• Sea Traders so sea empires not land
• Island isolationism

4
What separates them?

• Federalism
• Monarchy
• Separation of powers
• Fixed-term elections
• Elected second chamber
• Mid-term elections
• size

5
Are they really so white and Anglo-Saxon?

• Increasing number of Hispanics in USA
• Black population electorally significant
• Celtic population of UK forgotten by political
  scientists. Now joined by immigrants. Will these
  ethnic cleavages become electorally significant?
• US Irish Italians and Jews still important

6
Religion

• Decline of organised religion in UK
• Still strong in US, but more the evangelical
  churches
• Islam significant in UK in terms of number of
  worshippers
• Catholicism and abortion issue
• Religious right electorally important in US
• Could this come to UK?

7
Party systems

• Yes, its still Republicans and Democrats, but
  Ross Perot killed Bush I and Nader in many ways
  killed Gore
• So third party candidates are having an effect on
  outcomes.
• UK! Heading for a three-party system and has had
  an important third party since the 70s
• And what about Nats? Especially UKIP

8
Party systems 2

• Senate 2004 55 R 44 D 1 Independent
• Congress 231 R 200 D 1independent
• So legislature 2 party even though Presdiency
  affected by third party candidates
• UK 2001 Lab 412 Con 166 Lib Dem 52 Others 29

9
Differences Federalism

• US fairly easy to understand
• Sttes have powers and own legislatures etc.
• Central governments powers clearly designated by
  constitution
• If a policy making area not specified, then its
  a State matter,
• To be central, constitutional amendment required

10
U.K

• What are we?
• A Union of the kingdoms of Scotland and England
  plus the Principality of Wales and the Province
  of Ulster
• Two parliaments and two assemblies, one suspended
• England has a number of unelected Regional
  governments
• Dont mention the Channel isles and the Isle of
  Man

11
Monarchy

• UK one of seven remaining European monarchies
• PM exercises monarchs powers
• Hereditary Head of State
• US President both Head of Executive and Head of
  State. V-P Chairs Senate House of Reps has
  Speaker, third in line in emergency

12
Separation of Powers

• President, Congress, States, Supreme Court,
  Constitution
• Queen, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Commons, Lords
  both judiciary and assembly!, EConHR, ECourtHR,
  Scots Welsh, Northern Irishits a mess!
• But it provides checks and balances in its own
  way.

13
Elections

• PM decides unless loses majority or vote of
  confidence
• Could Queen decide? Feb 1974
• US all fixed two year, four year or six year
  Governors
• Mid-terms likely to go against President so
  reduce power of exec.
• Having an elected second chamber with states as
  constituencies also keeps Pres in check

14
Constitutional and political checks

• Are there any checks on PM other than media?
• Can she ignore own party?
• Deliberately keeping second chamber impotent?
• Deliberately keeping local government weak?
• ECHR and ECJ only checks?
• Or take to the streets? countryside alliance

15
Administrative oversight

• Committee systems
• Some legal/judicial overview

16
Collective responsibility

• Cabinet ministers supposed to accept
  responsibility for cabinet policy
• Supposed to support it in public
• But brief and leak away merrily
• Does anyone accept individual responsibility any
  more?
• Other than being caught without underclothes, why
  should anyone resign

17
Collective responsibility in the US

• Given president appoints cabinet, wont they all
  agree with him her?
• Condoleeza Rice v Donald Rumsfeld v Colin Powell
  bye Colin
• Genuine disputes about policy now fought out in
  the media
• Not in Congress or parliament

18
Judicial policy making

• US Supreme Court and written constitution
• Lord Denning
• Judicial Review of legislation
• ECHR and European Court of Human Rights
• European Union Constitution and European Court of
  Justice