Britain and American Culture 英美文化专题-政治

3.TheUSandUKPoliticalSystemsandTheirOperationTheModernizationofacountryshouldincludemanyaspects:politicalsystem,economicsystem,sciences,culture,mentality,wayofliving,etc.However,therealizationofmodernizationshouldfirstbebasedonthemodernizationofeconomicandpoliticalsystems,whichdependoneachother.TheBritishcapitalistproductionrelationwasborninthefeudalistsoil.Thesovereignpowerusedtoprotectthedevelopmentofcapitalismandtherisingbourgeois,whichinturn,usedtosupportthesovereignpower.Butwhenthenewproductiveforcebecamestrong,itwouldbeobstructedseriouslybythefeudalistpoliticalsystem.Thenthecapitalisteconomicrelationcouldnotcontinueitsdevelopmentwithoutbreakingthefeudalistsuperstructure.IntroductionTheprocessofmodernizationofEnglishpoliticalsystemTheEnglishpoliticalmodernizationcanmainlybedividedintothreestagesorthreesteps:1.Smashingthefeudaliststatemachinetosetupabourgeoisstateunderconstitutionalmonarchy,clearingthewayfortheeconomicdevelopmentofcapitalism.2.Establishingthesystemofparliamentarydemocracy(议会民主),cabinetresponsibility(内阁责任制)andbi-partisansystem(两党制),bybreakingthemonopolyofstatepowerbylandaristocracy,openingthedoorofstatepowerinstitutionforindustrialbourgeoisie;completingthemodernstatesystemtorealizebourgeoispoliticaldemocracy.3.Expandingfurtherelectionrighttoachievepopulouspoliticaldemocracy.Thefirsthalfofthe17thcenturywitnessedtheturningpointofthedevelopmentofsocio-economicandpoliticalsysteminEngland.Itwastheperiodwhencapitalisteconomicrelationandcapitalistpoliticalsystemreplacedthefeudalistones.TheEnglishbourgeoisrevolutionwasamilestoneintheprocessofpoliticalandeconomicmodernization.•TheEnglishparliamentdevelopedoutoftheking’scouncilofthe13thC,afeudalassemlyofleadingbaonssummonedattheking’swill.•Knightsfromeachcountyweresummonedtoassembliesin1213,1227and1254.•Parliamentassumedtherighttomakelaws(14thC)andtocontroltaxation(1340).DivisionintoLordsandCommonsbecamepermanentinthereignofEdwardIII(1327-77).BritishParliament,supremelegislatureoftheUnitedKingdomofGreatBritainandNorthernIreland.Itconsists,technically,oftheCrown,theHouseofLords,andHouseofCommons,butincommonusageonlyofthelasttwo.TodaythemainpartistheHouseofCommons;itsmembersalonearecalledmembersofParliament.Parliamentisthelegislativebranchofgovernment.Nostatutemaybecomelaworbealteredorrepealed,normaytaxesbelevied,withoutitsconsent.Thus,allpowersoflocalgovernmentderivefromParliamentaryacts.Cabinetmembers,includingtheprimeminister,aremembersofonehouseortheotherandarecollectivelyresponsibletotheHouseofCommons.TheHouseofCommonshas659members,electedfromequal-sizedistrictsbyBritishsubjectsatleast18yearsold.ThemaximumlifeofaParliamentisfiveyears.Electionsaresetbytheprimeministeronthebasisofpoliticalnecessityoradvantage.Ifthecabinet,formedbytheleadingpartyinCommons,losesavoteofconfidenceorfailstocarryitslegislationinCommons,itmustresignorrequestadissolution.Anelectioncanbeheldinasshortatimeasthreeweeks.Becauseofthestrictpartydiscipline,importantdecisionsareoftenmadenotinParliament,butbeforehandinthelessformalmeetingsofthecabinetandpartycaucus.TheHouseofLordsisthehighestcourtofappealinBritain’sjudicialsystem.TheHouseofLords,withabout1200members,ismadeupofthebishopsoftheChurchofEnglandandthehereditaryandlifepeers,allofwhomareappointedbytheCrown.Itspower,onceequaltothatoftheCommons,wasin1911limitedtodelayingmoneybillsfor30days,otherbillsfortwoyearsin1948reducedtooneyear.TheLords,withlessformalproceduresthanCommons,canprovideadditionalstudyandreflectionandthusimprovethequalityoflegislation.Whensittingasacourtofappeal,itsdeliberationsarelimitedtothosepeerswithjudicialexperience,includingtheLordsofAppealinOrdinary,lifepeersappointed(since1876)toenhancetheLords’judicialability.ThePeerageActof1963madeitpossibleforhereditarypeerstoresigntheirpeeragesandobtainthestatusandrightsofcommoners.PoliticalOrganisationsinUKTories(courtparty)ConservativePartySocialDemocraticFederationFabianSocietyTheLabourPartyCommunistPartyWhigs(villageparty)ChartistPartyLiberalPartyLib-LabsIndependentLaboutPartyLiberalUnionistsSinnFeinHouseofCommonsHouseofLordsThenumberofseatsintheHouseofCommonsdecideswhichPartyistoorganizethecabinet.TheleaderofthepartyPMThepartythatgetsthelargestnumberofconstituencygetsThemajorityofseats.ParliamentAct,1911,supremacytoCommons,from7tofiveYearsforeachparliament.SomeBillsapplytothewholeoftheUnitedKingdom.Billsmayapply,though,tooneormoreconstituentpartsofBritain-forexample,onlytoEnglandandWales.FollowingtheestablishmentofaScottishParliamentandaWelshAssembly,powerstomakelegislationincertainareashavebeen'devolved'.However,powerinmanyotherareas,suchasdefenceandforeignaffairs(knownas'reserved'matters),stillresideswiththeHouseofCommons.WhiletheScottishParliamentcanpassprimarylegislationinsuchareasasagricultureandhealth,theWelshAssembly'spowersonlyallowittopasssecondarylegislationintheformofstatutoryinstruments.SomenotesGloriousEnglishtraditionofstrugglingforfreedomanddemocracy1.MagnaCarta(1215,GreatCharter,大宪章)OnJune15,thebaronsofMedievalEnglandconfrontedKingJohnatat