英美国家概况 Unit2 A brief introduction to the UK

Unit3thegovernmentoftheUnitedKingdomTheIslandofGreatBritainEnglandScotlandWalesNorthernIrelandThesmallestamongthefournationsPopulation:1.759millionCapital:BelfastItisMostlyrural,withlowhills,andbeautifullakesFewtroubles(someinternalconflicts)andlowcrimerate.Britainistheoldestrepresentativedemocracyintheworld.ItsrootscanbetracedbackonethousandyearsagoUNIT3ThegovernmentofUKTheoldestinstitutionofgovernmentisthemonarchy.Thecountrywasruledbyakingorqueen.Oppositionarose,andMagnaCarta(英国大宪章)cameintoplace.Anditplacedsomelimitsontheking’sabilitytoabusehisroyalpower.PARLIAMENT:fordiscussionortalkInthe13thcentury,Thekingwouldgatherbaronsandrepresentativestoraisemoney.Thekingwantedtoenlargethegroupthatgavehimmoney,sothehouseofLordsandthehouseofcommonscameintobeing.Inthe17thcentury,therewasadisputeoverthepowerofkingandparliament,andacivilwarbrokeout.Thekingwasdefeatedandexecuted.AnotherKingJamesthesecondalsotriedtogovernwithouttheconsentofparliament,andwasreplacedbyanotherKing.VSThecrownandCabinet(consistsofsomemembersoftheparliament)needtohavegoodrelationship,sotheyneedtomeeteachotherregularly.In1714,theBritishQueendiedwithoutproducingaheirtothethrone,sotheyfoundakingfromGermany.KingGeorgespokeEnglishverybadly,andwasnotveryinterestedinpolitics.SoheorderedoneofhisministerstomeetthecabinetLaterhewascalledtheprimeminister.In1832,asystemforchoosingtheHouseofCommonsbypopularelectioninsteadofappointmentfromkingscameintobeing.Membersofparliamentlaterdividedintodifferentparties,thepartywiththemostsupportersintheCommonsformsthegovernment,andtheleaderofthatpartybecomesprimeminister.BypopularelectionDifferentpartiesGovernment:thepartywiththemostsupportersTheleadingmanofthemajorpartyistheprimeministerDeeplyinfluencedbyitspast.Britainisbothaparliamentarydemocracy(议会民主制)andaconstitutionalmonarchy（君主立宪制）Theofficialheadofthestate:theQueenAustralia,Canada,NewZealandrecognizetheQueenastheirheadofstate.QUEENELIZABETHBritishgovernancealsohasitsownconstitution(宪法).ParliamenthasanumberofdifferentfunctionsVotingfortaxationPasslawsMakeorchangelawsIncluding:TheQueen(usuallysheisnotincluded),TheHouseofLords,theHouseofCommonsRepresentBritainathomeandabroad.Setstandardsofgoodcitizenshipandfamilylife.TheQueenhasweeklychatswiththePrimeminister.VerywealthyThemoneywasfromtaxpayersTherunningcostsofBuckinghamPalacewasfromtaxpayers.SomemembersoftheChurchofEnglandLords:heirofthepreviousLords（世袭贵族）lifepeers(终身贵族)About646membersoftheParliamentwhowereelected.MostMPsbelongtopoliticalpartiesLabor（工党)Conservatives（保守党）theLiberalDemocrats（自由民主党）Include20membersoftheparliamentChosenbythePrimeMinistertobecomegovernmentministersFunction:policy-makingthecoordinationofgovernmentdepartmentsthesupremecontrolofgovernment=YouveGotThePowersecondary&w=460&h=259HouseofLords